Plus acting gongs for Veep

Modern Family was named best comedy series at last night’s primetime Emmy awards.

The full cast took to the stage to accept the award, and creator Steven Levitan said: ‘I cannot begin to express to you how surreal this ride has been, because none of us grew up feeling like winners.’

He thanked bullies and all the gym teachers ‘’who made fun of the way we ran. Without you we would've never gone into comedy.’

Armando Iannucci’s Veep won two acting awards: Julia Louis-Dreyfus scooping best actress for her starring role as US vice-president Selina Meyer and Tony Hale taking best supporting actor for playing Gary Walsh, her personal aide.

The best actor in a comedy series went to Jim Parsons for the Big Bang Theory; while best supporting actress was Merritt Wever, who plays bubbly student nurse Zoey Barkow on Nurse Jackie.

A stunned Wever gave one of the shortest acceptance speeches in Emmy history saying only: ‘Thank you so much. I've got to go, bye.’

Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield won the comedy writing award for 30 Rock; South Park won best animated program and The Cobert Report won best variety show.

Published: 23 Sep 2013