Award-winning British comedy actor Chris Langham has been charged with 15 counts of making indecent images of children, police have said.
Langham, who won a Bafta award for his performance in the BBC series The Thick Of It, was charged after answering bail at a police station.
The 57-year-old, from Cranbrook in Kent, is due to appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court on May 17, Kent Police said.
The married star took the Best Comedy Performance award at Sunday's TV Baftas, beating Peter Capaldi, his own co-star on the hit show The Thick of It. The Bafta is not the only award Langham has picked up for his performance in the political satire, in which he plays bungling Government minister Hugh Abbot. Last year he won Best Television Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards for the same role.
Langham was originally arrested last December as part of an investigation linked to Operation Ore - the police's wide-ranging inquiry into internet child pornography.
Langham is married to second wife Christine Cartwright. They have two children and Langham has another three from his first marriage.
At the Baftas he thanked Cartwright, a musical director, for her unstinting support. "If it wasn't for the fact that she hates having attention drawn to her, I would like to thank my wife for being the most loyal, constant and honourable friend a person could have," he said.
In a statement issued through his solicitors Kingsley Napley, Langham said: "I am devastated to have been charged with offences arising from a police investigation.
I am anxious to clear my name and although there is a great deal I would like to say, I am unable to do so as a result of the legal proceedings.
"I request once again that the privacy of my family is respected and thank the media for their restraint in this regard so far. I will not be making any further comment."
PA