Zendaya makes history at the 2020 Emmys as she scoops award for Best Actress

Zendaya has become the youngest person to ever win an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

The 24-year-old won the award for her portrayal of recovering teenage drug addict Rue Bennett in American drama series Euphoria.

It was a surprising win for the star, who beat A-List favourites Jennifer Aniston and Olivia Colman to the gong.

Zendaya could not hide her delight at the win, fighting back tears while clutching the Emmy surrounded by her jubilant family.

She paid tribute to the other actresses in her category, before issuing a statement of support to those who may be dejected in the current climate.

“There is hope in the young people out there,” Zendaya said, before addressing protesters who are still marching through the streets across America.

She said: “I see you, I admire you, I thank you.”

Production on season two of Euphoria is under way.

Elsewhere, Succession was the big winner at the 72nd annual Emmy Awards, which saw stars accept their awards via video link, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic meant that celebrities could not attend the awards show as normal.

After winning Best Drama Series, Succession creator Jesse Armstrong said “it was such a nice moment and it’s very sad not to be with the cast and some of the crew”.

Armstrong’s speech was interrupted by a phone ringing. He then listed a number of “un-thank yous” and targeted Donald Trump and Boris Johnson for their respective responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Elsewhere, Schitt’s Creek became the first comedy series to win every single acting award in one sweep, while Watchmen, which received 26 nominations in total, won Best Limited Series.

See the full list of winners here.

Additional reporting from PA