13 January 2014 Last updated at 01:24 GMT

Golden Globes begins in Hollywood

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting the awards for the second consecutive year

The Golden Globes are under way in Hollywood, with a wealth of British stars in the running for glory.

The first award of the night went to Jennifer Lawrence for her supporting role in American Hustle.

Jacqueline Bisset was the first British actress to win an award for her part in BBC drama Dancing on the Edge.

12 Years a Slave is a leading contender with seven nominations, including a best director nod for Steve McQueen and star Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Dame Judi Dench and Emma Thompson lead the hopes in the acting stakes, with Dame Helen Mirren also nominated for her TV work.

ITV's Downton Abbey is also up for best TV drama.

The Globes recognise both cinema and small screen achievements, while its film awards encompass both drama and musical or comedy genres.

The award winners are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Heist movie American Hustle also has seven nominations, including best picture and best director for David O Russell.

Dench, Thompson and Kate Winslet all feature in the best dramatic actress category, but Australian actress Cate Blanchett is seen as a solid bet to take the trophy for her role as a disgraced socialite in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Cate Blanchett, best actress favourite: "I don't know what the odds are"

Sandra Bullock completes the contest with her performance as an astronaut under pressure in Gravity.

Britain's Chiwetel Ejiofor could take away the prize for best dramatic actor for 12 Years a Slave, and faces countryman Idris Elba in the same category for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom.

The pair are also pitched against one another in a television acting category for their work in Dancing on the Edge and Luther.

Helen Mirren could win honours for her work in a TV drama about the life of music producer Phil Spector, while Helena Bonham-Carter is feted for playing Elizabeth Taylor in Burton and Taylor.

Welsh-born Christian Bale has been placed on the best actor in a musical or comedy shortlist for his role in American Hustle, a film which could bring acting honours to Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.