- Who will win? Check out our Emmy Awards predictions.
10.05am: Jimmy starts his bit on Downton Abbey and is interupted rudely by genuine applause (sheesh) before explaing that Downton is a good view of life in Mit Romney's house growing up. He then does a shout out to the 40 republicans in the room and the rest of the "godless liberal homosexuals"
10.04am: Jimmy describes television as "the only American product the Chinese haven't worked out how to make" and that's an intriguing place to start.
10.03am: Jimmy is possibly going to become the first pants free Emmys host until ... yes Ellen steps in and offers him hers! Ellen saves the Emmys!!! "They fit great" says Jimmy and the seductive Voice of the Emmys Goddess kicks in to introduce our host (pants-included) Jimmy Kimmel.
10.00am: And we are underway - Giles here - with a prerecorded clip of Christina Hendricks and Zooey Deschanel practicing their winner faces in the mirror. Shortly we hear Jimmy Kimmel crying in the stalls and Kathy Bates to the rescue, the door is ripped form its hinges. Jimmy got botox it seems and now has eyebrows that look like ... possibly a code. And now the actresses queue to "punch it back in" and now he's ready to host...
9:57am: Wow, it's been a sizzling red carpet - quick mention to Edie Falco in Stella McCartney - but time now to hand over to our entertainment man-at-large, Giles Hardie. Over to you Giles.
9:55am: @VanityFair has made its call on some of the dominant fashion trends of the red carpet so far:
"Early #Emmys trends: canary yellow (Julie Bowen, Julianne Moore, Hannah Simone) and mermaid-y gowns (Sofia Vergara and Julianne Hough)."
9:52am: And the latest pics, for your viewing pleasure... January Jones in Zac Posen, Kathy Griffin in Oscar de la Renta and Sofia Vergara n Zuhair Murad:
9:47am: We can't heap enough praise on Bowen's choice. Perfectly playful and at once fantastically sexy. A gutsy bombshell. Meanwhile, January Jones is being called a 'goth' by E! online. Hmmm.
9:45am: Julie Bowen is stealing the limelight in neon lime green. Wow. A very modern Modern Family star, Bowen picked up a gong last year for the hit show.
9:42am: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are chatting with E!: "I got to play this woman who existed and I got to play her looking back on her life, which was really fascinating" says the first time Emmy nominee, Kidman, of her role in Hemingway and Gellhorn.
9:40am: Hollywood stalwarts Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson know how to pass the time on the way to an awards show.
I think @tomhanks and I will make out in the backseat of this car on the way to the Emmys. twitter.com/RitaWilson/sta… — Rita Wilson (@RitaWilson) September 23, 2012
9:38am: E! online guessed that Zooey Deschanel, Sofia Vergara, Lea Michele and January Jones would rule the red carpet. We beg to differ and have to add Lucy Liu to that list.
9:36am: We have just been watching agog at a stunning Lucy Liu. LA is hosting is a sleek, shining, mirrored beauty. Mirrored disks coat her gown, as if poured from mercury. "It's pretty heavy" she says of the Versace creation.
9:33am: Ricky Gervais: "I was the most hated man in America" - looking suitably A-list in sunglasses and an open-buttoned black shirt with suit combination. Oh, the men have it easy.
9:30am: Claire Danes, nominated for her role in Homeland, has proved that you can be pregnant and pull off red carpet high glamour in style. Double thumbs up to her sunshine yellow Lanvin gown - spot on, and extra points for giving the bright colour trend a solid run for its money.
9:27am: We've spotted Nicole Kidman making a statuesque entrance. We caught a glimpse of straight hair and sparkling blue sequins... uber chic and sharply modern.
9:23am: We know we're not alone when we say this, but we heart Christina Hendricks. Last year she absolutely smouldered in a gold creation by Aussie designer Johanna Johnson. We hear it was a close run this year and the Mad Men actress almost wore Johnson again, but she has chosen Christian Siriano - who she also wore in 2010.
9:22am: We're keeping an eye on tweets... And this gem from Modern Family actress Julie Bowen, who is a nominee in the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, shows the Emmys aren’t all glitz and glamour!
Yep, that's my man trimming up his insoles on the way to the Emmys. #proud. #emmys say.ly/tJw4eub — Julie Bowen (@itsJulieBowen) September 23, 2012
9:19am: Julianna Marguiles, on her ninth Emmy nomination, has hair hair pulled back into a chignon and is wearing floral Giambattista Valli.
9:17am: Our red carpet gallery is looking fittingly galmorous - check out the latest looks, above.
9:13am: Ginnifer Goodwin is the most tweeted red carpet star so far - and so she should be: a brilliant choice of Monique Lhuillier is giving the Once Upon a Time presenter and bona fide fashion girl a brighter-than-bright spin in floral and nude orange. She ain't no wallflower!
9:10am: Hayden Panetierre, above, wearing Marchesa.
9:09am: Zooey Deschanel, who is nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series (New Girl), has even dressed up her fingernails.
Televisions on my thumbnails by @redcarpetman for the #emmys! instagr.am/p/P72FQ2Ljhp/ — zooey deschanel (@ZooeyDeschanel) September 23, 2012
9:08am: Everyone's favourite Mad woman, January Jones, has chosen Zac Posen.
9:05am: Sofia Vergara - a woman who can rock the red carpet better than many - is wearing sparkling green Zuhair Murad with a peephole back.
9:03am: Heidi Klum has tweeted about getting ready before the show - we wonder if she'll wear something more popular than last year's ruffled, over-the-top number by Christian Siriano.
Exciting day! Having fun getting ready for the #Emmys with the team - Linda, Maryam, Oribe & Judy! twitter.com/heidiklum/stat… — Heidi Klum (@heidiklum) September 23, 2012
9:01am: 30 Rock star Tina Fey is resplendent in burgundy Vivienne Westwood with gold bustier detailing. Elegant to the end - a far cry from her TV alter-ego.
9:00am: Ginnifer Goodwin has also chosen Monique Lhuillier - a great year for the designer.
8:56am: Another fab look, above, from Padma Lakshmi who, following her slinky gold creation by Armani Prive last year, has chosen frothing organge Monique Lhuillier this time round. A brilliant choice against her tanned skin - sizzling!
8:52am: We've seen a bevvy of actresses arrive in full regalia, one of our favourite looks so far has been Kelly Osborne - who coordinated her lavender hairdo with her assymetric gown. She has chosen Marchesa, a firm red-carpet favourite.
8:48am: Hayden Panettiere, wearing Marchesa, is speaking to Giulina Rancic. She's chosen a navy and gold lace creation, intricately detailed and opulent.
8:38am: The 64th Emmy Awards red carpet is well and truly open for business – and the annual awards extravaganza is proving to be as much about the outfits as it is about the gongs, or for the next hour or so, at least.
