Early ceremony for Golden Globes

This year's Golden Globes were a muted affair

The 2009 Golden Globe awards are to take place on 11 January, the earliest in the event's history.

The ceremony, which has usually taken place at the end of January, will be held a day before voting in the Oscars comes to a close.

The new date is not expected to have an impact on the Academy Awards, as most voters will have made their choices.

The Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled earlier this year due to the Hollywood writers' strike.

The awards were announced in a press conference and none of the winning stars were in attendance as the red carpet was put to one side.

British film Atonement was one of the major winners, named best drama.

Best actress Julie Christie did not repeat her success at the Oscars, while Golden Globes best actor Daniel Day Lewis went on to triumph at the Academy Awards.

Next year's full ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and broadcast in the US by the NBC network.