Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag' dominates at the Emmys

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, winner of the awards for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, outstanding comedy series and outstanding writing for a comedy series for "Fleabag," poses in the press room at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her breakthrough TV series Fleabag dominated at the 71st Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last night.

As she accepted the final award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the British writer, director and actress told the crowd: “This is just getting ridiculous.”

Waller-Bridge also controversially beat Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss to Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy series – a win would have made Louis-Dreyfuss the most decorated performer of all time – and the award for Outstanding Writing.

Taking to the stage she said it was 'reassuring that a dirty, pervy, messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys'.

Andrew Scott, from left, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, and Brett Gelman, winners of the award for outstanding comedy series for "Fleabag," pose in the press room at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Andrew Scott, from left, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, and Brett Gelman (Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Meanwhile, Fleabag director Harry Bradbeer won for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy series, bringing the show's awards tally to four, the most of any show this year.

In another tangental win for Waller-Bridge, British star Jodie Comer also won the award for Lead Actress in a drama series for Killing Eve, which Waller-Bridge adapted for TV.

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Elsewhere, Game of Thrones, which received an all-time high of 32 nominations, won Outstanding Drama, while the harrowing Chernobyl won Best Limited Series.

Fleabag (PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE) (BBC)
Fleabag (PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE) (BBC)

Billy Porter also made history as the first openly gay man to win best actor in a drama series for his role in Pose.

“God bless you all,” he said. “The category is love. I'm so overjoyed and so overwhelmed to have lived to see this day.”

Other British winners included Ben Whishaw for A Very British Scandal, Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror episode Bandersnatch, which won Outstanding Television Movie, and writer Jesse Armstrong for Succession.