Morse star Thaw up for posthumous award

The late John Thaw could clinch a posthumous award as he goes head to head with David Jason for an audience prize at the TV Baftas.

Viewers will be able to cast their vote for Thaw as one of his final roles in ITV1's Buried Treasure competes for the Lew Grade award.

It is one of five shows, including Jason's A Touch Of Frost, in the short-list for the prize which is the only one decided by the public.

Thaw, 60, died in February from cancer of the oesophagus.

His programmes have twice won the Lew Grade award, which is sponsored by Radio Times. He landed the prize for Inspector Morse last year, and in 1999 his wartime drama Goodnight Mr Tom took the title.

In Buried Treasure he played a hard-nosed businessman whose heart was melted by a grand-daughter he had not known for 10 years.

The contest for the audience prize will be a hard-won fight. Jason's shows have previously won the title twice.

Also competing will be three BBC1 shows - the soap EastEnders, David Attenborough's documentary series The Blue Planet and the sitcom My Family, which stars Jasper Carrott and Meera Syal.

The winner will be announced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on April 21 in a ceremony hosted by Chris Tarrant.