Baz Ashmawy said that he is thrilled to be nominated for an International Emmy award for his hit show 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy and is looking forward to going to New York for free.
“I had a very funny conversation on the phone with my mum last night, ‘An Emmy! An Emmy! It’s called an Emmy!’” he told The Anton Savage Show on Today FM.
“We’re going to New York for free which is great,” he added.
The 40-year-old Dubliner admitted that American audiences weren't initially keen on the daredevil show which sees him and his (very brave) mother embark on a series of whacky adventures, and joked that US viewers believed he was actually trying to kill his mum.
“In the states there was a lot of backlash in the beginning because I don’t they have the same understanding of sarcasm or irony that we have, they thought I was actually trying to kill my mother,” he said.
"When I was making Mammy I wanted to make something that was funny and was fresh and something that made people feel a bit sentimental about their family. I wasn't making it for awards or to sell or any of that stuff, but it's an amazing nod," he told The Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny Greene.
"Nancy’s going to get to go to The Emmys! – that's just bananas. She's got to do all of these amazing things and now she's going to get her glad rags on and have a very glitzy night in The Hilton. It's brilliant and amazing," he added.
Now in its second run, the series sees Baz and his mother Nancy travelling the world trying their hand at extreme sports. It has been given the nod for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment at the 2015 International Emmy Awards.
The first series of 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy has been broadcast in 100 territories and it has become Sky Vision’s most successful factual entertainment show ever.
Congrats @bazashmawy, Nancy and the rest of the #50WaystoKillYourMammy team @Sky1 on the International #Emmy nomination. Go mammy!
— Sky Ireland (@SkyIreland) October 5, 2015
This year's International Emmys take place on November 2 at the Hilton New York Hotel. Previous Irish International Emmy successes include Moone Boy, which won at the International Emmy Awards in 2013 for Best Comedy.
The final episode of this second series of 50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy airs tonight on Sky1 at 9pm.
