Emmys 2015: Ricky Gervais makes fake acceptance speech as he pretends to win before presenting award to Tony Hale

If there was an award for the best fake acceptance speech, then Ricky Gervais would reign victorious.

The comedian missed out on the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries for his Channel 4 show Derek at the 67th annual awards bash, but attempted to fool fans into believing that he had won.

Gervais took to the stage at the Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, to present the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy to Veep star Tony Hale.

But before handing over the coveted gong, the former Office star wanted to trick his fans.

On taking to the stage he joked: “Hello, back again…to lose another one. I haven’t lost yet, still hope…there’s no hope.

“The money’s on someone else but it doesn’t matter no one remembers. In a few days time someone will see a picture of me up here and go ‘He probably won’. They’ve seen me talking to Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet so they’ll go ‘He talked to Ryan Seacrest, he’s a winner’.”

Gervais then requested an Emmy, held it up to the crowd, said “So now take a picture of that” and put on his best fake cry and ‘thank yous’ before telling the audience to tweet his ‘performance’.

The annual event attracted a star-studded crowd including Downton Abbey's Joanne Froggatt, Cat Deeley, Sofia Vergara and Kerry Washington.

Big winners on the night included Game of Thrones - who scooped Best Drama and writer - and broke the Emmy record for the most amount of awards won in a single night.

Mad Men star Jon Hamm was awarded with the accolade for Best Actor for his role as Don Draper in the AMC series while Viola Davis made history by becoming the first African-American woman to win in the Outstanding Lead Actress category.