The nominations for the 58th BAFTA Television Awards have been unveiled.

In another exceptional year for British telly, ITV’s Appropriate Adult leads the way with five key nods, including three for its cast members.

The fact-based crime series, which explores the aftermath of the West murders, scored double lead acting mentions for central stars Emily Watson as social worker Janet Leach, and Dominic West as notorious serial killer Fred West.

For her portrayal of convicted serial killer Rose West, Monica Dolan competes in the Supporting Actress category, while the drama itself contests a strong Best Miniseries line-up that includes Channel 4’s This is England ’88.

The second spinoff series to the acclaimed 2006 film also earned double acting noms for last year’s Leading Actress winner Vicky McClure, and a first BAFTA nod for Joseph Gilgun in Leading Actor.

Meanwhile, last year’s Drama Series winner Sherlock is surprisingly ignored for its second series, with the category filled by the likes of Misfits, Scott & Bailey and the final outing of Spooks.

However, central figures Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are acknowledged for their respective roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Having won last year’s Supporting Actor prize, Freeman finds himself up against co-star Andrew Scott for his sinister turn as the villainous Jim Moriarty.

Like Sherlock, the hit ITV period drama Downton Abbey also missed out on a Drama Series nom, though veteran star Dame Maggie Smith does earn a Supporting Actress nod for her popular role as Violet Crawley.

On the funny side of things, last year’s Situation Comedy winner Rev. is back to defend its crown against Channel 4’s Fresh Meat and Friday Night Dinner and the BBC hit Mrs. Brown’s Boys.

Twenty years after making her first appearance in the hit BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, Jennifer Saunders finds herself in contention for a Female Comedy Performance BAFTA for her reprised role as chronic alcoholic Edina Monsoon and faces stern competition from the likes of Olivia Colman (Twenty Twelve) and Tamsin Greig (Friday Night Dinner).

Meanwhile, the Male Comedy Performance line-up is contested by the likes of Hugh Bonneville (Twenty Twelve), Tom Hollander (Rev.) and Brendan O’Carroll (Mrs. Brown’s Boys).

The rest of the notable acting contenders include Romola Garai (The Crimson Petal and the White), John Simm (Exile), Anna Chancellor (The Hour), Miranda Hart (Call the Midwife), Stephen Rea (The Shadow Line), Ruth Jones (Stella) and Greg Davies (Cuckoo).

Elsewhere, Irish duo Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show) and Dara Ó Briain (Mock the Week) compete against Alan Carr (Alan Carr: Chatty Man) and Harry Hill (Harry Hill’s TV Burp) in the Entertainment Performance category while last year’s Royal Wedding is in contention for the Sport & Live Event prize.

Other recognisable television programmes to receive major nominations include Celebrity Juice, Coronation Street, Educating Essex, EastEnders, Frozen Planet, The Great British Bake Off, and Made in Chelsea.

The BAFTA Television Awards will take place at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 27 May.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anna Chancellor, THE HOUR
Monica Dolan, APPROPRIATE ADULT
Miranda Hart, CALL THE MIDWIFE
Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Martin Freeman, SHERLOCK
Joseph Mawle, BIRDSONG
Stephen Rea, THE SHADOW LINE
Andrew Scott, SHERLOCK

BEST SITUATION COMEDY
FRESH MEAT
FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER
MRS. BROWN’S BOYS
REV.

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Olivia Colman, TWENTY TWELVE
Tamsin Greig, FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER
Ruth Jones, STELLA
Jennifer Saunders, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Hugh Bonneville, TWENTY TWELVE
Darren Boyd, SPY
Tom Hollander, REV.
Brendan O’Carroll, MRS. BROWN’S BOYS

BEST SOAP & CONTINUING DRAMA
CORONATION STREET
EASTENDERS
HOLBY CITY
SHAMELESS

BEST INTERNATIONAL
BORGEN
THE KILLING
MODERN FAMILY
THE SLAP

BEST COMEDY PROGRAMME
CHARLIE BROOKER’S 2011 WIPE
COMIC STRIP: THE HUNT FOR TONY BLAIR
THE CRICKLEWOOD LEGENDS
STEWART LEE’S COMEDY VEHICLE

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
CELEBRITY JUICE
DERREN BROWN: THE EXPERIMENTS
HARRY HILL’S TV BURP
MICHAEL MCINTYRE’S CHRISTMAS COMEDY ROADSHOW

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Alan Carr, ALAN CARR: CHATTY MAN
Harry Hill, HARRY HILL’S TV BURP
Graham Norton, THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW
Dara Ó Briain, MOCK THE WEEK

BEST FACTUAL SERIES
THE CHOIR: MILITARY WIVES
EDUCATING ESSEX
OUR WAR
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN: DAMNED IF WE DO, DAMNED IF WE DON’T

BEST SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
9/11: THE DAY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
TERRY PRATCHETT: CHOOSING TO DIE
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT DAD

BEST FEATURES
DIY SOS: THE BIG BUILD
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF
HAIRY BIKERS’ MEAL ON WHEELS
TIMOTHY SPALL: BACK AT SEA

BEST REALITY AND CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL
AN IDIOT ABROAD
DON’T TELL THE BRIDE
MADE IN CHELSEA
YOUNG APPRENTICE

BEST SPECIALIST FACTUAL
BRITISH MASTERS
FROZEN PLANET
MUMMIFYING ALAN: EGYPT’S LAST SECRET
WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS
BAHRAIN: SHOUTING IN THE DARK
SRI LANKA’S KILLING FIELDS
THE TRUTH ABOUT ADOPTION
UNDERCOVER CARE: THE ABUSE EXPOSED

BEST NEWS COVERAGE
BBC NEWS AT TEN: SIEGE OF HOMS
CHANNEL 4 NEWS: JAPAN EARTHQUAKE
ITV NEWS AT TEN: BATTLE OF MISRATA
SKY NEWS: LIBYA REBEL CONVOY – LIVE

BEST SPORT & LIVE EVENT
FRANKENSTEIN’S WEDDING: LIVE IN LEEDS
THE ROYAL WEDDING
2011 RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL
2011 TOUR DE FRANCE

NEW MEDIA
AUTUMNWATCH
THE BANK JOB
MISFITS
PSYCHOVILLE

YOUTUBE AUDIENCE AWARD
CELEBRITY JUICE
EDUCATING ESSEX
FRESH MEAT
FROZEN PLANET
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF
SHERLOCK

Additionally, the full list of BAFTA craft nominations can be found here: http://awards.bafta.org/award/2012/tvcraft