'King's Speech' leads Golden Globes with seven nominations

A film about King George VI's battle to overcome his stammer is leading the pack at the Golden Globe awards having picked up seven nominations including best motion picture drama.

The King's Speech also picked up nominations for its star, Colin Firth, whose portrayal of the stuttering monarch was recognised as a contender for best actor in a motion picture drama.

There were also nods for Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush in the best supporting actress and best supporting actor in a motion picture drama categories respectively.

Bonham Carter plays Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, with Rush in the role of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.

The film's seven nominations put it ahead of its nearest rival, The Fighter, which won six nominations.

The British film has been heavily backed for Oscars success and earlier this year won the Cadillac People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The last two winners of the award - Precious and Slumdog Millionaire - both went on to pick up Oscars.

The film's director, Tom Hooper, and screenwriter, David Seidler, were also nominated in their respective categories and it was also nominated for best original score.

Other British nominations include Hugh Laurie for his role as grumpy doctor Gregory House in the television drama House and Idris Elba for his role in the BBC detective drama Luther.

Former Lovejoy star Ian McShane also picked up a nomination for his part in the mini-series Pillars Of The Earth.

Ricky Gervais will host the ceremony on January 16, nine days before nominations for the Oscars are released.

The Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which is made up of about 85 critics and reporters.

Bonham Carter said she thought the nomination for her co-star Firth would lead to Oscar success.

She said: "I've had a Golden Globe nomination before and then didn't get an Oscar nomination.

"But I presume Colin will get one, and I presume Colin will win."