Shameless is based on writer Paul Abbott's childhood experiences

Shameless, which won most prizes last year, is up for awards including best drama and best drama writer for creator Paul Abbott.

BBC Four political sitcom The Thick Of It has three nominations.

Channel 4 has the most nominations, with 26, compared with 13 each for BBC One and BBC Two and 12 for ITV1.

The second series of Shameless is nominated for this year's awards, after the first run of the drama about families on a northern council estate took three prizes at the 2005 ceremony.

Anne Marie Duff is up for best actress, while David Threlfall is nominated for best actor for both Shameless and The Queen's Sister, Channel 4's drama about Princess Margaret.

Comedy nominees

Dickens adaptation Bleak House has Charles Dance up for best actor while director Justin Chadwick is nominated for the behind the scenes Breakthrough prize.

Andrew Davies, who adapted the series, is up for best drama writer.

Bleak House was split into 15 parts for the TV adaptation

The Thick of It has nominations for best sitcom, best comedy writer and best comedy performance for Peter Capaldi.

The actor is up against Catherine Tate and Little Britain duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

BBC Two's Tribe, which saw explorer Bruce Parry meet six of the world's most remote civilisations, is also up for three awards, including best documentary series.

Channel 4's Peep Show is up for two prizes, including best sitcom.

Despite high viewing figures and critical success, Doctor Who is in the running for only one prize, best drama series.

The entertainment award pits The X Factor against The Catherine Tate Show and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

In the single documentary category, Channel 4's Make Me Normal is nominated along with Children of Beslan and Taxidermy: Stuff the World, both of which were shown on BBC Two.