Channel 4 viewers have been quick to comment on a first-look clip for the upcoming drama I Am Helen, starring Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan and Peaky Blinders' Joe Cole. The show joins the critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series that began in 2019.
The clip, shared on Channel 4's official Instagram, shows the Irish actress in her role as Helen while confiding in a friend on the beach. Although full details of the two-part drama are yet to be revealed, the preview hints at a tumultuous relationship.
Emotional scene teased
Nicola's character comments: "I thought he liked that about me. I thought he liked that I was independent and knew what I wanted and didn't need him. Now, I feel like he needs me to need him, and I am not- it's not who I am." She then breaks down in tears before her friend hugs her as she asks, "Why is it so hard?"
Nicola is the latest star to join the long-running series, following actors such as Vicky McClure, Samantha Morton, Gemma Chan, Suranne Jones, Letitia Wright, Lesley Manville, and Kate Winslet, who starred in I Am Ruth in 2023 alongside her real-life daughter Mia Threapleton.
Viewer reactions
Following the first-look clip, Channel 4 viewers were quick to comment on the actress's performance. One person wrote: "Such a great actress, such an important and current topic!! Cannot wait for this emotional rollercoaster!" Another added: "Two things we already know: this is going to break our hearts and that best actress award is already Nicola's."
Another viewer shared: "I'm absolutely (NOT) ready." A fourth commented: "Gosh.. Nicola is going to be amazing in this. And Joe too! Looks like a tough, but necessary issue to explore." While someone else added: "I am so excited for this and at the same time I know it's going to destroy me!!"
Official description
An official description states: "Told through a female lens, the story examines the pressures and expectations placed on women while confronting the realities of toxic masculinity and the damage it can create in modern relationships - this time, the story was developed by Savage with Nicola Coughlan."
I Am Helen follows the standout success of three previous I Am series, authentically exploring the personal experiences of women through provocative, emotionally raw storytelling. The drama will air on Channel 4 later this year.
