The Shape of Water leads 2018 Bafta Film Awards nominations

Image copyright Fox

The Shape of Water leads this year's Bafta film award nominations, with 12 nods in total.

The fantasy romance stars British actress Sally Hawkins as a janitor who forms a relationship with an amphibious creature being held in captivity.

Darkest Hour and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri both received nine nominations.

Gary Oldman, Jamie Bell and Daniel Kaluuya are among the British nominees - all recognised for best actor.

Hawkins and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan are among those nominated for best leading actress.

They face competition from Frances McDormand for Three Billboards, and Margot Robbie, who is nominated for her portrayal of controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya.

Call Me by Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk and Three Billboards are nominated alongside The Shape of Water for best film.

Three Billboards and Darkest Hour are also up for outstanding British film, along with Paddington 2, Lady Macbeth, God's Own Country and The Death of Stalin.

Paddington 2 has three nominations in total - including adapted screenplay and a best supporting actor nod for Hugh Grant.

His competition includes Christopher Plummer, who replaced Kevin Spacey at the last minute in All The Money In The World.

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That category also includes Willem Dafoe for The Florida Project, and Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson, who are both nominated for Three Billboards.

The nominees for supporting actress include Allison Janney for her portrayal of Tonya Harding's mother in I, Tonya.

The actress, best known for her role in The West Wing, won best supporting actress at Sunday night's Golden Globes.

She faces Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) and Octavia Spencer (The Shape Of Water).

The most notable omissions include The Post, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, which didn't receive any nominations.

Dames Judi Dench and Helen Mirren also missed out for their roles in Victoria and Abdul and The Leisure Seeker respectively - despite both receiving nods at Sunday's Golden Globes.

The nominations for Three Billboards follow its success at the Globes, where it picked up four prizes including best drama film.

Sally Hawkins is among Britain's leading contenders for the Oscars, and she told the BBC she was "incredibly humbled" by her Bafta nomination for best actress.

"It feels like a gift from my homeland and I am very touched by it," she said. "I believe this is an important film and it is a deep, deep part of my heart. So to be honoured and recognised in such a way... is a gift."

Oldman told the BBC: "This is my second Bafta nomination as an actor; the recognition means so much.

"Especially more so not merely for the distinguished company I now find myself in with my fellow nominees, but most especially for the privilege of playing Winston Churchill, which it truly was."

This year's Bafta ceremony will take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 18 February.

Joanna Lumley will host, replacing Stephen Fry after he announced he'd be stepping down.

The nominations for the EE Rising Star category were announced last week.

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