Singer-songwriter Tulisa Contostavlos has strutted down the National Television Awards (NTA) red carpet in a gown covered in headlines from a drug sting scandal.
The black and white dress featured the words “coke dealer” “arrested” “facing prison” and “homewrecker”, appearing to reference articles that were written about her during an elaborate sting for The Sun On Sunday which led to her arrest on suspicion of supplying class A drugs in 2013.
The charges against the star were dismissed in 2014 after prosecution witness and “Fake Sheikh” journalist Mazher Mahmood was found guilty of tampering with evidence.
He was jailed for 15 months in 2016.
The singer wore her hair in a slick back bun, keeping the focus on the strapless dress which also featured the words “police raid”, “drug dealer” “chav” and “breakdown”.
The former X Factor judge has since been an avid campaigner for independent press regulation and launched a petition which has received over 35,600 signatures.
Contostavlos is best known for singing in hip-hop group N-Dubz who had hits with songs including I Need You, Girls and Number 1, featuring Tinchy Stryder.
In 2011 she became a judge on popular reality singing series The X Factor where she helped girl group Little Mix win, and a year later she released her debut solo album, The Female Boss.
The Camden-born star has released two autobiographies, and her 2025 memoir Judgement details the highs and “unimaginable lows” of her music career, including her collapsed drugs trial.
She is among the stars that walked down the red carpet for the award ceremony on Tuesday evening including TV presenter Graham Norton who attended in black tie.
Meanwhile ITV This Morning co-presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard posed together for photographs.
Deeley wore a floral red and purple gown with a statement gold necklace while Shephard wore a burgundy suit with a navy blue shirt.
West End star and former Love Island winner Amber Davies also attended the event wearing a sheer lace top and metallic embellished maxi skirt.
Coronation Street star, Tina O’Brien, wore a Bronx and Banco cream Jasmine gown, featuring sheer mesh which was covered in dimensional floral decorative pieces, completed with a pearl shaped purse.
Kelly Osbourne opted for a Vivienne Westwood tartan off-the-shoulder Chichi gown with her hair slicked back in a bun for the event where the documentary about her father, Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, has been nominated.
The film follows the final three years of his life as he and wife Sharon plan a return home after 25 years in Los Angeles to prepare for his Back To The Beginning farewell concert.
The evening also saw the Traitors cast including Jade Scott, Faraaz Noor, Jack Butler and series four winners Rachel Duffy and Stephen Libby smile for photographs.
Duffy wore an orange gown which was complemented by her traitor-in-crime Libby, who wore a navy suit and orange shirt.
Former This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby went for a classic sleeveless gown peppered with bedazzled embellishments while Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones attended the event in a black and white Veni Infantino full-length gown.
The 31st NTAs will be broadcast live from The O2 in London on ITV1 and ITVX from 8pm.
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