TV Bafta Award Nominations Announced

Sherlock, This Is England '88 and a TV drama about serial killer Fred West lead the nominations for this year's Bafta TV Awards.

Dominic West receives his first Bafta nomination for the best actor gong for playing the murderer in ITV1's Appropriate Adults, based on the stories of West and Janet Leach.

Co-star Emily Watson, who plays Leach, the woman who developed a deep and disturbing bond as West's confidante, gets the nod for best actress.

The drama heads the shortlist with four nominations, also including best supporting actress and best mini series.

BBC1's acclaimed modern retelling of the Sherlock Holmes story and Channel 4's gritty This Is England '88 series have three nominations apiece.

Sherlock's nominations throw up a battle against good and evil with both Martin Freeman, who plays Doctor Watson, and Andrew Scott, who plays Moriarty, battling for best supporting actor.

The show's star, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the eccentric detective, is nominated for best actor alongside West, as well as John Simm (Exile) and Joseph Gilgun (This Is England '88).

The other supporting actor nominees competing with Scott and last year's winner Freeman are Stephen Rea for his sinister role in The Shadow Line and Joseph Mawle for Birdsong.

This is England '88 star Vicky McClure - last year's best actress - is nominated once again. She is up against Watson for Appropriate Adult, Romola Garai for The Crimson Petal And The White and Nadine Marshall for Random.

Screen veteran and five-time Bafta winner Dame Maggie Smith is up for the supporting actress title for Downton Abbey, alongside Anna Chancellor (The Hour), Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult) and Miranda Hart (Call The Midwife).

Sky News is nominated for the best News Coverage award for its live reports from within the Libyan rebel convoy, alongside the BBC News at Ten's coverage of the siege of Homs in Syria, Channel 4 News on the Japan Earthquake and ITV News at Ten's reporting of the battle of Misrata in Libya.

Simon Cowell's hugely popular shows Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor have failed to make the grade for the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, which take place at the Royal Festival Hall on May 27.

Harry Hill's TV Burp, Derren Brown: The Experiments, Michael McIntyre's Christmas Comedy Roadshow and Celebrity Juice, starring Keith Lemon, are all shortlisted for best entertainment programme.

Ceremony host Dara O'Briain is up for best comedy performance against Graham Norton, Alan Carr and a past two-time winner for the category, Harry Hill.

Misfits, Spooks, The Fades and Scott And Bailey will battle for the prize for best drama series.

TV soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders face Holby City and Shameless in the showdown for the continuing drama award.

An Idiot Abroad, Don't Tell The Bride, Made In Chelsea and Young Apprentice will be competing for a new award for best reality and constructed factual programme.