‘Fleabag’ wins big at Television Critics Association Awards

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag was the critics’ pick at this year’s Television Critics Association (TCA) awards.

Held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Sunday (3 August), the 35th edition of the awards – which are voted on by more than 200 TV critics and journalists in the US and Canada – saw the BBC Three/Amazon comedy win three prizes, including Programme of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and an Individual Achievement in Comedy gong for Waller-Bridge’s performance.

The show, which ended its second series run earlier this year, won in all the categories it was nominated in, and was the night’s only multiple award winner. Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke said last week that the streaming service is keen to do another season of the dark comedy; however, Waller-Bridge has previously said that Fleabag will not return for a third outing.

Other honours went to HBO and Sky’s Chernobyl, which picked up Outstanding Achievement in Movie or Miniseries; Netflix’s Russian Doll, which won Outstanding New Program; and HBO’s Leaving Neverland, which won Outstanding Achievement in News and Information.

TCA president and Hollywood Reporter TV critic Daniel Fienberg said: “A self-lacerating examination of the intersection of love and faith, explorations of private trauma both scripted and unscripted, tales of personal transformation both uplifting and tragic, period explorations of creativity and avoidable tragedy, this year’s TCA Awards winners are united in how different and how ambitious they are.

“This is an exciting time for television and there’s no single formula for excellence, as our honorees include reputation-restoring biopics, female-driven half-hours, the rare spinoff to equal its illustrious predecessor and a piece of difficult-to-watch history that couldn’t feel more vital and relevant, making for a special TCA Awards night.”

The complete list of winners is below:

Individual Achievement in Drama: Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon (FX)
Individual Achievement in Comedy: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag (Amazon)
Outstanding Achievement in News and Information: Leaving Neverland (HBO)
Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming: Queer Eye (Netflix)
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming: Arthur (PBS Kids)
Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Outstanding New Program: Russian Doll (Netflix)
Outstanding Achievement in Movie or Miniseries: Chernobyl (HBO)
Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Better Call Saul (AMC)
Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: Fleabag (Amazon)
Program of the Year: Fleabag (Amazon)
Lifetime Achievement Honoree: David Milch
Heritage Award: Deadwood (HBO)