Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Douglas up for Golden Globes

Helena Bonham Carter’s portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor in BBC4’s Burton And Taylor has earned her a coveted nomination for best actress in a mini-series or TV movie at the Golden Globes.

Michael Douglas is also  shortlisted along with Matt Damon for the Liberace biopic Behind The Candelabra, while Al Pacino gets a nod for his portrayal of jailed music producer Phil Spector.

Actress Cate Blanchett is also nominated for her performance in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.

The annual event takes place on January 12 next year with hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler presenting a show that regularly pulls in millions of viewers.

Steve McQueen’s epic 12 Years A Slave is heading for the biggest success after it got seven nominations.

Michael Sheen’s performance in Masters Of Sex is shortlisted for best actor in a TV series drama along with Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, James Spader, Liev Schreiber and House Of Cards star Kevin Spacey.

The awards are seen as a reliable pointer for which films will challenge for Oscar success in March.