Judi Dench sets record with 'Cranford' at TV BAFTAs

Dame Judi Dench, who won the first of her four TV BAFTA Awards upon her first nomination 40 years ago, received her record 12th acting nod today for her role in "Cranford," a genteel five-hour BBC miniseries adapted from Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell's affectionate look at life in a village in the 1840s. Her last win was also in the best-actress race in 2001 for "Last of the Blond Bombshells." For her performance in that BBC/HBO co-production, she got her first Emmy nomination, but lost to Judy Davis as Judy Garland in "Me and My Shadows."

Expect Dench to be a strong contender to compete again at the upcoming Emmys as "Cranford" will qualify when it's aired by co-producing partner PBS in May.

Among its competition in the BAFTA drama serial race is "Five Days," a BBC/HBO co-production about the hunt for missing children, which could also be up for Emmys. The other BAFTA contenders are "Murphy's Law" and "Britz."

Joining Dench in the BAFTA best actress race, a catch-all category that includes performances in one-offs, minis and series, are her "Cranford" screen sister Dame Eileen Atkins, three-time nominee and previous winner Gina McKee ("The Street"), and newcomer Kierston Wareing ("It's a Free World").

The BAFTA best-actor race is full of first-time nominees who starred in single dramas: Andrew Garfield ("Boy A"), Tom Hardy ("Stuart: A Life Backwards"), Matthew Macfadyen ("Secret Life"), and Sir Antony Sher ("Primo").

The international category is all American with three comedy series: "Californication,"; "Family Guy" and "My Name is Earl," as well as the sci-fi "Heroes."

The only other possible Emmy contender could be  Stephen Merchant ("Extras Christmas Special"). Otherwise, the nominees are from homegrown programs lacking the requisite American producing partner for Emmy consideration.