THE cream of British television gathered at the Baftas last night to honour the year’s best performances and shows.

Bolton actress Maxine Peake was among the hopefuls up for a gong for her role in BBC4’s Hancock and Joan.

But she lost out in the best actress category to Anna Maxwell Martin, who starred in Channel 4’s Poppy Shakespeare.

The best actor gong went to Stephen Dillane for The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, also on Channel 4.

Wallander won a Bafta for best drama series. Kenneth Branagh stars as a Swedish detective in the BBC1 programme.

The black-tie event, hosted by Graham Norton and broadcast on BBC1, was held at the Royal Festival Hall.

Amazon with Bruce Parry was named winner of the factual series category. The documentary, screened on BBC2, followed Parry’s adventures as he travelled along the length of the South American river.

The X Factor won the entertainment programme Bafta, beating Harry Hill’s TV Burp, QI and the Friday and Sunday Night Projects.

ITV1’s broadcast of Lewis Hamilton’s dramatic triumph in last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix beat the BBC’s Wimbledon and Olympics coverage and Channel 4’s work on the Cheltenham Gold Cup to take the sport award.

The Bill — the long-running ITV series set in the fictional Sun Hill police station — took the Bafta for continuing drama.

In the news coverage category, News at Ten won for its work on the Chinese earthquake.

Comedy veterans Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse were awarded a Bafta for their latest sketch show, Harry and Paul.