And the award for the most toe-curling speech of 2010 goes to.... Catherine Zeta-Jones

　　And the award for the most toe-curling speech of 2010 goes to.... Catherine Zeta-Jones

　　She is a Commander of the British Empire after being recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours at the weekend.

　　But after only a day with her new title, Catherine Zeta-Jones gave a less than dignified performance in New York that left many viewers cringing in their seats.

　　The 40-year-old Welsh star won leading actress at the Tony Awards - the theatre equivalent of an Oscar - for her role in Broadway musical A Little Night Music.

　　In her excitement, Miss Zeta-Jones gave a gushing speech that included an unusually intimate tribute to her 66-year-old husband Michael Douglas.

　　

　　It's my night! Catherine Zeta-Jones shimmered in an ice blue Versace gown as she accepted the best actress gong at the Tony Awards

　　

　　Overjoyed: Catherine accepts the award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in A Little Night Music from actress Bebe Neuwirth, centre, and actor Nathan Lane

　　'See that man there? He's a movie star and I get to sleep with him every night,' she said, dressed in an elegant ice-blue strapless dress and heavily made up after performing a number from her show earlier at the awards.

　　The 3,000-plus crowd at the Radio City Music Hall roared their approval.

　　It was only later she realised the entire ceremony - including the comments she admitted were 'crass' - was broadcast across the U.S on Sunday, the day after she received her CBE for services to the film industry and charity.

　　The actress said later: 'It wasn't the most elegant thing to say, was it? I was so caught up in the moment I don't think I knew what I was saying. I had no control what was coming out of my mouth.

　　'Standing up there I felt speechless but obviously I said something but it was such a surprise that my brain didn't really connect to my mouth.

　　'What I said about Michael was heartfelt. Although thinking about it now I can't believe I said something as crass as that.'

　　

　　Tribute: Catherine didn't forget to thank the movie star husband she gets to sleep with every night, but she may come to regret being quite so candid

　　She said: 'I can't believe I said something like that. Just can't believe I said something as crass as that'.

　　Then she threw her head back, laughed, and added: 'Boy, I could have said something worse and then I'd really be in trouble.

　　'Mind you, the problem with saying that I get to sleep with Michael every night is that it was done on television and it's on tape forever'.

　　There was further amusement at the star-studded award ceremony as Tom Cruise's wife Katie Holmes towered over Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe.

　　The audience laughed as the pair appeared alongside each other to present an award to Scarlett Johansson.

　　Zeta Jones and Douglas have two children Dylan Michael, 9, and Carys Zeta, 7, and have been married for almost ten years.

　　The star won for her role, playing an actress, in the musical A Little Night Music. She admitted she was having trouble taking it all in.

　　

　　

　　Winning moment: Catherine was shocked at her win as she was not the favourite

　　'I'm in a state of shock to be totally honest with you. I can't believe I won the Tony Award.I couldn't believe I'd been nominated with a group of such great actresses,' she said.

　　Zeta Jones then clutched her Tony trophy tighter and joked:'I'm wearing Versace and a Tony right here', as she cradled it to her chest.

　　It was an evening that saw London productions and British actors win a raft of golden gongs at the Tonys including honours for actors Douglas Hodge and Eddie Redmayne.

　　Scarlett Johansson was another movie star who won a Tony. She collected hers for best supporting actress for her role in A View from the Bridge.

　　

　　Red carpet drama: Catherine keeps her smile in place despite clumsy David Furnish, Elton John's partner, treading on her stunning gown

　　

　　Oh what a show: Catherine performed a number from the musical A Little Night Music at the awards ceremony in New York

　　Denzel Washington and Viola Davis won best actor and actress in a play for the passionate drama Fences.

　　Last year the musical Billy Elliot won ten Tony Awards.

　　No single show won that many this year but the Donmar Warehouse Theatre's play Red won six Tony Awards including those for Best play, best director for Michael Grandage and best supporting actor for Eddie Redmayne.

　　Welsh star Zeta-Jones moved past her recent fashion disasters to make a stunning winner in a chic strapless baby blue Versace gown.

　　Actress Scarlett Johansson won an award for her Broadway debut in the Arthur Miller play A View From A Bridge.

　　

　　

　　Which way to the emerald city? Nominee Scarlett Johansson looked stunning in an emerald green floor-length gown as she arrived at the Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York last night

　　She showed off her stunning figure in a emerald green Elie Saab gown and backcombed bouffant-style updo.

　　While Zeta-Jones arrived with husband Michael Douglas, notoriously-private Johansson declined to pose with actor husband Ryan Reynolds on the red carpet, who was spotted arriving separately 10 minutes later.

　　Accepting her trophy for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for A View From A Bridge from Katie Holmes - who made a bad fashion choice with her shapeless Giorgio Armani Prive silk chiffon dress - and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, the emotional star said: 'Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted to be on Broadway...'

　　The 25-year-old thanked her husband during her speech: 'To my Canadian, whom I live with, Ryan thank you for becoming a theatre widower with me.'

　　

　　

　　Little and large: Actress Katie Holmes towers over Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe as they present the award for Featured Actress in a Play to Scarlett Johansson for her role in A View From The Bridge.

　　Other early winners included British playwright Alan Ayckbourn with a Lifetime Achievement Special Tony Award. His 74th play is set to open this summer.

　　British director Terry Johnson won best musical director Tony for his work on musical La Cage Aux Folles, which started life at the tiny Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre near London Bridge. The show moved into the West End and then transferred to Broadway in the Spring.

　　Johnson faced formidable competition and was not seen as the front runner to win the Tony, hence his droll comment during his acceptance speech.

　　

　　

　　Date night: Naomi Watts looked chic in a nude floor-length gown as she arrived with partner, Best Actor in Play nominee Liev Schreiber (left) while Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas matched in black

　　

　　

　　Leading men and their ladies in red: Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith (left) and former Frasier star Kelsey Grammer and wife Camille

　　He said: 'I'd like to thank my fellow nominees because without whom I'd have written a speech'.

　　Former Frasier actor David Hyde Pierce was also the recipient of a special award for his charity work.

　　The actor flew into the Big Apple from London, where he is currently rehearsing the forthcoming West End production of La Bete.

　　The show was opened by rock group Green Day, who recently became acquainted on Broadway due to a musical called American Idiot, based on their 2004 album of the same name.

　　

　　

　　Glee-ding ladies: Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry in Glee, performs Don't Rain On My Parade, while her Glee-co-star Kristin Chenoweth also entertained the audience

　　

　　

　　Rising stars: Glee stars Lea Michelle and Matthew Morrison appeared onstage at the awards show

　　Another one of the night's musical highlights came when Lea Michele the leading lady of TV show Glee walked through the auditorium singing Don't Rain on My Parade from the musical Funny Girl, a number first made famous by Barbra Streisand in the 1964 stage musical and the 1968 film.

　　She and Matthew Morrison, who plays teacher Will Schuster in Glee - and who said later that he was heading to London to record a solo album - had the audience cheering them to the rafters.

　　Making a date night out of the ceremony was Melanie Griffith, who wore a black cocktail dress and a handsome accessory in the form of her husband Antonio Banderas.

　　

　　Ladies night: Catherine poses with best actress in a play winner Viola Davis who won along with her co-star Denzil Washington for passionate drama Fences

　　

　　

　　Feminine frills: Former American Idol judge in a peach mermaid dress (left), while Lucy Liu looked stunning in a strapless baby pink creation

　　Nominee Denzel Washington skipped the red carpet altogether and he and his wife ran from their limo straight into the Radio City Music Hall. He did, however, find two seconds to make a peace sign to the Daily Mail reporter.

　　British-Australian actress Naomi Watts was a late arrival as she and partner Liev Schreiber dashed into the ceremony.

　　Schreiber was up for Best Performance by a Leading Man in a play for his role in A View From A Bridge alongside Johansson.

　　Sex And The City heart-throb Chris Noth, otherwise known as Mr Big, got one of the biggest cheers of the night from the soaked crowd that lined 50th Street opposite Radio City Music Hall.

　　

　　

　　

　　Down the Great White Way: (L-R) Best Actress nominee Laura Linney in a blue mini, former Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams in a Gothic asymmetrical number and Best Actress in a Musical nominee Christiane Noll in maroon

　　Latin singer Ricky Martin, who 'came out' as gay three months ago, also drew plenty of cheers as he walked up the soggy carpet.

　　The 38-year-old has agreed to play Che in the musical Evita on Broadway in a couple of seasons time.

　　Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe apologised for the downpour that drenched the red carpet for the Tony Awards.

　　He laughed as he quipped: 'Ah, the rain.I'm sorry for it but I promise you I didn't bring it over with me from England'.

　　

　　

　　Black looks: Helen Mirren and Broadway actress Idina Menzel, who cameoed in TV show Glee as the long-lost mother of Lea Michele's character Rachel Berry

　　

　　

　　

　　Variety is the spice of life: (L-R) Actress Kerry Washington went for a draped Grecian style, Kristin Chenoweth went for a white bejewelled mini, while Aretha Franklin wore a sparkly bronze number

　　He explained how he had been 'singing and dancing day in and day out' in preparation for his musical theatre debut on Broadway in the show How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying.

　　The musical opens next Spring and is his first major assignment after completing the last of the Harry Potter films.

　　While the stars braved the downpour to see who had won, one nominee stayed away this year.

　　Jude Law sent word that due to 'family holiday commitments' he wouldn't be at the ceremony, despite being nominated for Best Performance By a Leading Actor In A Play for Hamlet.

　　

　　

　　

　　Eye-catching: (L-R) Broadway star Laura Bell Bundy shimmered in a gold, Best Actress nominee Viola Davis in a satin lime halterneck and former Sopranos actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler in a tie-dyed maxi dress

　　

　　

　　

　　Suited and booted: (L-R) Johansson's husband Ryan Reynolds, Christopher Walken and Ricky Martin