Welsh actor Matthew Rhys makes Emmy Awards history with double win

Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has made history at the Emmy Awards, becoming the first person to win two lead acting prizes in one night.

Rhys was recognised at the prestigious US ceremony for his roles in supernatural TV comedy Widow's Bay and psychological thriller The Beast In Me.

On stage, Rhys dedicated his second award "to the great and good people of Wales, who were as much a nurture as anyone else".

"We are a small but mighty nation. This is incredible," he said, adding "Diolch yn fawr iawn" - which means "thank you very much" in Welsh.

Other winners of the coveted US TV awards included Jean Smart, Allison Janney and Stephen Colbert, while there was an emotional tribute to Dolly Parton and a special humanitarian award for Michael J Fox.

Rhys was named best lead actor in a limited series for The Beast In Me, then won best lead actor in a comedy for Widow's Bay.

A small number of actors, including Alan Alda, Sally Field, John Goodman, Elisabeth Moss and Ted Danson, have previously been nominated for two lead acting prizes in the same year, but Rhys is the first to score a double win.

Backstage, he said: "I'm from a small country, and I'm glad we get moments to kind of put our flag on the map and say, 'we punch higher than our weight sometimes'."