Golden Globes: Downton Abbey among the winners as Ricky Gervais tones it down

Popular costume drama Downton Abbey was among the British winners at this year’s Golden Globes awards, scooping the award for best television mini series.

Kate Winslet and London-born actor Idris Elba also bagged gongs on a night that saw Ricky Gervais host the prestigious ceremony for a third consecutive year.

The English comic ruffled feathers at past shows with controversial gibes aimed at Hollywood’s elite, but he seemed to tone down his close-to-the-knuckle jokes for the 69th annual Globes ceremony.

In his opening gambit, the funnyman said organisers had warned him that were he to insult anyone on hand, or “offend any viewers, or cause any controversy whatsoever - they will definitely invite me back next year as well”.

Downton Abbey, ITV1’s hit saga about the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants, has proved a huge success in the UK and its latest achievement showed it had also captivated audiences across the Atlantic.

Accepting the award at the Beverly Hills ceremony, the show’s creator, Oscar winner Julian Fellowes, said: “How fabulous this is. The whole Downton adventure has been an extraordinary one. Like spotting a promising child and waking up to find they’ve have won the Olympics - and that’s what we’ve lived through.”

Berkshire-born Winslet took best actress in a mini series for her performance in HBO’s Mildred Pierce, while Elba triumphed in the male version of the category, scooping best actor for his role in BBC One’s crime drama Luther.

Elsewhere, black-and-white silent film The Artist was the big winner of the night taking gongs including best musical or comedy and best actor in a musical or comedy for Jean Dujardin.

Family drama The Descendants claimed two awards, as best drama and dramatic actor for George Clooney, while Meryl Streep won best dramatic actress for her portrayal of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in the film The Iron Lady.

The awards, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are seen as a pointer for possible Oscar success.

The full list of winners...

FILM

• Picture, Drama: The Descendants.

• Picture, Musical or Comedy: The Artist.

• Actor, Drama: George Clooney, The Descendants.

• Actress, Drama: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady.

• Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo.

• Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, The Artist.

• Actress, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn.

• Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners.

• Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help.

• Foreign Language: A Separation.

• Animated Film: The Adventures of Tintin.

• Screenplay: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris.

• Original Score: Ludovic Bource, The Artist.

• Original Song: Masterpiece (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), W.E.

TELEVISION

• Series, Drama: Homeland, Showtime.

• Series, Musical or Comedy: Modern Family, ABC.

• Actor, Drama: Kelsey Grammer, Boss.

• Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland.

• Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, Enlightened.

• Actor, Musical or Comedy: Matt LeBlanc, Episodes.

• Miniseries or Movie: Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS.

• Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce.

• Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Idris Elba, Luther.

• Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story.

• Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

• Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Morgan Freeman.