Mad Men receives 17 Emmy nominations as hit Sixties show vies to set new record for most-honoured drama in TV history

Mad Men earned a leading 17 Emmy nominations today - and the chance to set a new record as the most-honoured drama in television history.
The AMC show, which portrays a piercingly bleak portrait of a 1960s American anti-hero (Don Draper), has already won four best drama series trophies - and is tied with Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and The West Wing to receive a fifth bid in the category.
The miniseries American Horror Story, a nightmarish saga about a haunted house, received a matching 17 awards, including an acting nod for star Connie Britton.
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Honoured: Mad Men received a leading 17 Emmy nominations today alongside American Horror Story, pictured here John Hamm as Don Draper and Jessica Pare as his wife Megan

The show is set in Sixties New York and takes a bleak look at the murky world of advertising

Other leading nominees include the elegant British-born period drama Downton Abbey, which earned 16 bids, and two miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys, with 16, and Hemingway & Gellhorn with 15.
Modern Family, honoured as best comedy series for the past two years, was the sitcom leader with 14 bids, but the category also saw an infusion of girl power.
Breakout comedies with women at their centre - in fashion after the box-office success of Bridesmaids - proved alluring to Emmy voters.

American Horror Story won a matching 17 nods, including a leading actress nomination for Connie Britton, left, while Lena Dunham, right, also received an acting nomination and best comedy nomination for her show Girls

Early risers Jimmy Kimmel, clad in his pyjamas, and actress Kerry Washington announced the nominees at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles at 5.30am local time

Girls, creator-star Lena Dunham's darkly comedic coming-of-age New York story, received a best comedy nod and an acting nomination for its star,
Lena Dunham. Zooey Deschanel's offbeat charm in New Girl earned her an acting bid.
'Girls is HBO's current spin on Sex and the City, which was a strong past Emmy favourite,' said Tom O'Neil, editor of the Gold Derby awards website.

Homeland is nominated for best drama, with Damian Lewis and Claire Danes getting an acting honour each

Downton Abbey has been nominated for best drama in the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

Emmy darling Julia Louis-Dreyfus, with past wins for Seinfeld and New Adventures of Old Christine, earned an acting nod for Veep.
Betty White, 90, brought her brand of female empowerment to the nominations, earning a best reality series host nod for Betty White's Off Their Rockers. A no-show in the category was perennial winner Jeff Probst of Survivor.
Top nominations were announced by Kerry Washington of Scandal and by Jimmy Kimmel, who will host the awards.

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Game Of Thrones is competing for best drama, pictured left star's Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, while Modern Family has been honoured in the best comedy category, Sofia Vergara seen right

Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey have received an acting nod each for 30 Rock, which has also bagged a place in the best comedy category

Kimmel filled in today for Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation, who was held up by weather-related travel delays on the East Coast.
'This is a sex dream, isn't it,' joked Kimmel, ABC's late-night host, who arrived on stage at the TV academy dressed in pyjamas.

The Emmy ceremony is scheduled to air on ABC on September 23.