Sci-fi leads Bafta Cymru nominees

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Doctor Who will go head to head with its spin-off Torchwood as it looks to clean up at the Bafta Cymru awards for the second year running.

The first series of the sci-fi drama featuring the Time Lord scooped five awards at last year's ceremony.

This year the programme has been nominated for 13 awards, and crime thriller Torchwood nominated for eight.

ITV Wales' The Aberfan Disaster is one of the channel's eight nominations, with S4C amassing a total of 38.

The nominations for Doctor Who and Torchwood - both made by BBC Wales - feature heavily in the craft, production and performance categories.

They will compete with each other in a number of categories, including best drama series, which also includes BBC Wales' Belonging.

Leading actors from the three programmes will battle for the title of best actor, with the most recent Time Lord, David Tennant, Torchwood's John Barrowman, and Belonging's Charles Dale making up the nominees.

Leading actresses from the two sci-fi programmes will also compete for the title of best actress.

John Barrowman and Eve Myles have been nominated for awards

The category features Billie Piper, for her role as Doctor Who's assistant Rose, alongside Torchwood's leading lady Eve Myles and Beth Robert for her role in the S4C drama Con Passionate.

Doctor Who first returned to our screens in 2005 after 16 years out of production, with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role as the Time Lord.

As well as best drama series, the programme won prizes for the best drama director, as well as awards for costume, make-up and photography direction at the 2006 Bafta Cymru awards.

Its lead writer and executive producer Russell T Davies was also honoured with the Siân Phillips award for his outstanding contribution to network television.

Alien

Torchwood has also proved a ratings hit with the first episodes screened last October scoring record viewing figures.

The series follows a team of investigators solving alien and human crime and is aimed at an adult audience.

Elsewhere, BBC Wales' Taro Naw has been nominated for its programme Plant Chernobyl, in the category for best current affairs, which also includes ITV Wales' Y Byd Ar Bedwar.

BBC Wales has also been nominated for its live coverage of the opening of the Senedd.

The 16th Annual Bafta Cymru Awards ceremony will hosted by Rhodri and Lucy Owen, in the Cardiff International Arena on Saturday.