Doctor Who has been nominated for three awards at this year’s National TV Awards, including that of best popular drama.

The BBC One sci-fi adventure will have to fend off competition from the likes of hit shows Life on Mars and Shameless.

Timelord David Tennant and his sidekick Freeman Agyeman are also up for the best actor and actress awards.

The ceremony will also pit Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway against Deal or No Deal and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross for the best entertainment programme.

A new category has also been added to this year’s awards: most popular talent show.

Simon Cowell will battle it out with musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber for the title.

Sir Trevor McDonald, the ceremony’s host, said: ‘It has been a controversial year for the TV industry which has rarely been out of the news, but the National TV Awards are a celebration of TV programming at its most popular.

‘The variety of nominees this year shows the remarkable range and diversity of the programmes we all watch.’

The winners will be announced on 31 October.