Molly-Mae had what should’ve been one of the biggest nights of her career at the National Television Awards, but it’s turned into something much more complicated than anyone expected. The former Love Island star’s documentary win has got the entire country talking, but not all for the reasons she’d probably hoped for.
What started as a celebration of Molly-Mae’s Amazon Prime documentary quickly became one of the most controversial moments of the entire NTA ceremony. The backlash has been fierce and relentless, with viewers, celebrities, and even professionals in the industry weighing in on whether the right person won the award.
But that’s not even the only thing people are discussing about Molly-Mae’s big moment. There was also an awkward wardrobe mishap that had everyone cringing – and it happened right as she was walking up to collect her award.
The Molly-Mae NTA Win That’s Got Everyone Divided
When Molly-Mae’s name was called out as the winner of Best Authored Documentary at the NTAs, you could feel the tension in the room. Her Amazon Prime series “Molly-Mae: Behind It All” beat some seriously heavyweight competition, and that’s where the controversy really kicked off.
The other nominees included Rob Burrow’s heartbreaking BBC documentary “There’s Only One Rob Burrow,” which followed the rugby league legend’s battle with motor neurone disease before his death at just 41. There was also Freddie Flintoff’s documentary about his life-changing Top Gear accident and Amy Dowden’s cancer journey.
Molly-Mae seemed to realize the sensitivity of the situation when she took to the stage. “Just to be nominated for this award was such an honour,” she said. “I think as you guys saw, we were up against some seriously inspirational people in this category.”
She went on to dedicate her award to Rob Burrow and his family, saying: “To Lindsay, Rob Burrow’s wife and his children, his story was far more inspirational than mine could ever be. It was just incredible and touched me in more ways than I can explain. This one’s for you Rob.”
The Moment Molly-Mae Lost Her Shoe on Stage
Before all the controversy, there was actually a pretty amusing moment that had people talking for entirely different reasons. As Molly-Mae made her way up to the stage to collect her NTA, she suffered what can only be described as every woman’s worst nightmare at a formal event.
Her shoe came right off as she was walking up the steps. The whole thing was caught on camera, and Molly-Mae handled it with typical grace, even joking about it during her acceptance speech. “I’ve lost a shoe,” she laughed, making light of the wardrobe malfunction that could’ve completely derailed the moment.
The shoe incident actually made Molly-Mae seem more relatable and human, especially given the pressure she was already under with such a contentious category. It’s one of those moments that reminds you that celebrities are just people who have the same awkward experiences as the rest of us.
Why Molly-Mae’s Documentary Win Has Caused Such Outrage
The backlash against Molly-Mae’s NTA victory has been pretty intense, and it’s not hard to understand why people are upset. Social media has been flooded with criticism, with many viewers feeling that documentaries about serious illnesses and life-threatening accidents deserved recognition over a breakup story.
One particularly angry viewer wrote on X: “The #NTAs are basically a travesty & a true reflection of society today… How on earth does Molly Mae beat #RobBurrow, a guy that fought a really tough battle against MND. Words fail me.”
Another added: “Molly Mae winning an NTA over Rob Burrow really reminds me how much I hate society today. And the mid-speech dedication felt false and completely inappropriate. His family’s face said it all.”
Even celebrities got involved in the criticism. Strictly Come Dancing professional Carlos Gu, who’s close friends with nominee Amy Dowden, shared his thoughts on Instagram Stories: “‘A Breakup Story’ win Best Documentary at the NTAs over films about real human suffering, like those battling illness? It’s honestly baffling.”
What Molly-Mae’s Documentary Actually Shows
To understand the controversy better, it helps to know what Molly-Mae’s winning documentary actually covers. “Molly-Mae: Behind It All” follows her life in the months after her highly publicized split from boxer Tommy Fury, with whom she has a daughter, Bambi.
The Amazon Prime series shows Molly-Mae juggling single motherhood while launching her clothing brand Maebe. It’s described as giving viewers unprecedented access to her personal life during one of her most vulnerable periods.
The documentary covers everything from her struggles with the breakup to the challenges of running a business as a single parent. There are also moments showing her expanding the Maebe brand, including opening a coffee shop pop-up and attending Paris Fashion Week.
While critics have dismissed it as just a “breakup story,” supporters argue that Molly-Mae’s documentary was well-made and showed genuine vulnerability. The production values were high, and it gave viewers an intimate look at how she rebuilt her life after such a public relationship ended.
Molly-Mae Defends Her Win Amid the Backlash
Despite the massive criticism, some people have come to Molly-Mae’s defense, pointing out that she didn’t choose to win the award – the public voted for it. One supporter wrote: “Everyone needs to remember it’s not Molly Mae’s fault she won. I know it was the wrong decision but I’ve genuinely not seen one good thing about her winning – she’s going to be absolutely horrified reading social media today.”
Another defender made a different point: “I don’t get why so many people are mad. The award is for best authored documentary not for most harrowing story. While Molly’s documentary didn’t discuss topics that are as important as some of the others, it was very well made and enjoyable.”
Molly-Mae herself has tried to handle the situation with grace, immediately acknowledging the other nominees and dedicating her win to Rob Burrow’s memory. However, the criticism has been so intense that it’s overshadowed what should have been a career highlight.
The fact that Molly-Mae specifically mentioned Rob Burrow’s family in her speech shows she was aware of how sensitive the situation was, but it hasn’t been enough to quiet the critics who feel the wrong documentary won.
The Bigger Picture About Reality TV and Awards
The Molly-Mae NTA controversy has sparked a bigger conversation about what types of content deserve recognition and whether reality TV personalities should be competing in the same categories as documentaries about serious social issues.
Some argue that Molly-Mae’s influence and reach – she’s described as “Britain’s biggest influencer” – means her documentary likely had a much larger audience than the other nominees. Her millions of followers would’ve been more likely to vote, giving her a significant advantage.
Others feel that awards should recognize artistic merit and social importance rather than just popularity. The criticism suggests that many viewers think documentaries about terminal illness, life-threatening accidents, and cancer journeys are more deserving of recognition than relationship breakdowns.
This isn’t the first time the NTAs have faced criticism for their voting system, which relies entirely on public votes rather than industry professionals. The system means that celebrities with larger fan bases often have built-in advantages over those making content about more serious but less commercially popular topics.
What This Means for Molly-Mae’s Future
The NTA win was supposed to be a major milestone for Molly-Mae as she transitions from reality TV star to serious content creator and businesswoman. However, the backlash might have damaged that reputation more than the award helped it.
Molly-Mae has built her career on being relatable and authentic, but the criticism suggests that some people now see her as out of touch with reality. The contrast between her breakup documentary and Rob Burrow’s MND story has highlighted the gap between celebrity problems and real-world struggles.
On the other hand, Molly-Mae’s millions of devoted fans will likely continue supporting her regardless of the controversy. Her documentary was clearly popular enough to win a public vote, showing that she still has massive appeal among her target audience.
The way she handled the shoe incident and the difficult acceptance speech showed professionalism under pressure. Even her critics have generally acknowledged that she tried to be respectful toward the other nominees, even if they didn’t think her dedication was enough.
The Social Media Reaction Continues
Hours after the ceremony ended, social media was still buzzing with reactions to Molly-Mae’s win. The hashtag #NTAs was trending on X (formerly Twitter), with most of the conversation focused on the documentary category controversy.
Many users have been sharing clips of Rob Burrow’s documentary alongside criticism of the voting system. Others have been defending Molly-Mae while pointing out that she genuinely seemed to understand the sensitivity of beating such inspiring nominees.
The intensity of the reaction shows just how much the British public valued Rob Burrow’s story and legacy. His documentary wasn’t just entertainment – it was seen as an important piece of social commentary about living with terminal illness and the strength of the human spirit.
For Molly-Mae, the challenge now will be moving forward from this controversy while continuing to build her brand and create content. The NTA win will probably be remembered more for the backlash than the achievement itself, which isn’t exactly what she would’ve hoped for from such a prestigious award.
