Jamie Oliver, who received a standing ovation when collecting his awards, showed wife Jools just how pleased he was.
"I think I knew from the moment I started working on it. I could tell that everything was really high quality. The creators believed very strongly in what they were doing and fortunately they were right." David Jason, wearing a paisley-patterned bow tie, told the BBC News website that Bleak House was "good", but faced stiff competition from other "high standard" dramas. Comeback king Edmonds, who is nominated for best entertainment performance, said he was thrilled to be at the ceremony and was cheered by fans who lined the red carpet. He said: "Deal Or No Deal's success has taken everyone by surprise, and you won't talk to anyone tonight happier than me. Whatever happens I'm so thrilled. I've had a great six months." Extras star Ashley Jensen, who is nominated for best comedy performance, told the BBC News website: "This is all very new to me so my heart is pounding in my chest."
Other arrivals include comedian Rory Bremner, Carol Voderman, Sir Alan Sugar, Hugh Laurie, Esther Rantzen, and Catherine Tate, who walked up the red carpet aided by a crutch. Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson said: "I love events like these. I bring my own beer and everyone else can have the champagne." TV chef Gordon Ramsey, whose Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, is up for best feature, arrived with his wife Tana. He said: "I'm very happy to be nominated up against Alan Sugar, although his temper is worse than mine." ITV has just seven of the 76 nominations. The BBC has 47 and Channel 4 has 20, while Five and Sky have one each. Political comedy The Thick of It has three nominations, with The Catherine Tate Show and Extras getting two each. Extras, Ricky Gervais' follow-up to The Office, is also up for best sitcom, along with Peep Show and The Worst Week of My Life. Gervais said: "[The crowd] are all shouting 'Ricky, Ricky' - it's like being in a scene from EastEnders. "It's still nice to be nominated and it was great winning all of those awards.
From L to R: Husband and wife TV presenters Vernon Kaye and Tess Daly posed for photographers. Shane Richie teased photographers with the Bafta award for EastEnders.
" Doctor Who, which returned to BBC One last year, is shortlisted in the best drama series category and sent a dalek along to patrol the red carpet. The nomination, its first Bafta nod since 1977, will see it compete with Bodies, Shameless and Spooks. Soap operas Coronation Street and EastEnders are both up for best continuing drama, along with Holby City and Casualty. Saturday night rivals The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing are among the nominees for the Lew Grade entertainment program award. The X-Factor judge Simon Cowell, who spent several minutes signing autographs, said being nominated was "a big deal". Channel 4 program Jamie's School Dinners, which saw Jamie Oliver raise the issue of pupils' meals, is among the factual series nominees. Oliver, who arrived with wife Jules, said he was "very proud" of the series. He added: "I think we deserve to be nominated and the Bafta would mean a lot to many of my team who worked on the program."