Emmy Awards LIVE blog with tvnz.co.nz 

Source: ReutersNeil Patrick Harris

3:05 It's all over for another year... Highlights included Neil Patrick Harris' turn as Dr Horrible, Jimmy Fallon's electronically helped singing, and the very fine Simon Baker presenting Best Actress in a Drama Series, not to mention Michael Emerson's  much deserved win for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Don't forget to check out our Best Dressed and Worst Dressed photo galleries!

15:00 And the winner of  Best Drama Series is Mad Men! They've received 16 nominations this year, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised... 

I had my money on Lost, but never mind, I guess there's always next year... To prepare for Lost's final season you can find out more about the Island, The Dharma Initiative and tell us your Lost theories here!

Mad Men also won the Emmy for Best Drama Series in 2008.

15:00 And to get ready for the Best Drama Series Emmy, the nominees are:

Best Drama Series Nominees
Big Love (TV ONE)
Breaking Bad
Damages (TV ONE)
Dexter
House
Lost (TV2)
Mad Men

Who do you think will take the Emmy?

14:56 The People's Vote for Breakthrough Performance is Stephen Moyer for True Blood. I bet he and Anna Paquin will be dancing up a storm at the Emmy after party tonight!

14:54 And the Emmy for Best Comedy Series goes to... 30 Rock. 30 Rock had 22 nominations this year, and it's no surprise they have taken out the top prize... though I'd hoped for a different outcome.  

14:53 Come on Flight of the Conchords!

14:53 And the Best Comedy Series Nominees are...
Entourage (TV2)
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
30 Rock
Weeds

14:51 The last two awards - Best Comedy and Best Drama coming right up!

14:50 And the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series goes to ... Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad!

Breaking Bad is a new drama taking the US by storm. It follows a high school chemistry teacher who is given two years to live, and who decides to enter a world of crime to ensure his family has money once he's gone.

14:48 Coming up is the Emmy for Best Actor... Place your bets! The nominees are...

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Simon Baker, The Mentalist (TV2)
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House


14:40 And the Emmy for Best Actress goes to... Glenn Close, Damages (TV ONE). No surprises there!

The powerhouse struggle between Glenn Close and Rose Byrne continue in the second season, coming next year to TV2!

14:38 TV2's hottest man, Simon Baker from the Mentalist is presenting...Best Actress in a Drama Series

Best Actress in a Drama Series Nominees:
Glenn Close, Damages (TV ONE)
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters (TV 2)
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TV ONE)
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men


14:35 Oustanding Writing for a Drama Series... and the winner is... The Writers from Mad Men!

14:23 Sarah McLachlan's song, I Will Remember You, is sung in remembrance of all the celebrities who have passed away this year... Bea Arthur, Ed McMahon, Paul Newman, Michael Jackson... To remind yourself of all those who've passed away, have a look here.

14:20 And the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series goes to Cherry Jones, 24 - check out our review of Series 7 of 24 on DVD which saw Cherry Jones make her debut!

14:20 Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominees...

Rose Byrne, Damages (TV ONE)
Hope Davis, In Treatment
Cherry Jones, 24
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy (TV2)
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy (TV2)


14:19 ... and the winner for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series is Michael Emerson , Lost (TV2)

14:19 Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nominees are ...

Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Michael Emerson, Lost (TV2)
William Hurt, Damages  (TV ONE)
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men


14:16 The Final Category... Drama. It's Brothers and Sisters vs The Closer; Big Love vs Lost. I can't wait!

14:09 And the Emmy for  Best Variety, Music or Comedy Series goes to... The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Jon is accepting the award, insults Ricky Gervais' looks, congratulates Neil Patrick Harrison an excellent hosting job. Ever the professional, he keeps his actual speech short and sweet. 

14:09  Best Variety, Music or Comedy Series Nominees...
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Late Show with David Letterman
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live


14:06 Ricky Gervais is in the building! He is behaving himself so far...

14:04 Hugh Jackman Opening Number won the Emmy for Best Comedy Original Music and Song . Can't believe SNL's Motherlover didn't take the award...

14:01 Jimmy Fallon is singing it up, like he's never sung before. Hilarious!

13:56 Ricky Gervais is coming up... can't wait to see hear his speech. He has a habit of angering the Americans... anyone remember his Golden Globe Holocaust clanger?

13:52 Best Writing for a Variety Series... and the Emmy goes to ...the Team from the Daily Show. Jon Stewart is accepting on behalf of the team, oh no he's not, he's handed over the microphone to someone he deems worthier.

13:49 The Big Bang Theory Cast are on stage presenting... Outstanding Directing for a Variety Show. And the winner is ...  Bruce Gowers for American Idol

13:47 It's the Variety Category! Jon Stewart's The Daily Show vs Tina Fey's Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live...

13:45 And the Emmy for Best Miniseries goes to.. Little Dorrit

13:41 Kiefer Sutherland and Fringe 's Anna Torv are presenting... Her hair is as gloriously straight and shiny as always, and I can't stop staring at her shiny low-cut dress.

13:33 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini Series or Movie ... and the Emmy goes to Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens, the mini-series based on the 1975 documentary of the same name.

Jessica Lange is giving Drew Barrymore a major shout out (she was up for the same award) and also thanks the real life Big Edie and Little Edie, the aunt and first cousin of Jackie O who were the original documentary's subjects.

13:30 Dr Horrible is back! Neil Patrick Harris is reprising his role as Joss Whedon's Dr Horrible as we speak! He's taken over the Emmys. But now Firefly's Nathan Fillion has come along to save the day... It's the Whedonverse exploding!

13:25 It's Jennifer Love Hewitt from TV2's Ghost Whisperer ! She looks absolutely gorgeous, as always, in a sweeping floor length pale yellow gown. She's presenting with Patricia Arquette, who's not looking too bad either.

13:21 Outstanding Lead Actor in a  Miniseries or Movie ... and the Emmy goes to ... first time nominee Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm. 

13:14 Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie ... and the Emmy goes to first time nominee Ken Howard for Grey Gardens. He just gave a shout out to organ donation in his speech... That must be a Emmy first?

13:13 Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie ... and the Emmy goes to a first time nominee, Shohreh Aghdashloo for House of Saddam. 

13:08 And the winner of the Best Reality Show Competition Show is... The Amazing Race (TV2). The Amazing Race has never lost this category! It was first nominated in 2002 and has won every year since then.  Phil Keoghan has come a long way since he hosted the TVNZ show Spot On.

13:05 Best Reality Show Competition Show award nominees
The Amazing Race (TV2)
American Idol (TV2)
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef


12:59 And the winner for Best Reality Show host is ... Jeff Probst from US Survivor

12:58 Jon Cryer and Hayden Panettiere presenting Best Reality Show host - will Phil Keoghan win for TV2's the Amazing Race ?

12:56 The dancers from US Dancing With The Stars are putting on a show... 
There are some interesting costume choices going on here! Camel coloured, fringed tracksuit number, anyone? 

12:53 Moving onto the Reality sector of the show. Best Comedy Series will be presented at the end of the night, there's still a chance for our Kiwi boys...

12:51 And the Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series goes to ... Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock. Next time Jemaine, next time... You were robbed! 

12:50 Fingers crossed... Jemaine Jemaine Jemaine

12:48 Rob Lowe, from TV2's Brothers and Sisters  is presenting, and looking as good as ever. He's presenting the Emmy for...

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Jemaine Clement, Flight of the Conchords
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (TV2)
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men (TV2)


12:40 Winners of Guest Actress and Guest Actor in a comedy series are.. Tina Fey, and Justin Timberlake

12:38 Blake Lively and Leighton Meester are on stage to present the next award. They look absolutely gorgeous! Guest actress and guest actor in a comedy series...

12:35 And the Emmy for best Actress in a Comedy Series goes to... Toni Collette, United States of Tara

She's very composed, and tanned, and is giving a very gracious speech, thanking all the crew... and finishes off with thanking her daughter and family.

United States of Tara has had mixed reviews in the USA, though Toni Collette is always spoken of in glowing terms. It's a comedy following a woman with dissociative identity disorder.


12:34 Best Actress in a Comedy Series Nominees

Christina Applegate, Samantha Who ? (TV2)
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program


12:33 Justin Timberlake is presenting - rocking the geek chic look.

12:32 Neil Patrick Harris is back, making fun of the fact that he didn't win in his Supporting Actor in Comdey Series category.

12:25 The winner for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series is Jon Cryer , Two and a Half Men (TV2)

If you missed out on his comedy gold performances, Two and A Half Men  is now on 3 times a week  on TV2 - find out more here !

12:24 Nominees for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (TV2)
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Rainn Wilson, The Office


12:21 And the winner for Best Writer of a Comedy Series is... 30 Rock! It's the first Emmy of the evening for 30 Rock. It won 7 Emmys last year - how many will it win in 2009?

12:20 Willow! It's Willow! Alyson Hannigan presents the next award, with Jason Segel... for best writer of a comedy series 

12:14 It's the lovely Cat Deeley, in her first Emmy presenting role. She does well, despite the nerves she professed to have about it!

12:11 And The Winner off Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series is Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies (TV2)

She seems to have a particularly squeeky voice...

Enter our competition to win Pushing Daisies prize packs here!

12:10 Tina Fey is presenting the first award of the evening...  Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominees

Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies (TV2)
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty (TV2)


12:09 Show reel of the year in comedy, including The Big Bang Theory, Two and Half Men, and Family Guy.

12:00 Neil Patrick Harris is looking pretty dapper in all white.

OMG! Excellent, he's singing a comedy number - I haven't seen him do this since I tuned into Dr Horrible's Singing Blog Webisodes last year. He is amazing - giving Hugh Jackman a run for his money.

First awards will be for Comedy...

11:58 One and a half minutes to go - celebs are rushing to their seats!

11:55 With five minutes to go, TV's highest paid man, Charlie Sheen , has just turned up and the photographers are going crazy. Most of the celebs have headed inside, as the ceremony is about to start...

11:36 Less than half an hour to go!

Celebs are strutting their stuff on the red carpet - first to arrive was Michael Emerson from TV2's  Lost, he's up for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

As far as the dresses go - so far we have seen Drew Barrymore in a beautiful dusty pink gown, and an unknown starlet in a dress covered with images of Barak Obama. Publicity stunt perhaps?

Be sure to check out our photogallery for the best and worst dressed!

In the meantime check out who's up for an Emmy in the main categories and who we thought should have been.