Kumar's up for hat-trick

Comedy The Kumars at No.42 has proved it is streets ahead of its rivals with three nominations in the short-list for the Bafta awards, announced today.

The show has been nominated in the comedy series category and the entertainment performance category, where Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal are competing against each other for the honour.

A hit since it was launched in 2001, it has featured A-list guests including Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Fry and Jerry Hall who have all run the gauntlet of unscripted grillings by the eccentric Asian family.