THE WINNERS ARE…
Charlie Brooker and Riz Ahmed led the way for Britain at the Emmys in a night of disappointment for The Crown after it entered television’s biggest ceremony with high expectations.
Brooker’s Black Mirror scooped two accolades, while debutante Riz Ahmed won lead actor in a limited series for his role in The Night Of at the Los Angeles ceremony on Sunday.
Despite receiving 13 nominations, The Crown only scooped one award – with US actor John Lithgow winning best supporting actor in a drama series for his portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill.
The highest achievers were the dystopian show The Handmaid’s Tale and Big Little Lies, which netted five-a-piece.
On the politically-charged night which saw Donald Trump a repeated target of criticism, the Armando Iannucci-created satire Veep was also a winner with two awards including best comedy.
Host Stephen Colbert’s had a string of one-liners about Trump – the man he considered the biggest television star of the past year.
Trump is a past Emmy nominee, from his time as Celebrity Apprentice host. Colbert told the audience that the Emmys may be to blame for his presidency, because Trump might not have run if he’d won an Emmy. Then he got in a dig where he knew it would hurt: “Unlike the presidency, Emmys go to the winner of the popular vote,” he said.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was then wheeled onto the stage behind a mobile podium and joked about the Emmys having its biggest audience ever – a reference to his dubious claim about the crowd size at Trump’s inauguration.
Meanwhile, in one of the diatribes on the night Trump was called a “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot” in a speech by presenters Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.
The pair were on stage with Dolly Parton, having walked out to the theme music of their 1980 hit movie 9 To 5.
The country singer raised her eyebrows but remained silent during her co-stars’ critique.
Reading-born Brooker, 46, collected the writing for a 0 Clockwise from main: Elisabeth Moss celebrates her award; Alec Baldwin with ex-white House press secretary Sean Spicer; Nicole Kidman and co-star Alexander Skarsgård; host Stephen Colbert ● Outstanding drama series: The Handmaid’s Tale ● … lead actress in a drama series: Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid’s Tale ● … lead actor in a drama series: Sterling K Brown - This Isus ● … limited series: Big Little Lies ● … television movie: Black Mirror: San Junipero ● … lead actress in a limited series or movie: Nicole Kidman Big Little Lies ● … lead actor in a limited series or movie: Riz Ahmed - The Night Of ● … comedy series: Veep ● … lead actress in a comedy limited series award and outstanding television movie, both for the San Junipero episode.
Londoner Ahmed, who portrayed a Pakistani-american’s experience in the US legal system in the show based on 2008 British series Criminal Justice, said the award was bittersweet.
“It’s always strange reaping the rewards of a story that’s based on real-world suffering,” the 34-year-old said.
“But if this show has shone a light on some of the prejudice in our society, xenophobia, some of the injustice in our justice system then maybe that’s something.”
Birmingham-born John Oliver, 40, scooped outstanding writing for a comedy series and best variety talk series for his US talk-show Last Week Tonight.
Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown, 13, missed out on becoming the youngest ever Emmy winner at the Microsoft Theatre when the Briton was beaten to best supporting actress in a drama series by Ann Dowd in The Handmaid’s Tale.
Other nominated Brits to walk away empty handed included Benedict Cumberbatch for Sherlock.