A JERSEY-raised writer took home a prestigious Primetime Emmy Award in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Will Smith bagged the “Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series” honour for his work on the popular show Slow Horses.
Mr Smith, who was born in Hampshire but educated at Victoria College and grew up in Jersey, was recognised in particular for season three episode three, “Negotiating With Tigers”.
The writer and occasional actor was also nominated for “Outstanding Drama Series” as executive producer of the show, which is an adaptation of Mick Herron’s spy novels and stars Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden.
It received a total of six nominations at the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which celebrates the best in television.
As he took to the stage to accept his award, Mr Smith first addressed his surprise at his name being called out – before making what showbiz pundits were labelling on Monday morning as a “subtle diss” of his namesake, US actor Will Smith, for an awards show ceremony incident two years ago.
“First of all, relax – despite my name, I come in peace,” Mr Smith said, referencing the now-infamous moment when the actor known for his role as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air slapped Oscars host Chris Rock during the awards show after he took offence at a joke aimed at his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
That Mr Smith was handed a ban from the Motion Picture Academy after his misconduct at the 94th Oscars, which prohibits him from attending any Academy-related events, virtual or real, for the next decade.
The Jersey Mr Smith’s mention of this incident at Sunday’s ceremony featured as one of BBC News’s eight highlights of the night.
His successful career spanning stand-up, acting and writing has seen him nominated for five Emmy awards. He has he won on two other occasions – in 2016 and 2015 for producing HBO’s Veep, a sitcom about a fictional female Vice-President of the United States.
He has received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Comedy.
He also worked on the writing team of the multi-BAFTA-winning sitcom The Thick Of It.
His debut novel, Mainlander, set in Jersey in the 1980s, was published in 2015.
