Ricky Gervais has won the "Best Comedy Actor" award at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards for his role in Extras. The Emmys are considered the American TV equivalent of the Oscars.

The American version of Gervais's other creation The Office also won an award for "Best Writing in a Comedy". Other British successes included Prime Suspect: The Final Act, which won two awards - "Best Writing" and "Best Directing of a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special".

Gervais was the only Brit to win a comedy award at the Emmys; the other Britcom interests having been his writing partner Stephen Merchant, and Sir Ian McKellen for his guest appearance in Extras. The other winning comedies were 30 Rock (Best Comedy, Best Guest Comedy Actress), Ugly Betty (Best Comedy Actress, Best Directing), Entourage (Best Supporting Comedy Actor), My Name is Earl (Best Supporting Comedy Actress), Monk (Best Guest Comedy Actor), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Best Variety, Music or Comedy Series) and Late Night with Conan O'Brien (Best Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series).

Probably the most notable comedy not to win an award was The Daily Show spin-off The Colbert Report, which received four nominations, the same as Extras.

The full list of winners can be seen on www.emmys.org