Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning's family 'beyond proud' of win
2025-01-08
Category: entertainment

Family and friends of Yorkshire actress Jessica Gunning said they were "beyond proud" when they heard she had won a Golden Globe for her part in the hit Netflix show Baby Reindeer. Gunning, from Holmfirth, scooped the award for best female supporting actress in television for the dark comedy series in which she played the stalker Martha. Tuning in to the ceremony from home, her mother, Val Gunning, said: "When her name was announced we went nuts with relief and excitement - what a moment!"Accepting her award at the Beverley Hills ceremony on Sunday, the actress, who went to Holmfirth High School, told a story about her childhood Yorkshire accent and thanked series creator Richard Gadd. 
As she took to the stage, Gunning almost tripped on the stairs, joking that "you almost saw my Golden Globes" before sharing a story about getting a hamster for Christmas as a child.She said she kept saying "I can't believe that is happening to me" in her "very Yorkshire accent", a phrase which she added has become the "soundtrack of my life this year".It came as a surprise to many as the character which brought her fame spoke with a Scottish accent. Her former school said on X: "Former Holmfirth High pupil, Jess Gunning, has won Best Supporting Female Actor in Television at the Golden Globes last night. "We couldn't be prouder or more thrilled for her. Congratulations from all of us."
The show, which became number one in the Netflix charts in both the UK and US and has a rare 100% rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes, won best limited TV or anthology series or TV movie at the Golden Globes. It was created by Richard Gadd, who also played the lead role, and was inspired by his claims of being stalked and sexually assaulted.Gadd, however, missed out on securing best performance by a male actor in a limited or anthology series or TV film, after Irish actor Colin Farrell won for playing the Batman villain Penguin in an HBO series of the same name.  Speaking to the BBC, Val Gunning said she had gathered with her family to watch the Golden Globes but as they saw Jessica was seated far from the stage, presumed that meant she had not won. "We were at my other daughter's with her husband and her brother when she won," she said. "The guys had gone to bed for a bit but her sister and I couldn't sleep, so watched TV until the show came on."Tense does not describe how we were, but we spotted how far away from the stage she was seated and thought that meant she probably hadn't won."There were two small children asleep upstairs who amazingly didn't wake up with the racket we were making. What a result!"
Mrs Gunning, a former teacher at Holmfirth High, was involved with the school productions which she said "were the highlight of the school year and Jess took part in every one".She said the reaction in Holmfirth has been "insane" with friends, neighbours, and "everyone who knows her ecstatic about the outcome". She said: "We are beyond proud and can't believe this is happening to our Jess - although we always hoped it would!"Heidi Curry taught Gunning Spanish at Holmfirth High in the early 2000s, and said she has kept in touch with her and her family ever since. "I just knew she was going to be a star," she said. "In fact, we always used to have this joke in lessons because she was, you know, absolutely sure she was going to be an actor. There was never any question about that, you know, she was brilliant at drama. She was in all the shows."Ms Curry said: "I used to joke to her and say, 'one day when you're receiving your Oscar, you've got to thank your Spanish teacher!'"It was a complete joke because it was nothing to do with me, but we just used to have that lovely relationship and she just had a real presence and captivated an audience."
Although the Spanish teacher did not get that mention in the acceptance speech, Gunning did say that "the eight-year-old me would be chuffed to bits". She said: "Thank you to Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer has changed my life in ways that I can't even explain." The series is about comedian and barman Donny (played by Gadd) who is stalked by older woman Martha after he offers her a cup of tea at the pub where he works. It won several prizes at award ceremonies last year, but has more recently hit the headlines for its "based on a true story" claims.Scottish woman Fiona Harvey announced last summer she was to sue Netflix over claims Baby Reindeer falsely depicted her as a convicted criminal who spent time in prison for stalking.Netflix has vowed to "defend this matter vigorously".Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.