LONDON – Maggie Smith’s portrayal of a snippy dowager duchess in Downton Abbey is on the list of nomination names for a supporting actress nod at this year’s British Academy Television Awards. Smith’s turn as the dowager countess in the ITV show is the only nomination for the much-trumpeted show.
The big winner is ITV1’s serial killer drama Appropriate Adult, which leads the field for the Arquiva-sponsored British Academy Television Awards, dished out by Bafta.
Adult scored nominations for Dominic West and Emily Watson in the leading actor and actress categories respectively while the ITV Studios-produced show for ITV1 is also nominated for a best mini-series plaudit by Bafta. Monica Dolan rounds out the quartet of nominations for the show in the supporting actress category.
In the International TV category, the U.S. is repped by Modern Family, from creators Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd and made by 20th Century Fox, airing on satcaster BSkyB’s Sky One channel here.
It will have to win hearts ahead of Danish thrillers The Killing and Borgen, and the adaptation of Australian bestselling novel The Slap, all three of which air on BBC Four, the pubcaster’s digital channel.
To win the best actor plaudit, West will have to overcome the challenge from Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock, John Simm in Exile and Joseph Gilgun inThis is England ’88.
Watson will have to rise above Nadine Marshall in Random, Romola Garai in The Crimson Petal and Vicky McClure in This Is England ’88 to grab the leading actress nod.
Smith is up against Anna Chancellor (The Hour), Miranda Hart (Call The Midwife) and Dolan (Appropriate Adult) in the supporting actress race while best supporting actor will go to one from Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Joseph Mawie (Birdsong), Martin Freeman (Sherlock) and Stephen Rea (The Shadowline).
The ceremony is scheduled to take place in London May 27.
