2001 Emmy award nominations

Will and Grace leads the comedy nominations in the Emmy Awards shortlist announced last night.

The hit US sitcom, which has just been picked up by Channel 4, is in with a shot at 12 awards, in a list otherwise dominated by The Sopranos, with 22 nominations, and The West Wing, with 18.

Frasier, Sex and the City and Malcolm In The Middle are vying with Will and Grace in the best comedy category, and picked up ten, nine and eight nominations respectively.

In other categories, Steve Martin has been nominated for hosting the Oscar ceremony, troubled star Robert Downey Jnr gets a nod for best supporting actor for Ally McBeal and Ellen DeGeneres is in line for an award for the best music, variety or comedy special.

Key comedy nominations

Comedy series: Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Malcolm In The Middle, Sex And the City, Will and Grace

Lead actor in a comedy series: Ray Romano for Everybody Loves Raymond, Kelsey Grammer for Frasier, Frankie Muniz for Malcolm In the Middle, John Lithgow for 3rd Rock From The Sun and Eric McCormack for Will & Grace

Lead actress in a comedy series: Calista Flockhart for Ally McBeal, Patricia Heaton for Everybody Loves Raymond, Jane Kaczmarek for Malcolm In the Middle, Sarah Jessica Parker for Sex And The City, Debra Messing for Will & Grace

Supporting actor in a comedy series: Peter MacNicol for Ally McBeal, Robert Downey Jr. for Ally McBeal, Peter Boyle for Everybody Loves Raymond, David Hyde Pierce for Frasier, Sean Hayes for Will & Grace

Supporting actress in a comedy series: Doris Roberts for Everybody Loves Raymond, Jennifer Aniston for Friends, Lisa Kudrow for Friends, Kim Cattrall for Sex and the City, Megan Mullally for Will & Grace

Guest actor in a comedy series: Derek Jacobi for Frasier, Victor Garber for Frasier, Gary Oldman for Friends, Michael York for The Lot Daddy Dearest, Robert Loggia for Malcolm In the Middle

Guest actress in a comedy series: Bernadette Peters for Ally McBeal, Jami Gertz for Ally McBeal, Jean Smart for Frasier, Susan Sarandon for Friends, Cloris Leachman for Malcolm In the Middle

Individual performance in a variety or music programme: Steve Martin for the 73rd Annual Academy Awards, Barbra Streisand for Barbra Streisand: Timeless, Ellen DeGeneres for Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning, David Letterman for The Late Show with David Letterman, Will Ferrell for Saturday Night Live, Wayne Brady for Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Directing for a comedy series: James Frawley for Ed, Todd Holland for Malcolm in the Middle, Jeff Melman for Malcolm in the Middle, Charles McDougall for Sex And The City, James Burrows for Will & Grace

Variety, music or comedy series: The Chris Rock Show, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, The Late Show With David Letterman, Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher, Saturday Night Live

Variety, music or comedy special: 73rd Annual Academy Awards, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Cirque du Soleil's Dralion, Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning, Saturday Night Live's Presidential Bash 2000

Animated programme: As Told by Ginger, Futurama, King of the Hill, The Powerpuff Girls, The Simpsons

Writing for a comedy series: Ed, Freaks and Geeks, Malcolm in the Middle, Sex And The City, Will & Grace

Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Programme: The Chris Rock Show, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Late Show With David Letterman, Saturday Night Live

Published: 13 Jul 2001