Sherlock in triple Emmy awards win

Allison Janney presents the award to Steven Moffat for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for PBS "Sherlock: His Last Vow" onstage during the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California August 25, 2014. Photo: Reuters

BBC One drama Sherlock has won a hat-trick of awards at the US Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman won best actor and best supporting actor in a miniseries, although neither was present to collect their awards.

Stephen Moffat also won best writing in a miniseries for the final episode of Sherlock's third season.

Writer Steven Moffat poses with his Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special award for the PBS/BBC miniseries "Sherlock" at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California August 25, 2014. Photo: Reuters

Drug drama Breaking Bad was the big winner on the night, winning five awards including best drama series.

It was the second consecutive year the show picked up the awards' highest honour, after ending in September last year after five seasons.

Its star Bryan Cranston was named best actor in a drama series for a fourth time as the teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White.

He beat a host of Hollywood heavyweights including Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson for their roles in the acclaimed crime drama True Detective.

"I have gratitude for everything that has happened," Cranston said.

His co-stars, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn, were also honoured for best supporting actor and supporting actress in a drama series.

Collecting the award for best drama series, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan said: "Holy cow! This is indeed a wonderful time to be working in television. Thank you for this wonderful farewell to our show."

Julianna Margulies, star of The Good Wife, won the Emmy for best lead actress in a drama series for her part as lawyer Alicia Florrick.

"I feel like this is the golden age of television, but it's also the time for women in television," said Margulies. "I feel very grateful to be here."

Sitcom Modern Family was named best comedy series for a fifth consecutive year, equalling the record set by 1990s show Frasier for most comedy wins.

Ty Burrell, also walked away with best supporting actor in a comedy, for his role on the show.

What an #Emmys moment! Congrats to the team @AmazingRace_CBS on their Emmy for Best Reality Competition! http://t.co/V6nEBI25UY

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) August 26, 2014

The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons won best actor in a comedy series, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, winning her third consecutive Emmy for her role as the foul-mouthed US Vice President Selina Meyer in political satire Veep.

Allison Janney won the best supporting actress in a comedy series for Mom. She also collected a second prize during the ceremony for best guest actress in a drama for her role in Masters of Sex.

.@SaraBareilles plays in memory of Robin Williams. #Emmys pic.twitter.com/2Wxtqsg5Y3

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) August 26, 2014

The ceremony also paid a traditional tribute to industry members who died in the past year.

They included James Garner, Ruby Dee, Sid Caesar, Carmen Zapata, Elaine Stritch.

It concluded with a special tribute to Robin Williams by long-time friend Billy Crystal who remembered the actor as "the brightest star in a comedy galaxy".

.@redhotband gets the #Emmys Governors Ball started! pic.twitter.com/FFojb5x7s8

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) August 26, 2014

"It is very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in our lives," Crystal said.

"While some of the brightest of our celestial bodies are actually extinct now, their energy long since cool, but miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from the sound, their beautiful life will continue to shine on us forever.

"And the glow will be so bright, it will warm your heart, it will make your eyes glisten, and you'll think to yourself, Robin Williams - what a concept."

Delicious chocolate bar by @CellarDoorChoco is here at the #Emmys Governors Ball! pic.twitter.com/dTsoXtTJIm

— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) August 26, 2014

Primetime Emmys 2014: Main winners

The winners at the 2014 Primetime Emmy awards have been announced in Los Angeles, with drug drama Breaking Bad winning five awards on the night.

Here is a list of the main category winners.
Outstanding comedy series

Winner: Modern Family

Also nominated:

    The Big Bang Theory
    Louie
    Orange is the New Black
    Silicon Valley
    Veep

Outstanding drama series

Winner: Breaking Bad

Also nominated:

    Downton Abbey
    Game of Thrones
    House of Cards
    Mad Men
    True Detective

Outstanding miniseries

Winner: Fargo

Also nominated:

    American Horror Story: Coven
    Bonnie and Clyde
    Luther
    Treme
    The White Queen

Outstanding TV movie

Winner: The Normal Heart

Also nominated:

    Burton and Taylor
    Killing Kennedy
    Return to Zero
    Sherlock: His Last Vow
    The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

Winner: Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory

Also nominated:

    Louis CK - Louie
    Don Cheadle - House of Lies
    Ricky Gervais - Derek
    Matt LeBlanc - Episodes
    William H. Macy - Shameless

Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

Winner: Ty Burrell - Modern Family

Also nominated:

    Fred Armisen - Portlandia
    Andre Braugher - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
    Adam Driver - Girls
    Tony Hale - Veep
    Jessie Tyler-Ferguson - Modern Family

Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

Winner: Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Also nominated:

    Lena Dunham - Girls
    Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie
    Melissa McCarthy - Mike & Molly
    Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation
    Taylor Schilling - Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

Winner: Allison Janney - Mom

Also nominated:

    Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory
    Julie Bowen - Modern Family
    Anna Chlumsky - Veep
    Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live
    Kate Mulgrew - Orange is the New Black

Outstanding lead actor in a drama series

Winner: Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Also nominated:

    Jeff Daniels - The Newsroom
    Jon Hamm - Mad Men
    Woody Harrelson - True Detective
    Matthew McConaughey - True Detective
    Kevin Spacey - House of Cards

Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

Winner: Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad

Also nominated:

    Jim Carter - Downton Abbey
    Josh Charles - The Good Wife
    Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones
    Mandy Patinkin - Homeland
    Jon Voight - Ray Donovan

Outstanding lead actress in a drama series

Winner: Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife

Also nominated:

    Lizzy Caplan - Masters of Sex
    Claire Danes - Homeland
    Michelle Dockery - Downton Abbey
    Kerry Washington - Scandal
    Robin Wright - House of Cards

Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

Winner:Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad

Also nominated:

    Christine Baranski - The Good Wife
    Joanne Froggatt - Downton Abbey
    Lena Headey - Game of Thrones
    Christina Hendricks - Mad Men
    Dame Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey

Outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie

Winner: Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock: His Last Vow

Also nominated:

    Chiwetel Ejiofor - Dancing on the Edge
    Idris Elba - Luther
    Martin Freeman - Fargo
    Mark Ruffalo - The Normal Heart
    Billy Bob Thornton - Fargo

Outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie

Winner: Martin Freeman - Sherlock: His Last Vow

Also nominated:

    Matt Bomer - The Normal Heart
    Colin Hanks - Fargo
    Joe Mantello - The Normal Heart
    Alfred Molina - The Normal Heart
    Jim Parsons - The Normal Heart

Outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie

Winner: Jessica Lange - American Horror Story: Coven

Also nominated:

    Helena Bonham Carter - Burton and Taylor
    Minnie Driver - Return to Zero
    Sarah Paulson - American Horror Story: Coven
    Cicely Tyson - The Trip to Bountiful
    Kristen Wiig - The Spoils of Babylon

Outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie

Winner: Kathy Bates - American Horror Story: Coven

Also nominated:

    Angela Bassett - American Horror Story: Coven
    Ellen Burstyn - Flowers in the Attic
    Frances Conroy - American Horror Story: Coven
    Julia Roberts - The Normal Heart
    Alison Tolman - Fargo

Outstanding writing in a drama

Winner: Moira Walley-Beckett - Breaking Bad

Also nominated:

    Vince Gilligan - Breaking Bad
    David Benioff, DB Weiss - Game of Thrones
    Beau Willimon - House of Cards
    Nic Pizzolatto - True Detective

Outstanding writing in a comedy

Winner: Louis CK - Louie

Also nominated:

    David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik - Episodes
    Liz Friedman, Jenji Kohan - Orange is the New Black
    Alec Berg - Silicon Valley
    Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, Armando Iannucci - Veep

Outstanding writing in a miniseries or movie

Winner: Steven Moffat - Sherlock: His Last Vow

Also nominated:

    Neil Cross - Luther
    Noah Hawley - Fargo
    Larry Kramer - The Normal Heart
    Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk - American Horror Story: Coven
    David Simon, Eric Overmyer - Treme

A complete list of winners, including in the technical categories, is available on the Emmys website.