'She'd written and rehearsed her speech': Emma Watson accused of receiving special treatment from MTV as she was 'told she had won gender-less award BEFORE the ceremony'

She was awarded the first ever gender-less prize at the MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday night. 

But Emma Watson has now been hit with accusations that she had been told of her success before the ceremony in LA had even begun. 

It has been claimed that the actress, 27, was informed of her win ahead of the live show - allowing her to write and rehearse the inspiring speech she gave on the night.

Emma had already come under fire for her speech earlier this week, when Dan Wootton suggested the actress' delivery had not been 'spontaneous', before accusing her of 'reading from an auto-cue' on Monday's Lorraine.

 

However only heightening claims, a source had now told The Sun that Emma had been informed by MTV she was the winner of the gender-neutral Best Actor prize, prior to the actual ceremony.

The insider further claimed that this prior knowledge allowed her to hone the perfect acceptance speech, with reference the new non-binary gong.

The source told the paper: 'It was clear she knew she'd win - she'd written and rehearsed her speech. No other winner had the same treatment.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives of Emma for comment. 

The award and her speech has already faced backlash this week - after Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan slammed the network's groundbreaking decision.

Keen to spark a debate about the gender-neutral award, he said on the ITV show on Monday: 'Gender neutral awards – just what the world was craving. 

'I can’t think of a better recipient than Emma Watson, a great flag-bearer to all things gender neutral.

'Do we need to have men and women?' he continued to question. 'Shall we call you woes? Woe is me. You become woes. We can't become men obviously, we become persons and everything becomes gender neutral.

He finished his tirade by adding: 'Eventually I will smash my head repeatedly into a brick wall – which is of course a great crowd pleaser.'

Emma had been awarded the first ever gender-neutral Best Actor gong at the Movie & TV Awards on Sunday - and praised MTV for introducing such a prize.

The star, who serves as a UN Goodwill Ambassador for Women, said: 'I feel I have to say something about the award itself.

'The first acting award in history that doesn't separate nominees based on their sex says something about how we perceive the human experience. MTV's move to create a gender-less award for acting will mean something different to everyone. 

'But to me, it indicates that acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes. And that doesn't need to be separated into two different categories.'

Admitting the award meant a lot to her because of this reason, she went on to explain: 'Empathy and the ability to use your imagination should have no limits. 

 'This is very meaningful to me - both to be winning the award and to be receiving it from you ... in such an inclusive, patient and loving way. Thank you so much.'

Having won the award for her role as Belle in Beauty In The Beast, she went on to gush that she was so grateful to play a character who was the 'essence' of diversity.

She said: '[Belle's] curiosity and passion for knowledge and her desire for more in life were ground for alienation.

'I loved playing someone who didn't listen to any of that. I'm so proud to be part of a film that celebrates diversity, literacy, inclusion, joy, and love the way that this one does.'