Gervais hopes for Bafta hat-trick

Ricky Gervais will be hoping to win Baftas for best comedy performance and best sitcom for the third year running at the awards.

19:02 18 April 2004

Ricky Gervais will be hoping to win Baftas for best comedy performance and best sitcom for the third year running at the awards, which are being hosted by Davina McCall.

The Office Christmas Special, Little Britain, Have I Got News For You and drama serial State of Play have all got three nominations.

The London ceremony is being held at the Grosvenor House Hotel and will be shown on ITV1 on Monday.

Mr Gervais is the first UK actor to win a TV comedy acting prize at the Golden Globe awards. He is competing against The Office co-star Martin Freeman and Little Britain's Matt Lucas and David Walliams for best comedy performance at the Baftas.

The Office almost didn't get nominated when a "clerical error" at the BBC meant they missed the deadline for consideration.

ITV1's Hardware, BBC Two's Marion & Geoff and Channel 4's Peep Show all have the unhappy task of competing against The Office for the best sitcom award.

Former BBC director general Greg Dyke will be among the celebrities presenting awards.