Helen Mirren shines at Emmy Awards

Helen Mirren scoops third major US gong – this time at Emmy Awards

Helen Mirren has scooped her third major US award this year – this time an Emmy for her role in Prime Suspect.

After earlier triumphs at the Oscars and the Golden Globes for The Queen, Mirren was back to claim her award for best actress in a mini-series for her final outing as the hard-bitten detective DS Jane Tennison in the last installment of the television drama.

'You took our piece of work to your hearts, and you made it what it became, which was a piece of iconic television,' she told the audience, after beating Queen Latifah and Debra Messing to take the gong.

'You Americans are wonderfully generous people. You are a lot of other things as well. Some good, some bad.'

The actor had picked up the same award for Prime Suspect 11 years ago, and the series has already won three Emmys for best mini-series during its 16-year life on the US public network PBS.

Fellow Briton Ricky Gervais was also recognised, pulling off a major surprise by winning the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Extras. He did not attend the ceremony, leaving the defeated nominee Steve Carell, who plays the Gervais role in the US version of The Office, to collect the award for him – dancing a little jig in the process.