'Appalled' Ant and Dec return award

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Sources close to the duo said they were "completely appalled" and they would be sending their award back to ITV.

A report into 2005's British Comedy Awards revealed organisers promised pop star Robbie Williams he could present Ant and Dec with an award if he appeared. The report also said the actual winner should have been The Catherine Tate Show.

Although the investigation did not find evidence to suggest the award was wrongly given to Ant and Dec to please the pop star, it was revealed viewers of the ITV show were asked to keep voting on premium rate lines even though the duo had already been filmed winning the People's Choice Award.

Catherine Tate's agent said the comedienne would not be making a comment at this stage.

The report states: "Robbie Williams was invited to present an award.

"It was understood that he would be happy to present an award if the recipients were Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

"In order to ensure his attendance, this assurance was given, albeit at a time when the winners of all the jury awards had been decided and Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly had not been selected.

"As such it was an assurance that could not legitimately have been guaranteed, as the only award still to be decided was the People's Choice Award, the winner of which was then unknown and dependent upon the public vote."

It adds: "While it can be concluded that the assurance was given to ensure Robbie Williams' attendance to present an award, it cannot be concluded that this was the reason why the wrong winner of the People's Choice Award was announced."