British actor Albert Finney beat off competition from a clutch of fellow Brits and US stars to win top honours in American TV's Emmy awards.
Finney beat Kenneth Branagh and Sir Michael Gambon, as well as James Franco and Beau Bridges, to win the best actor in a mini-series or made-for-TV movie award for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in The Gathering Storm.
The drama was both a critical and ratings success and pulled in almost 4.5m viewers when it was screened in the UK on BBC2 in July.
At the time, it was described by Sir Max Hastings, a military author and no fan of TV, as a reminder of how "marvellous television can be when it is skilful and intelligent". He added: "I hate the word definitive, but it is hard to imagine that anyone will better portray Clementine Churchill than Vanessa Redgrave."
But the big shock of the evening's awards ceremony was the outcome of the battle for supremacy in the drama category between The West Wing and Six Feet Under.
HBO's acclaimed black comedy drama series Six Feet Under, screened on Channel 4 in the UK, picked up only one award - best drama director - despite receiving 23 nominations, more than any other TV show.
But last year's big Emmy winner, NBC's White House drama The West Wing, continued its winning streak following its 21 Emmy nominations.
The West Wing won the Emmy for best drama for the third year in a row, while Allison Janney, who plays White House press secretary CJ Cregg, picked up a gong for outstanding actress in a drama series and Stockard Channing won best supporting-actress for her role as the First Lady.
John Spencer, who plays the White House chief of staff Leo McGarry, won as best supporting actor in a dramatic series.
Friends scooped the best comedy series award after nine seasons, and the show's star Jennifer Aniston won best actress in a comedy series.
Eight directors, including Tom Hanks, were given Emmys for their work on the acclaimed HBO series Band of Brothers.
The second world war drama also won the award for best mini-series, an award given to two of its executive producers, Steven Spielberg and Hanks.
Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani appeared at the ceremony to thank the US TV networks and the news media that covered the events on and after September 11.
And Oprah Winfrey, who was presented with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, received a standing ovation after an emotional speech calling for compassion for the needy.
