JAMES McAvoy has been nominated for a prestigious theatre award for his role in Shakespeare play Macbeth.

The Scots actor was among the names shortlisted for the What's On Stage Awards. His wife, Anne-Marie Duff, was nominated for best actress for Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude at the National Theatre.

McAvoy will compete against Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint who are also shortlisted. Radcliffe is nominated for best actor for his role in The Cripple Of Inishmaan, while Grint is shortlisted for newcomer of the year after making his stage debut in a revival of Jez Butterworth's Mojo.

The other best actor nominees are Lenny Henry, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear.

Duff is nominated for best actress along with Hayley Atwell, Suranne Jones, Tanya Moodie and Dame Helen Mirren.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in the Prince of Wales Theatre in London on February 23.