Downton Among British Nominees For Emmys

ITV's star period show is one of the dramas that will fight it for an Emmy at the prestigious entertainment .

Downton Abbey will be flying the for British hopes at the Emmys, having garnered 16 nominations, the prestigious best drama title.

Downton, which is well in the ratings in the US, was named best mini-series last year, but was switched the drama category this time .

The TV academy's prime- awards committee decided its continuing storyline it a series.

Downton Abbey's rivals the category include Mad Men, national security drama Homeland, prohibition-era crime saga Boardwalk Empire, teacher-turned-drugmaker story Breaking Bad and the elaborate fantasy Game Of Thrones.

Downton stars Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery are also for best actor and best actress.

Several British actors were also nominated the mini-series category the Emmys.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Clive Owen (Hemingway & Gellhorn) and Idris Elba (Luther) are all contenders, going up the likes of Woody Harrelson, Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton.

Emma Thompson is nominated best actress in a mini-series for her in The Song Of Lunch.

The biggest contender of the day turned to be Mad Men, which earned a leading 17 Emmy nominations - as well as the chance to a new record as the most-honoured drama US television history.

The show, focuses on advertising executives in 1960s, has already won four best drama series trophies.

It is currently tied Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and The West Wing, but now received a fifth nod the category.

"It's insane. I can't believe it," said Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.

American Horror Story, a nightmarish saga a haunted house, received a matching 17 awards, including acting nod for Connie Britton.

Modern Family, has taken the best comedy series title the past two years, was the sitcom leader 14 bids.

There were 137 nominations programmesshown on Sky channels with two programmes commissioned Sky1 receiving nods.

Treasure Island was nominated cinematography and costumes, and Strike Back received for its title sequence.

The Emmy Awards - which are seen the US television equivalent to the Oscars - will held in Los Angeles on September 23.

The ceremony will be by actor and TV host Jimmy Kimmel.


Adapted and abridged from: Sky News, July 19, 2012.