By Neal Wallace

Harry Potter has been nominated in nine categories for next year's People's Choice Awards.

The prizes, which cover a range of categories, from best movie to favourite TV guest star, will be awarded at a glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles in January next year.

Singer Katy Perry's seven nominations span the music, movie and TV genres, including best animated movie voice for her role as Smurfette in The Smurfs and favourite TV guest star for her appearance on sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Organisers have said that more that 40 million people voted, with nominations being cast online, via mobile phones and on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter.

Voting for the prizes has officially opened, and people have until December 6th to decide on the winners for the gongs.

It was recently announced that Eddie Murphy has quit his role as Oscars' host after his friend Brett Ratner resigned as a producer of the show.