LOS ANGELES — Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan will face off in the same category -- favourite female singer -- at this year's People's Choice Awards.

Nominees for the 31st annual awards were announced Tuesday by Jason Alexander and Malcolm-Jamal Warner of TV's Listen Up and Eva Longoria and Nicollette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives.

The nomination and awards process, formerly based on a national poll, has been revised.

The nominees were compiled by Entertainment Weekly, the People's Choice production team and pop culture fans. The public can choose the winners online.

Additional feature film categories will be announced later. CBS will broadcast the ceremony from 9-11 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9. Live in the East, it will be delayed in the West.

The nominees:

Favourite female movie star: Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon.

Favourite male movie star: George Clooney, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington.

Favourite female action movie star: Kate Beckinsale, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Keira Knightley, Uma Thurman.

Favourite male action movie star: Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Tobey Maguire, Viggo Mortensen, Will Smith.

Favourite leading man: Zach Braff, Jim Carrey, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, Brad Pitt.

Favourite leading lady: Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Garner, Natalie Portman, Kate Winslet, Renee Zellweger.

Favourite group: Evanescence, Maroon 5, No Doubt, OutKast, U2.

Favourite male singer: Eminem, Josh Groban, John Mayer, Prince, Usher.

Favourite female singer: Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan.

Favourite remake: Carwash, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliot, Lil' Kim; The First Cut Is the Deepest, Sheryl Crow; It's My Life, No Doubt; Livin' La Vida Loca, Antonio Banderas & Eddie Murphy; Take My Breath Away, Jessica Simpson.

Favourite combined forces: Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliot, Lil' Kim (Carwash); Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake (Where Is the Love); Norah Jones, Dolly Parton (The Grass Is Blue); Lil' John, Usher (Yeah!); Britney Spears, Madonna (Me Against the Music).

Favourite new TV comedy: Complete Savages, Entourage, Father of the Pride, Joey, Quintuplets.

Favourite new TV drama: Boston Legal, CSI: NY, Desperate Housewives, Jack and Bobby, Lost.

Favourite TV comedy: Arrested Development, Everybody Loves Raymond, Scrubs, That '70s Show, Will & Grace.

Favourite TV drama: Alias, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Gilmore Girls, The O.C., The Sopranos.

Favourite female TV star: Jennifer Garner (Alias), Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Marg Helgenberger (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Megan Mullally (Will & Grace).

Favourite male TV star: Jason Bateman (Arrested Development); Zach Braff (Scrubs); Matthew Fox (Lost); Matt Le Blanc (Joey), James Spader (Boston Legal).

Favourite late-night talk show host: Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart.

Favourite funny male star: Jack Black, Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Jon Stewart, Ben Stiller.

Favourite funny female star: Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Wanda Sykes.

Favourite daytime talk show host: Tony Danza, Ellen DeGeneres, Dr. Phil McGraw, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, Oprah Winfrey.

Favourite reality show (competition): The Amazing Race, American Idol, The Apprentice, Survivor, Last Comic Standing.

Favourite reality show (makeover): Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Pimp My Ride, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Trading Spaces, What Not to Wear.

Favourite reality show (other): Airline, Newlyweds, The Real World, The Surreal Life, Wife Swap.