Biopic tops Emmy nominations

Last year’s biopic of Peter Sellers has dominated the nominations for American TV’s Emmy awards, which were announced today.

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, which starred Geoffey Rush as the former Goon, picked up 16 nominations, the most of any show.

Rush is up for a best actor award, while the film itself, part-financed by the BBC, was shortlisted for best made-for-TV movie category.

It faces competition from The Office Christmas special in the same category, while Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have been nominated for outstanding writing.

Gervais said: 'It is a real honour to be nominated for such a prestigious award. We are delighted, and whatever happens on the night, we believe it's not the winning but the taking part that counts - unless we win, in which case we consider all other nominees complete losers.'

Among other British hopes, Hugh Laurie has been nominated his starring role in medical mystery series House, screened by Five in Britain.

And Da Ali G Show was nominated in the best music, comedy or variety series against late-night chat show hosts David Letterman and Conan O'Brien.

Up for best comedy series are Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development, Everybody Loves Raymond, Scrubs and Will & Grace.

Housewives’ stars Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman are all up for best comedy actress, too, alongside Everybody Loves Raymond’s Patricia Heaton annd Malcolm in the Middle’s Jane Kaczmarek.

In the running for best actor in a comedy are: Jason Bateman for Arrested Development, Ray Romano for Everybody Loves Raymond, Tony Shalhoub for Monk, Zach Braff for Scrubs and Eric McCormack for Will and Grace.

Published: 14 Jul 2005