The 33-year-old Brit comedian who rose to fame through the television comedy Gavin and Stacey, trumped a field of legendary artists for the gong awarded for his efforts in One Man Two Guvnors, which transferred to America after a West End run.

Cordon’s gratitude mainly went to his fiancé Julia Carey.

Welling up during his speech, he said: “My girlfriend Julia gave birth to our son like, five days before we started rehearsals.

“She’s my baby mama, and I can’t wait to marry her. Seriously, I would not be holding this if it wasn’t for her.”

He added: “She makes me say  ‘us’  instead of ‘I’ and ‘we’ instead of ‘me’, and I love her. Thank you very much.”

One Man Two Guvnors, is a comic hit by Richard Bean, where Corden plays a failed musician who finds employment with both a woman disguised as a gangster and a snooty former public schoolboy in 1960s Brighton. In its most famous scene, he serves them both dinner at the same time.

The accolade is particularly special since the prestigious Tony Award usually recognises American talent on Broadway.

Cordon fought off nominees Philip Seymour Hoffman, of Death of a Salesman, James Earl Jones, of The Best Man, Frank Langella, of Man And Boy, and John Lithgow, of The Columnist.

Another Brit took home a trophy as John Tiffany won Best Direction of a Musical for Once.

It tells the love story between a musician and an immigrant singer and pianist in Dublin, and gained some of the most important awards: best musical, best director of a musical, and best actor for Steve Kazee, while Irish playwright Enda Walsh won best book of a musical.

The Best Play award went to Clybourne Park, while the title of Best Leading Actress in a Play went to Nina Arianda for Venus in Fur.

Meanwhile the Best Leading Actor in a Musical gong went to Steve Kazee for Once and Audra McDonald took home the award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.

Hugh Jackman was honoured at the ceremony with a special Tony for his contribution to the Broadway community and for his charity work, which was presented to him by his wife Deborra-Lee Furness.

Jackman told the audience of his wife: “’She’s never kept a secret her entire life. [She said] ‘I’m off to the loo,’ and I was like, ‘OK, see you in a bit.’ ”

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