Holmfirth-born actress Jessica Gunning has made her debut at the Emmy Awards - and taken home her very first trophy.
The Baby Reindeer star won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and graciously accepted the award with a moving speech.
The Emmy Awards took place last night in Los Angeles and saw stars from all areas of primetime, daytime and international television gather for a night of accolades.
Baby Reindeer, which follows the story of Donny, a young man who falls victim to stalking, found itself sweeping six awards with both the lead and supporting actors winning in their respective fields.
Jessica Gunning plays Martha, a stalker who makes frequent visits to The Heart, a London pub where the lead character works. Last night however, she found herself making frequent visits to the stage at The Peacock Theatre in LA.
The West-Yorkshire born performer won her sole nomination, beating fellow cast mate Nava Mau or ‘Teri’, a trans therapist who later becomes a love interest of the lead character.
The now Emmy-award winning actress is no stranger to our screens as she has also starred in a few UK cult-classics like, ‘The Life of Riley’, ‘Doctor Who’ and BBC One drama ‘The Outlaws’.
Baby Reindeer has scooped Emmy Awards. Credit: Instagram, @mrrichardgaddHolmfirth actor Jessica Gunning won an Emmy award for Baby Reindeer. Credit: Instagram, @mrrichardgadd
Scottish comedian Richard Gadd plays the role of main character Donny, and also created the series, which is based on his own experiences.
The University of Glasgow alumni managed to win all three categories he was nominated for including Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series.
Gadd also took home the Writing for a Limited or Anthology series or Movie, for his screen-writing contributions for the miniseries.
The Netflix series, which hit our screens in April this year, bagged itself an overall win for Outstanding Limited or Anthology series category.
The title of the Emmy-winning series is named after Martha’s nickname for Donny, after saying he reminded her of a cute cuddly toy she had growing up, which also happened to be a baby reindeer.
When accepting her award, Gunning gushed: "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… no, imagine!"
She added to Gadd: "Thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I'll never ever forget her or you or this."
Are you a fan of travelling? Got a bit of a competitive streak in your nature? Well, this might just be your calling then.
The BBC is, once again, casting for the next series of Race Across the World.
The BAFTA-winning hit show draws in thousands of viewers each week, and now producers are on the look-out for ‘intrepid duos’ of all ages who reckon they’re ready to take a step into the unknown, and embark on an epic race across land and sea for the next seried – and that includes Yorkshire residents.
With applications for the next series of the massively-popular show now open, nomadic people from Yorkshire are being encouraged to take part.
On a limited budget and away from the luxuries of modern technology and conveniences, those lucky applicants selected to take part in the next series will get the chance to experience life in some of the world’s most beautiful and remote locations.
Adventurous Mancs are needed to take part in the next series of Race Across the World / Credit: BBC
Navigating their way across thousands of miles, they’ll travel through spectacular scenery and dynamic cities, visit ancient wonders, learn local customs, and take part in time-honoured traditions.
But, as producers are keen to point out, ‘the physical journey is only half of the story’. That’s because, as the contestants take on the challenge of travelling across the world, the greatest thing they’ll discover along the way could actually be about themselves and one another.
Putting out a UK-wide casting call on the BBC website this week, producers Studio Lambert wrote: “We are now accepting applications for the next series of Race Across the World. This experience is open to all, whether you’re a seasoned traveller or total novice.
“We want to hear what undertaking a trip like this would mean to you, and with a cash prize at stake, what lengths you would go to to win.”
Fancy it then? Applications for the next series of Race Across the World are now open for anyone over 18 years of age, with a deadline date of 29 March 2026, and you can find out more information and apply via the BBC website.
You may have heard of the funny Star Wars stripper show or even seen clips of it online, but rumour has it that nothing can quite prepare you for the cheekiness of seeing this romp in the flesh.
In case you’ve been completely immersed in the dark side until now, here’s what you can expect:
Now well over a decade into its success and more than 200 Las Vegas shows, ‘The Empire Strips Back’ made its long-awaited transatlantic debut earlier this year.
Getting away at London’s Riverside Studios from May and enjoying a run until this past August, the comedy-driven twist on the classic Star Wars stories and beloved sci-fi characters was an instant hit with us Brits.
It started in Australia way back in 2011 and has gone not only to tour across Europe, but land a coveted residency at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Nevada.
Now set to seek out new padawans and storm-strippers all over the cosmos, and by that we mean the UK, ‘The Empire Strips Back: Burlesque Parody’ is coming to Manchester.
Set to land at TESTBED in February from from Thursday 12 to Sunday 22 specifically, we cannot wait to see how this goes down with Northern crowds.
It’s also worth noting that this two-hour show, including intermission, is a strictly 18+ only event; if you’re interested, you can find out more info and grab your tickets right HERE.
Thomas Melia -
16th September 2024 
