British underdog Richard Gadd won three Emmys at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in LA, for his performance, writing and his work on producing his hit Netflix show, Baby Reindeer. His co-star Jessica Gunning, who played stalker Martha, also won an award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series.
It was perhaps unsurprising that Baby Reindeer was one of the biggest winners of the night, alongside Shogun which won four Emmys on Sunday night and 14 Emmys at the Creative Arts Emmys on 9 September. Dubiously categorised 'comedy', The Bear, was also a big hit at the LA awards show, scooping up 11 different awards including Best Lead Actor in a comedy series for its star, Jeremy Allen White.
In her acceptance speech, Jessica Gunning said, 'Oh my goodness me, blinking heckers. Thank you so much. I honestly feel like I’m going to wake up any minute now and this whole thing has been a dream.' The actress went on to thank Richard Gadd from the bottom of her heart.
'My biggest thanks has to go to, Mr. Richard Gadd. I’ve tried so many times to put into words what working on Baby Reindeer meant to me, and I fail every time. So I’m going to sing,' she joked, before adding, 'I’ll keep it simple and just say thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I will never, ever forget her or you or this. So, thank you Reindeer.'
Meanwhile, when Richard accepted the award for Best Writing for a Limited Series he said, 'Ten years ago, I was down and out. I never ever thought I'd get my life together. I never ever thought I'd be able to rectify myself for what happened to me and get myself back on my feet again.
'And then here I am, just over a decade later, picking up one of the biggest writing awards in television. I don't mean that to sound arrogant. I mean it as encouragement for anyone who's going through a difficult time right now to persevere.'
Before the ceremony, the Emmy winner was asked if he regretted anything about the show, which is based on his own real experiences, in light of the controversy surrounding the alleged identity of 'the real Martha' being revealed on social media. The woman in question, Fiona Harvey, gained unwanted media attention following the series and is currently suing Netflix for $170 million, alleging defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and violations of her right of publicity. Richard said, 'I can't really answer that right now because you can't change the past.'
He added, 'The show has had a phenomenal impact on people. I think there's a lot of, especially in the UK press, this incredible focus on the negative.
'But you can't ignore the positive impact that Baby Reindeer has had. It's been number one in countries like Lebanon and Qatar and places where you never, ever thought it would break through. It's had a cross-cultural impact that very few shows have.'
The Crown, another British show, also celebrated a big win when Elizabeth Debicki won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Princess Diana in the Netflix series' final season. During her acceptance speech she said, 'Playing this part of this unparalleled, incredible human being has been my great privilege. It has been a gift. Thank you so very much.'
Nikki Peach is news and entertainment writer at Grazia UK, working across pop culture, TV and current affairs. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things TV for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow shows with equal respect).