Award-winning comedy actor Chris Langham last night protested his innocence after he was charged with 15 counts of making indecent images of children.

Langham, who won a Bafta award at the weekend for his performance in the BBC series The Thick Of It, was charged after answering bail at a police station on Wednesday.

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 his own co-star on The Thick of It, Peter Capaldi.

It 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. 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."

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.

Langham is a veteran of the British satirical scene and is listed by the BBC's website as a performer on Spike Milligan's seminal sixties sketch show Q. Other performing credits listed include Not The Nine O'Clock News, Smith And Jones and Kiss Me Kate. More recently he starred as a psychotherapist in the BBC2 sitcom Help.

But it is as Hugh Abbot that his fame has taken a great leap.

The Thick Of It, screened on BBC4, has won massive praise for poking fun at the "spin-driven" world of modern politics.

As well as Langham picking up the Best Comedy Perform-ance award at the Baftas, the show was named Best Sitcom at the ceremony.