Emmys 2018 catch up: Claire Foy, Thandie Newton and John Oliver among British winners

'Game of Thrones' won the biggest award but the night belonged to 'The Marvelous Mrs Maisel'

First nominations for Emmy Awards revealed

Game of Thrones wrestled back control of the Emmys in Los Angeles on Monday night, winning the ceremony’s biggest award, Outstanding Drama Series.

The HBO fantasy, based on the novels of George RR Martin, picked up the prize in 2015 and 2016, but was absent from proceedings last year when its broadcast date failed to meet eligibility criteria. This fallow year allowed The Handmaid’s Tale to shine, but the dystopian Hulu drama couldn’t hold onto its crown in 2018.

Game of Thrones failed to dominate in other categories, however, its only other award on the night being a Supporting Actor honour for Peter Dinklage – his third Emmy win for the show.

The drama and limited series categories were split at an unpredictable ceremony, but Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel trounced its comedy rivals. The dramedy, about a 1950s housewife who discovers she has a talent for stand-up, consistently beat its hotly tipped rival, FX’s Atlanta, scooping five awards.

Other winners at the Microsoft Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles included British actors Claire Foy (for The Crown) and Matthew Rhys "for The Americans). The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story was declared Outstanding Limited Series, while newcomer Barry, about a hitman who years to be an actor, picked up surprise acting awards for Bill Hader and Henry Winkler.

Awards aside, the main talking points at the 70th Primetime Emmys included Glenn Weiss – who won an Emmy for his work directing last year's Oscars ceremony and – proposing to his partner on stage, Betty White’s razor-sharp life achievement acceptance speech, delivered at the age of 96, which received a standing ovation, and Donald Glover attending the ceremony in the guise of his Atlanta character Teddy Perkins.

Comedians Colin Jost and Michael Che hosted the ceremony – aided by several members of the Saturday Night Live cast – but almost entirely steered clear of the usual topic of discussion at these events, Donald Trump. Instead, their monologues, skits and jokes centred on diversity, the #MeToo movement and declining viewing figures for the Emmys.

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Key Points

• 'Game of Thrones' beats 'The Handmaid's Tale' to night's biggest prize
• Hosts joke about diversity and Me Too, but not Trump
• Donald Glover delights the internet by taking his seat dressed as 'Atlanta' character Teddy Perkins

[17 September 2018 23:23 · Christopher Hooton]

Award ceremonies are irreversibly political now it seems, to the point where it can often get a little wearying. Colbert set the Trump protest tone in 2017, but SNL comedians and Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost are likely to be even more caustic in their takedowns.

[17 September 2018 23:23 · Christopher Hooton]

Tonight's favourite for Lead Actor in a Drama Series...

[18 September 2018 00:00 · Christopher Hooton]

Game of Thrones' seventh season was certainly its most impressive technically, but also saw it commit to being an action-orientated show. It will be interesting to see whether this puts the Academy off.

[18 September 2018 00:00 · Christopher Hooton]

Brian Tyree Henry is up for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series tonight. You can listen to our recent podcast interview with him here:

[18 September 2018 00:00 · Christopher Hooton]

We're half an hour away. It's good of the television industry to stick to one award ceremony per year – with the Golden Globes, SAGs and Oscars looming (and those are just the major ones), the same can't be said for film.

[18 September 2018 00:37 · Christopher Hooton]

NBC's red carpet coverage is underway, a great opportunity to watch actors squirm as they try and answer weird, impossible questions like "what does it feel like to be tipped to win?"

[18 September 2018 00:44 · Christopher Hooton]

Jason Bateman there, being asked to sum up what happens in Ozark season 2 in approximately 12 seconds. Still, given recent form it's probably for the best he isn't allowed to drone on...

[18 September 2018 00:56 · Christopher Hooton]

The hour is almost upon us. How will we open? With the burning of an effigy of Brett Kavanaugh? A reconunstruction of children being separated from their parents at the US–Mexico border? The cast of Orange is the New Black spelling out "F*CK TRUMP"?

[18 September 2018 00:59 · Christopher Hooton]

"How are you planning on having fun tonight?"

Not sure if that one's vapid or sexy or sinister or all of the above. Eric Bana is lost for words. Long live the red carpet segments.

[18 September 2018 01:02 · Christopher Hooton]

And we're off.