There were a number of surprises at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards as the stars came to celebrate the best of television.

In the drama categories, the AMC crime thriller Breaking Bad won the coveted Outstanding Drama Series award at the expense of other major programmes including Game of Thrones, Homeland, and House of Cards.

However, central star Bryan Cranston lost out on the Lead Actor accolade, which surprisingly went to Jeff Daniels for his sharp turn as idealistic news anchor Will McAvoy in HBO’s The Newsroom.

Breaking Bad did manage a first acting win in the Supporting Actress category for Anna Gunn as she prevailed for her performance as the long-suffering Skyler White.

Elsewhere, Claire Danes scored a second successive Lead Actress gong for her reprised role as bipolar-suffering CIA officer Carrie Matheson in the second series of Showtime’s Homeland, while Bobby Cannavale pulled off a shock victory in Supporting Actor for his performance as ruthless gangster Gyp Rosetti in the HBO crime drama Boardwalk Empire.

Netflix were also in celebratory mode after their hit political series House of Cards bagged a key win in the Outstanding Director category for renowned filmmaker David Fincher for his work on the pilot episode.

Despite a couple of technical victories, the third series of Game of Thrones missed out on major honours, while Downton Abbey and Mad Men also came away from the ceremony empty.

Turning to comedy, the hit ABC sitcom Modern Family extended its winning run in the Outstanding Comedy Series category to four after overcoming the likes of Veep and the final series of 30 Rock.

Elsewhere, HBO’s Veep enjoyed double success in the acting line-ups as Julia Louis-Dreyfus won Lead Actress for the second year in a row for her reprised role as Vice President Selina Meyer while co-star Tony Hale claimed the Supporting Actor gong for his performance as Selina’s devoted bagman Gary Walsh.

In her acceptance speech, Louis-Dreyfus said:

“This is so much good fortune it’s almost too much to bear.

I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to make people laugh. It’s a joyful way to make a living.”

Meanwhile, Jim Parsons scored a third Emmy victory in Lead Actor for his popular role as Dr. Sheldon Cooper in CBS’s The Big Bang Theory, while Merritt Wever kept her winning speech short and sweet after pulling off a shock win in the Supporting Actress category for her performance in Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

“Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Um, I got to go, bye.”

Finally, there was jubilation for the HBO television film Behind the Candelabra as it scored three key prizes, including the Outstanding Miniseries or Television Movie accolade.

Additionally, Michael Douglas overcame competition from co-star Matt Damon and Al Pacino (Phil Spector) to win the Lead Actor award for his portrayal of famed pianist Liberace.

Elsewhere, the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Asylum managed just one major victory for James Cromwell, as he took home Supporting Actor.

However, leading star Jessica Lange surprisingly lost out on the Lead Actress prize, which went to Laura Linney for her farewell role as cancer sufferer Cathy Jamison in the poignant dramedy series The Big C: Hereafter.

There was also success for veteran Ellen Burstyn, as she clinched the Supporting Actress award for her role in the political satire Political Animals.

It was a frustrating night for multiple British stars as the likes of Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Dame Helen Mirren (Phil Spector), Benedict Cumberbatch (Parade’s End), Toby Jones (The Girl), Imelda Staunton (The Girl), Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake) and the Downton Abbey cast all went home empty-handed.

The full list of major Emmy Award winners are…

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
BREAKING BAD

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes, HOMELAND

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jeff Daniels, THE NEWSROOM

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Anna Gunn, BREAKING BAD

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bobby Cannavale, BOARDWALK EMPIRE

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
David Fincher, HOUSE OF CARDS

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
HOMELAND (Henry Bromell)

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
MODERN FAMILY

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Merritt Wever, NURSE JACKIE

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Tony Hale, VEEP

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Gail Mancuso, MODERN FAMILY

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
30 ROCK (Tina Fey & Tracey Wigfield)

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Laura Linney, THE BIG C: HEREAFTER

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Michael Douglas, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
Ellen Burstyn, POLITICAL ANIMALS

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
James Cromwell, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, TV MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Steven Soderbergh, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, TV MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
THE HOUR (Abi Morgan)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SERIES
THE COLBERT REPORT

OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
THE VOICE

The rest of this year’s Emmy nominations can be found in the following link: https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2013