The Handmaid's Tale, an episode of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror and Veep have won the top prizes at the Emmy awards on a night dominated by jokes about President Donald Trump.

Reading-born Brooker scooped two accolades - the writing for a limited series and outstanding television movie awards - for the San Junipero episode of his sci-fi series Black Mirror.

The 46-year-old thanked his colleagues and his wife, presenter Konnie Huq, from the stage at the Los Angeles ceremony on Sunday.

The episode of the Netflix anthology, which examines how modern technology could affect us in the near future, focused on a pair who fall in love in a simulated reality.

The Handmaid's Tale picked up a total of five statuettes, including best drama series and best actress for star Elisabeth Moss.


The show, which was produced by streaming service Hulu, was an unexpected victor, beating favourites Westworld and Stranger Things.

Image: Elisabeth Moss scooped the main female award of the night

Veep was named best comedy for the third time, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus honoured for a sixth time for her role as a self-absorbed politician.

Alec Baldwin won outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for Saturday Night Live, in which he has scathingly portrayed US President Donald Trump.

"I suppose I should say at long last, Mr President, here is your Emmy," he joked, in a dig at Mr Trump's often-stated annoyance at never having won a statuette for NBC reality show The Apprentice.

Kate McKinnon, who played Hillary Clinton last season, was also honoured as best comedy series supporting actress for Saturday Night Live.

She told reporters backstage the role had been "the greatest honour of my life" and talked of the "special kind of electricity" on set every week.

Image: John Lithgow picked up the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

John Lithgow received the best supporting drama actor award for his role as Winston Churchill in The Crown.

The 71-year-old said: "Most of all I have to thank Winston Churchill. In these crazy times his life, even as an old man, reminds us what courage and leadership in government really looks like."

Host Stephen Colbert, as expected, was not short of jokes about Mr Trump, who he called the "biggest TV star of the last year" for influencing shows' plot-lines.

He mocked the President's previous allegations of the Emmys being rigged and said if he had won an award for his appearance on The Apprentice he may never have run for office.

Fired White House press secretary Sean Spicer also made a surprise appearance on stage and joked that "this will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys - period", in a reference to the debacle over numbers attending Mr Trump's inauguration speech.

Image: Julia Louis-Dreyfus won outstanding actress in a comedy series for Veep

Here are some of the big winners on the night:

:: Outstanding drama series

The Handmaid's Tale

:: Outstanding lead actress in a drama series

Elisabeth Moss - The Handmaid's Tale

:: Outstanding lead actor in a drama series

Sterling K Brown - This Is Us

:: Outstanding limited series

Big Little Lies

:: Outstanding television movie

Black Mirror: San Junipero

:: Outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie

Nicole Kidman - Big Little Lies

:: Outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie

Riz Ahmed - The Night Of

:: Outstanding comedy series

Veep

:: Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Image: The cast of The Handmaid's Tale accepts the award for outstanding drama series

:: Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

Donald Glover - Atlanta

:: Outstanding variety talk series

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

:: Outstanding writing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special

Charlie Brooker - Black Mirror: San Junipero

:: Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

John Lithgow - The Crown

:: Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live

:: Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie

Laura Dern - Big Little Lies

:: Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

Alec Baldwin - Saturday Night Live