Emmy Awards 2011: Melissa McCarthy is the big winner as she sees off tough competition to win Best Comedy Actress (2025)

Crowning glory: Actress Melissa McCarthy looked stunned and delighted as she was named outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for Mike and Molly at last night's Emmy Awards

And the winner is: Melissa lines up with her fellow nominees (L-R Tina Fey, Martha Plimpton, Amy Poehler, Edie Falco and Laura Linney) as they wait for the result

Congratulations! The ladies gather round an emotional Melissa as she is announced as the winner

This is your moment: As the ladies applauded Melissa, host Rob Lowe places a tiara on her head and Sofia Vergara, in red, hands her the award

I love you: Melissa kisses her award backstage

Burrell was presented the laurels by Julianne Margulies, who would later be recognised herself in the dramatic category for best actress.

'Oh, my God, I don't know what I'm going to talk about in therapy next week,' said a shocked-looking Bowen. 'I won something.'

Mad Men was also victorious winning its fourth consecutive Emmy for outstanding drama series, a win that places it in select Emmy company.

it is now tied with iconic TV series Hill Street Blues, which won four consecutive Emmys between 1981-'84, and The West Wing, which won between 2000-'03.

Her winning role: Melissa in a scene from Mike and Molly

Domestic bliss: Modern Family's Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell celebrated their on-screen marriage with matching trophies

One big Modern Family: The cast and crew of the show gather on stage to collect the Outstanding Comedy Series award

Another winning year: The cast and crew of Mad Men gather round creator Matthew Weiner as he accepts the Outstanding Drama Series for the fourth year running

Record makers: The show is now tied with Emmy record with iconic series Hill Street Blues, which won four consecutive Emmys between 1981-'84, and The West Wing, which won between 2000-'03

Strike a pose: Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper, and Jessica Pare, who plays his secretary in the fourth series

Emotional: Kate Winslet paid homage to her mum, after winning an Emmy Award tonight in Los Angeles

Joy: Kate punched the air in delight as her name was announced

Thrilled: Pearce gave Kate a kiss backstage as they posed for pictures and stopped for a round of interviews

Pucker up: Winslet didn't hold back in her affection for presenter Hugh Laurie (left) and co-star guy Pearce

Burrell spoke of his own father in accepting his best supporting actor award.

'I actually got kind of a late start in acting. My dad actually passed away before he ever saw me perform and I can't help but wonder what he would think about all this ... going to work in full makeup,' Burrell said.

Sisters are doing it for themselves: Katie Holmes grins as she hands Julianna Margulies her award

Then Ricky got his chance to raise a sardonic chuckle, albeit from a distance of almost 6000 miles.

He started by saying that he's no longer allowed on an awards show after this year's controversial Golden Globes turn, before adding: 'Now when there's an awards show I'm not even allowed on American soil.'

The creator of The Office then explained that his segment was prerecorded and that Fox bosses had threatened to edit out anything offensive so the crowd wouldn't know the difference, which was hilariously followed by a monologue peppered with euphemistic words bleeped over his diction

Jim Parsons of the Big Bang Theory broke the trend by walking away with the metalwork for outstanding actor in a comedy, taken from the clutches of previous winner - a very contrite Charlie Sheen, who offered sincere best wishes to his old show Two and and a Half Man.

Sofia Vergara and Rob Lowe made a sizzling pair to reward the actress who most stimulates funny bones.

The Amazing Race was honoured in the reality-competition bracket.

The juggernaut that is Jon Stewart and his team were successful once again, and the man himself praised the genetic charms of presenting team Lowe and Vergara.

The new Two and a Half Men team, Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher, took to the stage to award the laurels for best drama writing, and made only a limp dig at Sheen.

Friday Night Lights scooped the writing props before Margot Martindale was recognised as best supporting actress in a drama for Justified.

Legendary Martin Scorcese got his hands on his first Emmy for Boardwalk Empire.

Game of Thrones favourite, Peter Dinklage, who plays the charismatic Tyrion Lannister, was a popular winner in the dramatic supporting actor stakes and thanked HBO for allowing the epic, bloodthirsty series to reach our screens.

Katie Holmes was a vision in blue as she honoured the best dramatic actress of 2011, Julianna Margulies, back on the stage again in her white column gown.

The night was peppered with hilarious sketches, including a Jersey Shore montage and celebrities applying for a job at Dunder Mifflin, including Kim Kardashian who sent herself up by not recognising the word 'work' during her interview.

Drew Barrymore escorted the new Charlie's Angels team Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly and Rachael Taylor onto the stage, before making Kyle Chandler's night when he was announced as best male in a drama.

Lynch picked up steam as the night wore on, she told the audience at one point: 'Many people ask me why I'm a lesbian... ladies and gentlemen, the cast of Entourage,' before the suited ensemble of the HBO show strode cockily into the arena.

Britain's own Julian Fellowes flew the flag by taking home the spoils for best writing on a mini-series for Downton Abbey, and managed to get the word 'grandiloquent' into his acceptance speech, before Kate Winslet bagged best actress in a drama for the UK.