Emmy Awards 2020: Jimmy Kimmel kicks off virtual ceremony

The 72nd Primetime Emmys are under way in Los Angeles, with comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosting the ceremony.

Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek was among the first winners, winning best actress in a comedy series.

Succession, Ozark, Watchmen and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel are among the other nominated shows this year.

The usual star-studded event has been scrapped amid the coronavirus pandemic, so winners will accept their awards at home, or wherever they happen to be.

This year marks Kimmel's third time hosting the Emmys, after he fronted the ceremony in 2012 and 2016.

• Emmy Awards 2020: The main nominations

The Creative Arts Emmys took place earlier this week, with winners announced in categories such as casting, hair, make-up, lighting and sound design.

But the most high-profile categories, such as best comedy and drama, as well as the acting categories, have been saved for Sunday night's ceremony.

In a promotional advert broadcast earlier on Sunday, producers said the ceremony would be broadcast from 114 locations across the world.

"No-one goes home a loser, they'll already be at home," joked host Kimmel as the ceremony kicked off.

Watchmen, an innovative reimagining of a superhero graphic novel that tackled racism in America, scored the most nominations this year.

It won a loyal following and critical acclaim last year during its nine-episode run.

British nominees this year include Killing Eve's Jodie Comer and The Crown's Olivia Colman - who are both up for best actress in a drama series.

Two Brits are also nominated for best supporting actress in a drama - Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown) and Thandie Newton (Westworld), alongside Irish actress Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve).

Brian Cox, who was born in Dundee, is recognised for his role in Succession - where he plays Logan Roy, a harsh and vindictive media baron. Fellow Brits Matthew Macfadyen and Harriet Walter are also recognised for their performances in the satirical drama, which was created by British writer Jesse Armstrong.

Irish actor Paul Mescal, star of BBC Three's Normal people, is nominated for lead actor in a limited series.

The most nominated shows:

• Watchmen - 26
• The Marvelous Mrs Maisel - 20
• Succession - 18
• Ozark - 18
• Schitt's Creek - 15
• The Mandalorian - 15

There are some huge Hollywood names in the running this year, including Cate Blanchett, Hugh Jackman, Mark Ruffalo, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Aniston (her first nomination in 11 years).

Netflix has the most nominations, with 160 in total. It's the second time the streaming service has beaten its rival HBO, which has 107 this year.

HBO suffered from the absence of former Emmys favourite Game of Thrones, which concluded in 2019 after its eighth season. Traditional broadcast networks ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS have just 127 nominations combined this year.

More than 25,000 members of the Television Academy vote for the awards, which were first presented in 1949. The name Emmy derives from an early piece of TV equipment called the image orthicon camera tube - or the Immy.

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