Peter Capaldi’s Dr Who snubbed by TV awards

HIS turn as the Doctor has won acclaim from viewers, but it ­appears Peter Capaldi will have to step into the Tardis, go back in time and try again if he wants to emulate his predecessors by winning one of television’s most coveted awards.

Peter Capaldi in Doctor Who. Picture: BBC

The Scottish actor has failed to make the shortlist for top drama performance at this year’s National Television Awards (NTA).

The category was won by the three previous actors to take on the role, with Matt Smith, David Tennant and Christopher ­Eccleston all recognised.

Although the 12th doctor made the NTA’s longlist, he did not make the final shortlist yesterday, the same day he began filming a new series of the programme in Cardiff.

Capaldi’s depiction of an older, darker Doctor has been widely celebrated since he ­appeared in the 50th anniversary episode of the beloved series.

Critic Ben Lawrence wrote the 56-year-old “fits right in” with the most “intelligent, ambitious and eccentric show on BritishTV,” thanks to an “unsettling, cerebral performance”.

The judges of the NTA, however, disagreed, bucking a trend which has recognised ­actors who played the Doctor.

Smith twice won the top ­acting award, and was shortlisted on a further two occasions, Tennant won four years consecutively, while Eccleston triumphed for his one year, after Doctor Who’s rebirth in 2005.

Instead, this year’s contenders are Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch and Happy Valley’s Sarah Lancashire, as well as Sheridan Smith, lining up against her namesake Dame Maggie.

Smith, who received an OBE in the New Year honours, has been included for her lead role in ITV’s Cilla, while Dame Maggie is up for her performance as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey. Doctor Who does not miss out entirely, lining up against Sherlock, Downton and Cilla for the best drama award.

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Elsewhere, there is good news for young Scottish actor Cameron Moore, who is in the running for the Newcomer prize for his role in Hollyoaks.

The awards ceremony in London on 21 January, which will be broadcast live on ITV, will also see X Factor panellists Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini go head to head as best talent judge, with Britain’s Got Talent’s David Walliams and Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry completing the list.

Bake Off is up for another prize, competing for the skills challenge award against The ­Apprentice, Masterchef and Come Dine With Me.

Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright – who play Queen Vic bosses Mick and Linda Carter in BBC1’s EastEnders – are both up for the best serial drama performance, against Emmerdale’s Verity Rushworth, who plays Donna Windsor-Dingle, and Nikki Sanderson, who plays Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks. The factual programme prize will be fought over by Gogglebox, Long Lost Family, Top Gear and Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs.

Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, Paul O’Grady and Alan Carr are all nominated for best chat show host. Ant & Dec – who have won the most popular entertainment presenter prize for 13 years running – are up for the title again, facing Bradley Walsh, Keith Lemon and Dermot O’Leary. The Geordie duo also feature in the best entertainment programme category with Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! The category also features Through the Keyhole and ­Celebrity Big Brother. The 2014 X Factor may have been unable to match the audience of Saturday night rival Strictly Come Dancing, but it has a chance to redeem itself in the ­public vote as the two shows are shortlisted for best talent show along with Britain’s Got Talent and The Voice. Christmas Day TV hit Mrs Brown’s Boys faces Benidorm, Outnumbered and US sitcom The Big Bang Theory for the best comedy prize.

Voting for the awards opened ­yesterday at www.nationaltvawards.com

THE NOMINATIONS ARE …

Factual

Gogglebox; Long Lost Family; Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs; Top Gear

Multichannel

Celebrity Juice; Game Of Thrones; Geordie Shore; The Walking Dead

Entertainment Presenter

Ant & Dec; Keith Lemon; Dermot O’Leary; Bradley Walsh

Entertainment Programme

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway; Celebrity Big Brother; Through The Keyhole; I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!

Serial Drama

Coronation Street; Eastenders; Emmerdale; Hollyoaks

Newcomer

Maddy Hill; Lee Mead; Cameron Moore; Michael Parr

Talent Show

Britain’s Got Talent; Strictly Come Dancing; The Voice UK; The X Factor

Skills Challenge Show

Come Dine with Me; MasterChef; The Apprentice; The Great British Bake Off

TV Judge

Mary Berry; Simon Cowell; David Walliams; Cheryl Fernandez-Versini

Serial Drama Performance

Kellie Bright; Danny Dyer; Verity Rushworth; Nikki Sanderson

Chat Show Host

Alan Carr; Michael McIntyre; Graham Norton; Paul O’Grady; Jonathan Ross

Comedy

Benidorm; Mrs Brown’s Boys; Outnumbered; The Big Bang Theory

Daytime

This Morning; Pointless; The Chase; The Jeremy Kyle Show

Drama Performance

Benedict Cumberbatch; Sarah Lancashire; Dame Maggie Smith; Sheridan Smith

Drama

Cilla; Doctor Who; Downton Abbey; Sherlock

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