Mo is a 2010 TV film about the later life and career of the British Labour Party politician Mo Mowlam,[1] written by Neil McKay and directed by Philip Martin.

Synopsis

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Mo stars Julie Walters as Mo Mowlam, the controversial but popular Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Early advertisements for the film showed a scene in which Mowlam removes her wig during a meeting with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. It was first shown on UK television on Channel 4 on 31 January 2010.

Cast

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Person portrayed Actor
Mo Mowlam Julie Walters
Jon Norton (Mowlam's husband) David Haig
Henrietta Norton (Mowlam's stepdaughter) Lucy Boynton
Peter Kilfoyle Tony Maudsley
Adam Ingram Gary Lewis
Peter Mandelson Steven Mackintosh
David Trimble Adrian Dunbar
Bill Clinton Kerry Shale
Gerry Adams John Lynch
Martin McGuinness Eoin McCarthy
Senator George Mitchell Harry Ditson
Johnny Adair Marc O'Shea
Kevin Gary Henry
Michael Stone Ian Beattie

Reception

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The programme attracted over 3.5 million viewers on its first broadcast, making it Channel 4's highest rating drama since 2001.[2] The biopic was also a critical success, with Mowlam's former ministerial colleague, Adam Ingram MP, depicted in the drama by Gary Lewis claiming that it "brought home the essence of Mo".[3]

Awards and nominations

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The biopic was nominated for Best Single Drama at the 2010 British Academy Television Awards[4] with Julie Walters winning for Best Actress[5] and Gary Lewis being nominated for Best Supporting Actor.[6] At the Royal Television Society Programme Awards, the film was nominated for Best Single Drama while Neil McKay was nominated for Best Writing: Drama and Walters was nominated for Best Actor: Female.[7]

It was nominated for a Magnolia Award for Best Television Film or Miniseries at the 16th Shanghai Television Festival in China.

References

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  1. ^ Mo - The story of Mo Mowlam - the Good Friday Agreement, her life away from politics and her battle with ill-health Channel 4
  2. ^ Mo Mowlam biopic gets 3.5m viewers BBC News, 1 February 2010
  3. ^ Scots MP reveals agony over Mo Mowlam TV drama Daily Record
  4. ^ "Television Awards Winners in 2010 - Television - Awards - the BAFTA site". www.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Television Awards Winners in 2010 - Television - Awards - the BAFTA site". www.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Television Awards Winners in 2010 - Television - Awards - the BAFTA site". www.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010.
  7. ^ "RTS Programme Awards 2011". Royal Television Society. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
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