Maggie Smith accepts Emmy award, responds to Kimmel's jokes

Los Angeles: Veteran actress Maggie Smith accepted her Emmy award and also responded to the 2016 Emmy host Jimmy Kimmel's running joke about "the Maggie Smith Rule."

Smith, a nine-time Emmy-nominated actress and four -time recipient, was honored Sunday as supporting actress in a drama series, for her role as Violet, the sharp-tongued Dowager Countess of Grantham, in "Downton Abbey." She previously won Emmys for the role in 2011 and 2012.

But before presenters Minnie Driver and Michael Weatherly could accept the award on Smith's behalf, host Kimmel intercepted the trophy and told Smith to retrieve it herself.

"We're not mailing this award to her. Maggie, if you want this it'll be in the lost and found, Kimmel joked. "If we call your name and you are not here to accept, the Emmy goes to the next name on the list. It's called the Maggie Smith Rule," he added.

Smith's statement, formally accepting her award, was posted on Twitter account of Masterpiece PBS. "I was very astonished and pleased to win the award. I feel the Emmys has been overly generous to me. If Mr Kimmel could please direct me to the lost and found office I will try and be on the next flight," the actress wrote, signing the note "Old Maggie".

"Downton Abbey" has earned 69 Emmy nominations in 15 categories over the past six seasons including drama series, writing for a drama series and casting for a drama series.