Tulisa Makes Bold Statement at NTA Red Carpet with Gown Featuring Drug Sting Headlines

Singer Tulisa wears a dress with headlines from her 2013 drug scandal at the National Television Awards. Details on the controversy and event highlights.

Editorial Desk

September 9, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — Singer-songwriter Tulisa Contostavlos made a striking appearance at the National Television Awards, donning a black and white strapless gown adorned with newspaper headlines referencing a high-profile drug sting that led to her arrest in 2013.

The dress featured words such as coke dealer, arrested, facing prison, and homewrecker, all drawn from media coverage of the case. The incident involved an undercover operation by The Sun On Sunday, which ultimately resulted in dismissed charges after a key witness, journalist Mazher Mahmood, was convicted of evidence tampering and sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2016.

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Contostavlos, known for her work with the group N-Dubz and as a judge on The X Factor, has since advocated for press regulation, leading a petition signed by over 35,600 people. She also recently released her 2025 memoir, *Judgement*, detailing the challenges of her career, including the fallout from the collapsed drugs trial.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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