We may not get the obsession with Mrs Brown's Boys here in the office, but it seems as though Brendan O'Carroll's Agnes Brown is still a huge hit across the water, because she's among the Irish pack in this year's TV Choice Awards nominations.
Pipped to the post by Moone Boy at the IFTAs, and not even nominated for a TV BAFTA (which the series won last year), Aggie and co have nabbed a nomination for Best Comedy Series from the TV magazine. Now I'm delighted that an Irish production is doing so well, but in my eyes the TV show just ain't a patch on the movie: Marion O'Dwyer's Marion Monks made that film, and the scenes with driving instructor Tom O'Toole were priceless. Recreate that magic Brendan, and you might just win me over again. Sure perhaps another dose of Tom Jones would do it...
Dublin-born actor Emmett J Scanlan is also among the nominees, and will do battle with the likes of Shane Richie *rolls eyes*, Alan Halsall (Tyrone from Coronation Street) and Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle from Emmerdale) in the Best Soap Actor category. Sure isn't it a terrible pity he's left Hollyoaks? Nat. He was on top form in RTE/BBC co-production The Fall, which gets a nomination for Best New Drama. I'd love to be patriotic and say it totally deserves to win, but Broadchurch and Ripper Street (which was shot in Dublin, and partially edited here in fairness) are in the same category, and they've already stolen my heart. I'm sure Jamie Dornan will forgive me, eventually.
Graham Norton's name is also on the list of Irish nominees: The BAFTA winner is up for Best Entertainment Show, and could well pip Ant and Dec to the post. That said, this is TV Choice magazine, not the TV BAFTAs, so we'd hardly be surprised to see family-friendly Saturday Night Takeaway taking the glory. No offence lads, we loved watching you 'rhumble' all the same. And then dual British/Irish citizenship holder Brendan Coyle (his mammy was from these here shores) is going up against Jeremy Piven (Mr Selfridge), Matt Smith (Doctor Who) and David Tennant (who should really win for Broadchurch) for Best Actor. We're not sure how Downton Abbey's Mr Bates will fare there, but his starring turn as Jeremy in Paths to Freedom still plants him firmly in our hearts.
Oh, and Game of Thrones is in there too: Sure isn't it shot in Northern Ireland and absolutely jam-packed with our finest thespians to boot? We'll never forgive you for that Red Wedding Michael McElhatton: We preferred Rats from the flats to Roose Bolton. Sound.
You'll have to wait until September 9th to see who takes the honours, but you can cast your votes on the TV Choice website until Friday July 12. We'd put a few quid on Olivia Colman while we're at it: Sure didn't she steal the show at the TV BAFTAs?
TV Choice Nominees 2013
Best Drama Series
Call the Midwife (BBC One)
Doctor Who (BBC One)
Downton Abbey (ITV)
Waterloo Road (BBC One)
Best New Drama
Broadchurch (ITV)
The Fall (BBC Two)
Mr Selfridge (ITV)
Ripper Street (BBC One)
Best Daytime Show
The Chase (ITV)
The Jeremy Kyle Show (ITV)
Pointless (BBC One)
This Morning (ITV)
Best Factual Entertainment And Lifestyle Show
Embarrassing Bodies (Channel 4)
One Born Every Minute (Channel 4)
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs (ITV)
Top Gear (BBC Two)
Best Entertainment Show
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV)
Celebrity Juice (ITV2)
The Graham Norton Show (BBC One)
Russell Howard's Good News (BBC Three)
Best Food Show
Choccywoccydoodah (Good Food)
Hairy Bikers' Best of British (BBC Two)
Jamie's 15 Minute Meals (Channel 4)
Saturday Kitchen (BBC One)
Best Reality Show
24 Hours in A&E (Channel 4)
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! (ITV)
Made in Chelsea (E4)
Peter Andre: My Life (ITV2)
Best Comedy Series
Bad Education (BBC Three)
Miranda (BBC One)
Mrs Brown's Boys (BBC One)
Not Going Out (BBC One)
Best Talent Show
Britain's Got Talent (ITV)
The Great British Bake Off (BBC Two)
The Voice (BBC One)
The X Factor (ITV)
Best International Show
The Big Bang Theory (E4)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Channel 5)
Game of Thrones (Sky Atlantic)
The Walking Dead (FOX)
Best Actor
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey
Jeremy Piven, Mr Selfridge
Matt Smith, Doctor Who
David Tennant, Broadchurch
Best Actress
Jenna-Louise Coleman, Doctor Who
Olivia Colman, Broadchurch
Miranda Hart, Call the Midwife
Sheridan Smith, Mrs Biggs
Best Soap
Coronation Street (ITV)
EastEnders (BBC One)
Emmerdale (ITV)
Hollyoaks (Channel 4)
Best Soap Actor
Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs), Coronation Street (ITV)
Shane Richie (Alfie Moon), EastEnders (BBC One)
Jeff Hordley (Cain Dingle), Emmerdale (ITV)
Emmett J Scanlan (Brendan Brady), Hollyoaks (Channel 4)
Best Soap Actress
Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre), Coronation Street (ITV)
Charlie Brooks (Janine Butcher), EastEnders (BBC One)
Gillian Wright (Jean Slater), EastEnders (BBC One)
Clare Cooper (Jacqui McQueen), Hollyoaks (Channel 4)
Best Soap Newcomer
Marc Baylis (Rob Donovan), Coronation Street (ITV)
Khali Best (Dexter Hartman), EastEnders (BBC One)
David Witts (Joey Branning), EastEnders (BBC One)
Laura Norton (Kerry Wyatt), Emmerdale (ITV)
