National Television Awards 2014 shortlist revealed

Doctor Who has made two of the categories in the shortlist for this year's National Television Awards. The show itself is one of four nominees in the Drama section, finding itself competing with Broadchurch, Downton Abbey, and Call The Midwife, while Matt Smith as the Doctor is nominated for Drama Performance.

In a change to the system this year, male and female actors were combined for Drama Performance, and although Jenna Coleman was included in the longlist she failed to make the shortlist. Smith will be facing challenges from Martin Clunes (as Dr Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin), Maggie Smith (as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey), and Miranda Hart (as Chummy Noakes in Call The Midwife) for the gong.

Other Doctor Who luminaries in the running for awards are as follows:

TV Detectives - David Tennant (Det Insp Alec Hardy in Broadchurch), Olivia Colman (Det Sgt Ellie Miller in Broadchurch), Suranne Jones (Det Con Rachel Bailey in Scott & Bailey), and Bradley Walsh (Det Sgt Ronnie Brooks in Law and Order: UK) against Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock) and Idris Elba (Det Chief Insp John Luther in Luther).

Daytime - Pointless (presented by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman) as well as The Chase (hosted by Bradley Walsh) against This Morning and The Jeremy Kyle Show.

Documentary - Penguins - Spy In The Huddle, narrated by David Tennant, and Paul O'Grady's Working Britain against Inside Death Row With Trevor McDonald and Educating Yorkshire.

Votes can be cast by the public until midday on Wednesday 22nd January via this link. There are 13 categories in all and categories can be skipped. The awards ceremony will take place at the 02 in London later the same day, being broadcast live on ITV from 7.30pm.

Doctor Who failed to win any awards last year, in spite of nominations for the programme, Smith, and Karen Gillan.