Miranda Hart leads nominees for British Comedy Awards

Miranda Hart leads nominees for British Comedy Awards

Star of sitcom Miranda on course to repeat last year's success with four nominations

Miranda Hart could repeat her triumph of last year after being nominated for four gongs at the British Comedy Awards.

Hart, who picked up three awards last year, is in the running for best female television comic and best TV comedy actress.

Her hit show, Miranda, is nominated for best sitcom and she is again in the running for the people's choice award.

Also up for the award, voted for by viewers, are David Mitchell, Graham Norton, Jack Whitehall, Jo Brand and Sarah Millican.

There are four nominations for Channel 4's Friday Night Dinner, including best new comedy programme and best sitcom.

Two of the stars of the show, Tamsin Greig and Tom Rosenthal, are nominated for best TV comedy actress and best comedy breakthrough artist respectively.

Other nominees include Harry Hill, who gets three nods, and Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner, both for their roles as husband and wife in BBC1's Outnumbered.

Olympic comedy Twenty Twelve gets three nominations including one for its star Hugh Bonneville.

The winners will be announced during a two-hour ceremony on Friday hosted by Jonathan Ross and broadcast live on Channel 4.

Nominees

Best new comedy programme

Fresh Meat (C4)

Friday Night Dinner (C4)

Spy (Sky)

Twenty Twelve (BBC)

Best comedy entertainment programme

Alan Carr: Chatty Man (C4)

An Idiot Abroad (Sky)

Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV)

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (BBC)

Best sketch show

Come Fly With Me (BBC)

Horrible Histories (CBBC)

The One Ronnie (BBC)

This Is Jinsy (Sky)

Best comedy panel show

Celebrity Juice (ITV2)

Have I Got News For You (BBC)

Shooting Stars (BBC)

Would I Lie to You? (BBC)

Best sitcom

Friday Night Dinner (C4)

Miranda (BBC)

Peep Show (C4)

Twenty Twelve (BBC)

Best comedy drama

Comic Strip Presents: The Hunt For Tony Blair (C4)

Fresh Meat (C4)

Misfits (E4)

Psychoville (BBC)

Best comedy entertainment personality

Alan Carr - Alan Carr: Chatty Man (C4)

Charlie Brooker - How TV Ruined Your Life/10 O'Clock Live (BBC/C4)

Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show (BBC)

Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV)

Best TV comedy actor

Darren Boyd - Spy (Sky)

Hugh Bonneville - Twenty Twelve (BBC)

Hugh Dennis - Outnumbered (BBC)

Jack Whitehall - Fresh Meat (C4)

Best TV comedy actress

Claire Skinner - Outnumbered (BBC)

Dawn French - Psychoville (BBC)

Miranda Hart - Miranda (BBC)

Tamsin Greig - Friday Night Dinner (C4)

Best comedy breakthrough artist

Dan Skinner - Shooting Stars (BBC)

Greg Davies - Ask Rhod Gilbert (BBC)

Micky Flanagan - Royal Variety Performance (BBC)

Tom Rosenthal - Friday Night Dinner (C4)

Best male television comic

Charlie Brooker - How TV Ruined Your Life/10 O'Clock Live (BBC/C4)

Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV)

Rob Brydon - The Rob Brydon Show/Would I Lie To You (BBC)

Stewart Lee - Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (BBC)

Best female television comic

Jo Brand - Have I Got News for You (BBC)

Miranda Hart - Comic Relief/Red Nose Day (BBC)

Sarah Millican - QI (BBC)

Victoria Wood - Victoria Wood's Angina Monologues (Sky)

People's choice for the king or queen of comedy

David Mitchell

Graham Norton

Jack Whitehall

Jo Brand

Miranda Hart

Sarah Millican

TV Tonight 12th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

TV Tonight 12th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

    2 Broke Girls S01E12: "And the Pop-Up Sale"
    A Question of Sport S43E03: "December 12, 2011"
    Adventure Time with Finn and Jake S03E21: "Marceline's Closet"
    American Guns S01E09: "Winchester Yellow Boy / Firefighter Thank You"
    American Pickers S03E15: "Pickin' Perry-dise"
    Animal Cops: Houston S09E17: "TBA"
    Bag of Bones S01E04: "Season 1, Episode 4"
    Bag of Bones S01E03: "Season 1, Episode 3"
    Being Erica S04E11: "Dr. Erica"
    Best Dish - The Chefs S01E31: "Episode 31"
    Braquo S02E07: "Au nom du pire"
    Braquo S02E08: "4 moins 1"
    Cake Boss: Next Great Baker S02E03: "Wedding Wonderland"
    Canada's Worst Driver S07E08: "Oh Canada"
    Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers S01E03: "Series 1, Episode 3"
    Chef Roblé & Co S01E03: "The Vanessa Williams House Party"
    Chelsea Lately S05E186
    Chris Moyles Quiz Night S05E04
    Coach Trip S08E01: "Series 8, Day 1"
    Conan S02E17: "Rob Lowe, Adam Pally, Noel Gallagher"
    Coronation Street S52E252: "Mon 12 Dec, 2011 [Episode 2]"
    Coronation Street S52E251: "Mon 12 Dec, 2011 [Episode 1]"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E91: "Episode 1771"
    Desperate Scousewives S01E03: "Series 1, Episode 3"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E16: "Series 8, Episode 16"
    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives S13E03: "Kid Rock's Detroit Tour"
    Disappeared S04E08: "Midnight Walk"
    Doctors S13E163: "Life Lines"
    Drop Down Menu S01E26: "Episode 26"
    EastEnders S27E197: "December 12, 2011"
    Emmerdale S40E290: "December 12, 2011"
    Enlightened S01E10: "Burn It Down"
    Enough Already with Peter Walsh S02E01: "A Declutter Team Invasion"
    Fear Factor (US) S07E01: "Scorpion Tales"
    Fear Factor (US) S07E02: "Broken Hearts & Blood Baths"
    General Hospital (US) S49E177: "#12451"
    Hacktion S01E10: "Hekusok és spionok"
    Halv åtta hos mig S07E57: "Västervik - Margareth"
    Hawaii Five-0 (2010) S02E12: "Alaheo Pau'ole (Gone Forever)"
    Hollyoaks S17E246: "December 12, 2011"
    Hotel cæsar S28E122: "Season 28, Episode 122"
    Housos S01E08: "Uncle Doug"
    InSecurity S02E10: "I Spy Peter"
    Jeopardy! S28E61: "Show #6266"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E174
    Johnny Test S05E32: "Johnny's First Annual Snowball"
    Junior Apprentice S02E08: "The Final"
    Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon S01E11: "Musashi`s Mr. Impossible"
    Late Show with David Letterman S18E174
    Living in Your Car S02E08: "Season 2, Episode 8"
    Lizard Lick Towing S02E02: "Season 2, Episode 2"
    Love & Hip Hop S02E05: "TBA"
    Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too S03E02: "Boys and Battle Raps"
    Love That Girl! S02E24: "Le French Kiss"
    Mad S02E15: "FROST / Undercover Claws"
    Masterchef - The Professionals S04E22: "Series 4, Episode 22"
    Meteorite Men S03E03: "Dronino"
    Mike & Molly S02E11: "Christmas Break"
    Monday Night Football S42E19: "St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks"
    Mongrels S02E07: "Series 2, Episode 7"
    Never Mind the Buzzcocks (UK) S25E11
    Nissene over skog og hei S01E12: "Season 1, Episode 12"
    One Life to Live S44E104: "Ep. #11083"
    Only Connect S05E19: "Wall Night 2"
    Only Connect S05E18: "Wall Night 1"
    Panorama S59E53: "How to Survive the Meltdown"
    Pasila S04E06: "Traileridarra"
    Pawn Star$ S04E58: "Silence of the Lambo"
    Pawn Star$ S04E57: "Buyer Beware"
    Pointless S05E76: "Series 5, Episode 76"
    Prosto w serce S02E71: "Season 2, Episode 189"
    Regular Show S03E12: "Under the Hood"
    Ridiculousness S01E15: "The Dingo II"
    River Cottage Everyday S01E11: "Christmas Special"
    Rizzoli & Isles S02E13: "Seventeen Ain't So Sweet"
    Ross Kemp Back on the Frontline S01E05: "Episode 5"
    Scouted S01E03: "Nicole & Amber"
    Showder Klub S08E08: "Episode 8"
    Skin Deep: The Business of Beauty S01E05: "Episode 5"
    Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets S02E02: "Lethal Liason"
    Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two S08E51: "Series 8, Episode 51"
    Tamayura Hitotose S01E11: "Episode 11"
    Terra Nova S01E11: "Within"
    The A List: Dallas S01E10: "Showdown at the Rodeo"
    The Apprentice (IRE) S04E11: "Season 4, Episode 11"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S25E185: "Ep. #6214"
    The Closer S07E13: "Relative Matters"
    The Colbert Report S07E157: "Samuel L. Jackson"
    The Daily Show S16E157: "Anne Burrell"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E65: "Allison Janney, Maggie Elizabeth Jones"
    The Gadget Show S16E18: "Series 16, Episode 18"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E67: "December 12, 2011"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S07E211: "Cat Cora"
    The Layover S01E04: "Miami"
    The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills S02E15
    The Rosie Show S01E36: "A Tribute to Jane Fonda"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E207
    The View S15E69: "Donald Trump"
    The Xtra Factor S08E32: "Best and Worst 2011 - 1"
    The Young and the Restless S39E182: "Ep. #9797"
    Thuis S17E76: "Season 17, Episode 76"
    Two and a Half Men S09E12: "One False Move, Zimbabwe!"
    University Challenge (1994) S18E24
    Vanguard S06E06: "The 99 Percent"
    Watch What Happens: Live S05E24: "Season 5, Episode 24"
    Winx Club S05E20: "The Power Within"
    Wonderland (UK) S04E06: "I Had The X Factor... 25 Years Ago"
    WWE Raw S19E51
    You Deserve It S01E04: "Season 1, Episode 4"

'Doctor Who': Missing episodes found!

'Doctor Who': Missing episodes found!

Attention Whovians! Two lost episodes of "Doctor Who" have been found! Episode 3 of the William Hartnell adventure "Galaxy 4" and Episode 2 of Patrick Troughton's "The Underwater Menace" were purchased by film collector Terry Burnett in the early 80s. He had no idea that the canisters contained the missing episodes.

They were shown on December 11th at the British Film Institute's annual "Missing Believed Wiped" event at the National Film Theatre in London.

"Christmas has come early for 'Doctor Who' fans everywhere," said "Doctor Who" writer and actor Mark Gatiss who hosted the event. "It's always wonderful when a missing episode turns up but it's been years since the last one so to have two is just brilliant. Add to that a proper bit of action from the legendary Chumblies (and the horrifying Rills!) plus the utterly mesmeric Patrick Troughton on great form. Well, what more could we all ask for?"

So why were these episodes lost? Well, the tapes were routinely erased when the rights to rebroadcast them expired. In fact, there are still over 100 episodes of the show missing. This is a huge find for fans of the show. No word on whether or not they'll be broadcast on television, but we'll update you the second we hear anything! Geronimo!

'Game of Thrones,' 'Breaking Bad' among AFI Top 10 TV shows of the year

'Game of Thrones,' 'Breaking Bad' among AFI Top 10 TV shows of the year

The American Film Institute (AFI) has just released it's list of their Top 10 TV shows. We're pretty sure you're going to agree with their choices.

The list is pretty balanced this year, with 6 dramas and 4 comedies. We're thrilled to see "Louie" honored. It's one of those shows that are easily overlooked and that deserve far more attention than they get.

We're also really excited to see "Game of Thrones" honored, though that's hardly a surprise. The same goes for "Homeland" which was a powerhouse from episode 1.

Check out the full list below and tell us who you think totally deserved the honor and who you think was snubbed.

AFI TV Programs of the Year:

"Breaking Bad"

"Boardwalk Empire"

"Curb Your Enthusiasm"

"Game of Thrones"

"The Good Wife"

"Homeland"

"Justified"

"Louie"

"Modern Family"

"Parks and Recreation"

Khloe Kardashian Tweets About Husband Lamar Odom's Trade to Dallas Mavericks

Khloe Kardashian Tweets About Husband Lamar Odom's Trade to Dallas Mavericks

The news means the Los Angeles-based reality star and Laker forward will be relocating to Texas.

Khloe Kardashian is keeping a positive attitude about the news that her husband, Lamar Odom, is being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks.

The reality star took to Twitter over the weekend to give her reaction to the trade, which will see the NBA forward and a second-round draft pick traded to the Mavericks for a first-round pick and an $8.9 million trade exception.

The announcement comes three days after Odom learned Los Angeles was attempting to trade him in a megadeal for New Orleans superstar Chris Paul.

After the NBA blocked that trade, Odom declined to report to the Lakers' opening day of training camp Friday. Odom then requested a trade, and the Lakers improbably swung a deal with the rival Mavericks, who swept Los Angeles out of the second round of last season's playoffs.

The news, which was rumored Saturday and officially confirmed Sunday, means that the Los Angeles-based couple will be moving to Texas. But L.A. native Kardashian, who married Odom in September 2009, is putting on a positive spin on the move.

"I am sure I will love it but I am a tad thrown off," she tweeted, then added: "I know for a fact blessings are everywhere!!! Everything happens for a reason. God is great."

While she admitted, "we are all sad, but positive energy gets you farther then [sic] negative," she later added that she was "excited" and that "I am blessed and happy anywhere as long as I am with my family! God is great!! Blessed beyond words!"

She also echoed those sentiments in separate tweets, writing: "Everything happens for a reason. God has a plan. We may not know what it is, but we have to trust in him. He knows what he's doing. xoxo"

It's not clear how, if at all, the move will affect the many Kardashian reality shows that air on E! Entertainment. While Keeping Up With the Kardashians -- on which Odom has appeared alongside his wife -- is based in Los Angeles, various spinoffs have followed the members of the clan in New York and Miami.

Kardashian and Odom also starred in their own spinoff, Khloe & Lamar, earlier this year. The show is in production on its second season, which could mean viewers will get to see the couple's reactions and relocation firsthand.

'All American Muslim': Russell Simmons Lashes Out at Lowe's for Pulling Ads from TLC Show

'All American Muslim': Russell Simmons Lashes Out at Lowe's for Pulling Ads from TLC Show

Hip-hop mogul and former reality star Russell Simmons slammed Lowe's hardware store after it pulled its ads from TLC's new series 'All American Muslim,' exclusively reports Entertainment Weekly.

"This can't happen in America ... [Lowe's] needs to fix this immediately," Simmons said. "They can't get away with that, it's ridiculous. There are American principals at stake here. I can't imagine the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, the National Urban League, or any organization that fights for their own rights will allow this to happen to any other group because they know they're next."

Simmons isn't the only one upset by the homebuilding store's decision. According to the Los Angeles Times, California state senator Ted Lieu called on Lowe's to apologize for pulling its advertising from the TV show, which follows the lives of five Muslim American families from the Dearborn, Michigan area, home to one of the most active Muslim communities in the country.

Yet, according to the conservative Florida Family Association, "The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish."

They then encouraged members to email the program's advertisers, the conservative organization posted a letter reportedly from a Lowe's representative, stating that the retail giant has agreed to pull its ads from the docu-series: "While we continue to advertise on various cable networks, including TLC, there are certain programs that do not meet Lowe's advertising guidelines, including the show you brought to our attention. Lowe's will no longer be advertising on that program."

Lowe's then acknowledged its decision on Twitter. "We did not pull our ads based solely on the complaints or emails of any one group. It is never our intent to alienate anyone. Lowe's values diversity of thought in everyone, including our employees and prospective customers."

However, Simmons says that pulling the ads was "a stupid thing to do," reports Entertainment Weekly, and called on the hardware company to show support the show, instead of pulling its ads.

"This is a press nightmare for them," Simmons told Entertainment Weekly. "This country is built on religious freedom. This is the kind of hate that tears this country apart."

First Look: New Game of Thrones Teaser

First Look: New Game of Thrones Teaser

It’s almost Game time!

HBO has released the following new teaser for the second season of Game of Thrones, which is set to premiere in April.

Titled “The Cold Winds Are Rising,” the clip made its debut Sunday night prior to the season finale of Boardwalk Empire.

AFTRA, networks agree on TV code deal

AFTRA, networks agree on TV code deal

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced Friday night that it had reached a tentative agreement with the Big Four broadcast networks on a new network TV code deal.

Covering all network programming except scripted prime-time shows, AFTRA claims the new deal achieved its objective of gaining a 1 percent increase in employer contributions to its health and retirement funds, a contribution that now stands at a rate of 16.5 percent.

Wage increases stand at 2 percent over the life of the three-year deal, which is in line with the pattern the Screen Actors Guild set last year when it reached its core agreement with producers.

The deal also increases minimum hazard pay for dancers from $80 to $100 per day, and from $100 to $125 per program.

The overtime rate for singers, meanwhile, starts on the seventh hour instead of the ninth.

Winner of Britain's "X Factor"

Winner of Britain's "X Factor"

Girl band Little Mix became the first group to win Britain's "X Factor" television talent show on Sunday, beating hairdresser Marcus Collins in the final.

The quartet, aged between 18 and 20, screamed with delight following the announcement of the outcome of a public vote, and performed a cover of Damien Rice's "Cannonball," which will be their debut single.

Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock will enjoy a media frenzy over the coming days, and are guaranteed a recording contract.

But going on to carve out a successful musical career may prove harder if previous X Factor winners, all soloists, are anything to go by.

Sunday's show, which featured a live performance by Coldplay before a crowd of around 10,000 at London's Wembley Arena, brought to an end a series that has seen viewer ratings consistently lower than in 2010.

This year's X Factor saw three changes to the judging panel, with only Louis Walsh continuing from 2010.

Simon Cowell, the show's creator and arguably its biggest draw for audiences, left to appear on the inaugural U.S. version of X Factor, while singers Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue also stepped down.

In their place came Take That frontman Gary Barlow, U.S. pop star Kelly Rowland and N-Dubz member Tulisa Contostavlos, and the overhaul has been blamed for weaker viewing figures.

On Saturday night, the first part of the X Factor's two-night final was beaten in the television audience ratings by the semi-final of rival show "Strictly Come Dancing" on public-owned broadcaster BBC.

ITV chief executive Adam Crozier recently defended X Factor, which regularly draws more than 10 million viewers.

"By and large they are in rude health. Although X Factor is down year on year it compares favourably to every other year. You've got to put it in perspective, X Factor across Saturday and Sunday night is the biggest show in the UK," he was quoted as saying by the Guardian newspaper.

Little Mix was formed from soloists brought together by the show's producers. They were forced to change their name from Rhythmix following complaints from a children's music charity of the same name.

ABC's GOP debate takes TV ratings crown

ABC's GOP debate takes TV ratings crown

Score one for ABC News in the ratings department.

Saturday night's GOP debate was the most-watched of the 2012 campaign as an average of 7.6 million viewers tuned in to watch the presidential candidates take on such hot topics as unemployment and immigration.

Despite a relatively late start time -- 9 p.m. on the East Coast -- 2.1 million of those viewers were in the key adults 25-54 viewer group.

Both of those numbers beat the previous highs, held by Fox News in total viewers (6.11 million on September 22) and MSNBC in the 25-54 demographic (1.73 million on September 7).

They were also well ahead of the numbers for the only other debate on one of the major broadcast networks, CBS News' telecast on Nov 12.

Moderated by Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos, the ABC debate was broadcast live from Des Moines, Iowa, with the Iowa caucus -- the first tally of the election season -- less than a month away.

Between the two current front-runners -- Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich -- Gingrich was seen as the winner of the contest, which was also hosted by Yahoo News, the Republican Party of Iowa and the Des Moines Register.