Chorley's Joe Gilgun nominated for BAFTA award for role in Sky comedy series Brassic

It is the second year in a row that the 38-year-old has earned a BAFTA nod for his lead role in the Lancashire-set comedy caper, which returned to Sky Max for a third series last October.

He was also shortlisted last year for best male performance in a comedy programme, but lost out to This Country’s Charlie Cooper.

But Joe has earned himself another shot at the gong after returning to our screens as wise-cracking petty criminal Vinnie O'Neill in the latest series of Brassic.

Gilgun – who created, executive produced and starred in the Sky Max comedy – has been shortlisted alongside some of TV’s best new comedy talent. But he also faces tough competition from established stars such as Steve Coogan, who returned to our screens as inept broadcaster Alan Partridge last year.

The shortlist for male performance in a comedy programme:

- Jamie Demetriou – Stath Lets Flats (Channel 4)- Joe Gilgun – Brassic (Sky Max)- Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education (Netflix)- Samson Kayo – Bloods (Sky One)- Steve Coogan – This Time with Alan Partridge (BBC One)- Tim Renkow – Jerk (BBC Three)

Gilgun studied Art at Runshaw College before landing his breakout TV role as Eli Dingle in Emmerdale in 2006.

And it’s not the first time the talented Chorley actor has been nominated for an national TV award. In 2012, he was nominated for a Best Actor BAFTA for his role as Woody in the critically-acclaimed Channel 4 drama This Is England '88, but missed out to Dominic West who was awarded the gong for his portrayal of serial killer Fred West.

But that same year, Gilgun went onto scoop two awards for his role as Rudy Wade in Channel 4 comedy-drama Misfits, winning both the Virgin Media TV Award for Best Newbie and SFX Award for Breakout Star.

The BAFTA TV Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, May 8 and will be shown on BBC One and BBC One HD.

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