Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Killing Eve star Jodie Comer were among the big British winners at this year’s Emmy Awards.
The ceremony, which recognises excellence in television, took place in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Comer won best leading drama actress for playing Villanelle in Killing Eve.
Fleabag star and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge took home the prize for best leading comedy actress, best comedy series and best comedy writing.
“It’s so wonderful and reassuring to know that a dirty, pervy, angry and messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys,” she laughed, referring to the show’s lead character.
Waller-Bridge also joked that the possibility of winning awards was the reason she wrote the series in the first place.
“I find writing really hard and really painful, but I’d like to say from the bottom of my heart that the reason that I do it is this,” she said, holding up the Emmy statuette. “So it’s made it all really worth it guys, thank you so much.”
Game of Thrones won the night’s most prestigious prize – best drama – despite the eighth and final series receiving a mixed response from fans and critics.
One of the HBO fantasy’s stars, Peter Dinklage, also took home the prize for best supporting drama actor.
Image caption Jodie Comer paid tribute to her Killing Eve co-star Sandra Oh
Waller-Bridge’s win for leading comedy actress was a particular surprise, as she was nominated against Emmy favourite Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
The US actress has previously won in this category six times for her role in Veep, and was widely expected to win again for the show’s seventh and final series.
Jodie Comer’s win for her performance as the ruthless assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve tops off an extraordinary year for the actress, who also won a TV Bafta in May for the same role.
“I was not expecting to get up on this stage tonight,” Comer said as she took to the Emmys stage. “I cannot believe I’m in a category alongside these women, one of them who is my co-star Sandra Oh.
“Safe to say Sandra that this Killing Eve Journey has been an absolute whirlwind and I feel so lucky to have shared the whole experience with you.”
‘Glorious grenade’
As Waller Bridge took to the stage near the end of the ceremony to accept Fleabag’s fourth award of the night, for best comedy series, she commented: “This is getting ridiculous!
“Fleabag started as a one-woman show at the Edinburgh festival in 2014, and the journey has been absolutely mental to get here.”
REUTERS Image caption Ben Whishaw was among the other British winners
Paying tribute to Fleabag’s “hot priest”, she added: “Season two would not have exploded in the way that it did if it wasn’t for Andrew Scott, who came into our Fleabag world like a whirlwind and gave a performance of such depth and complexity it elevated the whole thing.”
The show’s director, Harry Bradbeer, won the prize for best director for a comedy series.
“I think for a director, something like Fleabag only comes along once in your life,” he said in his acceptance speech.
“Thank you Phoebe for coming into my life like some kind of glorious grenade. Scientists are still trying to work out how someone so incredibly talented can be so utterly lovely.”
The second series of Fleabag aired on the BBC earlier this year and has been released by Amazon in the US.
Image copyrightEPA Bandersnatch writers Annabel Jones and Charlie Brooker
Other British winners include Ben Whishaw, who won best supporting actor in a limited series for his role in A Very English Scandal.
Charlie Brooker won best television movie for Bandersnatch, a win he said he was “quite unprepared for”.
The interactive Bandersnatch, which was released on Netflix, allowed viewers to choose the way the film’s storyline unfolded.
In his speech, Brooker thanked his two children, joking: “I can never limit your video game screen time again, if I do I’m a disgusting hypocrite [because] it sometimes pays off.”
British writer Jesse Armstrong, whose work on Succession won him best writing for a drama series, made reference to the strong UK showing at the ceremony.
“Quite a lot of British winners, maybe too many? Maybe you should have a think about those immigration restrictions,” he joked.
Image copyright SKY/HBO Image caption Kit Harington is one of nine Game of Thrones stars up for awards
Elsewhere, Game of Thrones was named outstanding drama series for its eighth and final season.
Peter Dinklage was also named best supporting actor in a drama series.
The show won 12 awards in total when added to the trophies it took home at last week’s Creative Arts Emmys.
It triumphed in spite of a lukewarm response from critics and fans, many of whom signed a petition to have the whole season remade.
The show is already the most honoured series and most-nominated drama in Emmy awards history.
Source: BBC
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