Golden Globes: Carol Burnett accepts inaugural lifetime achievement award

TV legend Carol Burnett accepted the first-ever Golden Globe television special achievement award - named after her - at the 2019 Golden Globes.

The comedy icon, whose television career spans seven decades, took the stage to a resounding standing ovation after actor Steve Carell paid a heartfelt tribute to the 85-year-old.

She dedicated the honour "to all those who made my dreams come true, and to all those out there who share the love I have for television and yearn to be part of this unique medium that has been so good to me."

In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her acclaimed career, and how TV has changed and developed over the years.

Burnett also said the beloved series, 'The Carol Burnett Show', "couldn't be done today."

"Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about being young again and doing it all over, then I bring myself up short" by realising that "what we did then couldn't be done today," she said, according to Deadline.

"Networks just wouldn't spend the money. Sad to say today's audiences might never know what they're missing, so here's to reruns and YouTube."

According to a statement from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Carol Burnett Award will be awarded annually to someone who "has made outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen.