The duo have been praised for their performances in hard-hitting Covid drama, Help.
Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham have been tipped for success at next year’s Baftas after appearing in Help, the one-off Channel 4 drama about a care home in the early days of the pandemic.
The drama follows Comer’s character Sarah, a young care home worker who befriends resident Stephen’s character Tony, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic when the disease was tearing through care homes.
The film aired on Channel 4 on Thursday evening and since then Comer and Graham have received acclaim from critics and audiences alike for their performances.
The drama itself has also been praised for its devastating portrayal of the Covid crisis in care homes at the start of the pandemic, with Sarah and her coworkers having to wear bin bags due to the lack of PPE.
One scene in particular has seen Comer come in for praise, with her character being followed around the care home in an unbroken, 25-minute single-take as one of the residents at the home falls seriously ill with the disease.
The Killing Eve star also stunned viewers with a powerful monologue at the end of film.
Viewers are now tipping the Liverpudlian duo for recognition at next year’s Baftas, the most prestigious awards in British television.
One said that the closing monologue was “how Jodie Comer becomes a two-time Bafta award winner.”
Comer claimed a Bafta in 2019 for her role as Villanelle in Killing Eve.
Another viewer wrote that Comer and Graham should be given “all the awards.”
AND THIS IS HOW JODIE COMER BECOMES A TWO-TIME BAFTA AWARD WINNERpic.twitter.com/QocisrieFX
— 𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 (@DeLucaBishopgif) September 16, 2021
Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham.
Give them ALL the awards. ALL OF THEM!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻#help pic.twitter.com/yHPZDnv4Yq
— Jonny 🏴🕺🏻 (@jonnymgdraws) September 16, 2021
Utterly, utterly heartbreaking. That final monologue. Thank you @Channel4 Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham. Tell this story again and again. Never let it be forgotten how care homes were treated during this pandemic.#Help #socialcare #COVID
— Vikkie (@VikkiePage) September 16, 2021
A third said that the pair need to “win every award going for these performances.”
Yeah so Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham need to win every award going for these performances. 👏🏻 #help pic.twitter.com/dmVUbrYkoa
— Ewan Hamilton (@oldmanhammy) September 16, 2021
two time bafta winner jodie comer pic.twitter.com/bDi4GHA70X
— freya (@villanescence) September 16, 2021
Graham and Comer have been friends for years due to their Liverpool roots, and Help writer Jack Thorne told Channel 4 how it was actually Graham who came to him asking that he write something for him and Comer.
Talking about the drama and why he felt the story of care homes needed telling, Thorne said: “30,000 people have died unnecessarily in these care homes because of the indifference and incompetence of our government.
“Hearing the stories of those at the frontline, having people break down in tears on zoom in front of us has been incredibly moving and galling.
“Getting the story right will be incredibly important, we are aware of the pressure upon us, this has to be written and made with anger and precision. We hope we do it justice.”
Help is available to watch on All 4.
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