For his animated podcasts

Ricky Gervais has been nominated for another Emmy award – for the TV versions of his podcasts.

The Ricky Gervais Show, which features cartoon versions of himself and sidekicks Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, has been shortlisted for best animated programme in America’s most prestigious TV awards.

It is up against The Simpsons, South Park, the educational series Alien Earths and Disney Prep & Landing, about two Christmas elves.

Gervais said: ‘I have seen a man walk on the moon, England win the World Cup and an Afro-American become President of the United States. If Karl Pilkington wins an Emmy anything is possible.’

Gervais won a 2007 Emmy for best actor for Extras, a year after sharing one for outstanding comedy series for his role as executive producer of the US version of The Office. He has been nominated another 11 times for various shows.

Also up for an award is the episode of Family Guy featuring a girl with Down’s Syndrome that attracted the ire of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Baby Stewie’s offensive Down's Syndrome Girl – sang about a character who said she was the daughter of the Alaskan governor, whose son has the condition – has been shortlisted for Outstanding Music and Lyrics. Songs from How I Met Your Mother, Monk, Rescue Me and Saturday Night Live are also nominated in the same category.

The Emmies are known for their myriad of categories from Outstanding Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multi-Camera) and Outstanding Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series, which leads to a huge number of shortlisted shows. Glee is the most-nominated comedy programme this year with 19 nods, followed by 30 Rock with 15.

Both are up for best comedy in the awards, which are announced on August 29, alongside Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, Nurse Jackie and The Office.

Nominated for best lead actor in a comedy series are Jim Parsons in Big Bang Theory, Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Matthew Morrison in Glee, Tony Shalhoub in Monk, Steve Carell in The Office and Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock.

And best actress: Lea Michele in Glee, Julia Louis-Dreyfus in The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie, Amy Poehler in Parks And Recreation, Tina Fey in 30 Rock and Toni Collette in United States Of Tara.

30 Rock was also twice nominated in the best comedy writing category alongside The Office, Modern Family and, again, Glee.

Meanwhile, Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story has been nominated for best non-fiction special alongside Saturday Night Live In The 2000s and The Simpsons: 20th Anniversary Special - In 3-D! On Ice!, among others.

And in with a shot at the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series are The Colbert Report, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart , Real Time With Bill Maher, Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien.

Published: 8 Jul 2010