“It’s an absolute honor”: Nicola Coughlan feels surreal as she is set to lead the fourth season of I Am

The new season will consist of a two-parter, titled I Am Helen, in which Coughlan appears alongside Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole, The Hollywood Reporter reported on July 28, 2025.

The series features standalone episodes, each revolving around a new female character. Coughlan joins the ranks of past lead actresses such as Kate Winslet, Lesley Manville, and Letitia Wright, who all worked closely with Savage in developing the tales of their characters.

The BAFTA-winning anthology has been recommissioned by Channel 4 for a fourth season, with writer, director, and producer Savage returning. The new series will be made by Me+You Productions, an Emmy-winning production company set up by Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee.

Speaking about the opportunity, Nicola Coughlan said:

"It’s an absolute honor to be part of telling the next I Am…story alongside Dominic Savage — a singular talent and a storyteller deeply committed to exploring the breadth of the female experience."

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Nicola Coughlan to lead I Am Helen

Coughlan, best known for her roles in Derry Girls and Bridgerton, will appear in the fourth season of I Am, titled I Am Helen. The two-part story will also feature Joe Cole, known for his role in Peaky Blinders.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this new installment continues the format of earlier seasons, where each episode focuses on a female character and her personal journey. Savage and Coughlan have developed the story together, following the same collaborative method used in earlier episodes with other actors.

Coughlan described her experience as “surreal,” adding:

"To follow in the footsteps of the brilliant women who’ve collaborated with him on this series feels truly surreal, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be embarking on this journey."

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Dominic Savage returns as creator and director

Dominic Savage, the creator of the series, will once again serve as the writer, director, and producer of the new season. He has maintained the same approach used in the past—developing each story in collaboration with the lead actor.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this includes Nicola Coughlan, who co-developed I Am Helen with Savage.

Savage has worked the same way with actors in previous seasons, including Kate Winslet, Lesley Manville, and Letitia Wright. Each story is unique to the actor and is crafted around themes they want to explore. This has become the hallmark of the series since it first premiered on Channel 4.

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Me+You Productions to produce the new season

The upcoming season will be produced by Me+You Productions. The company is led by Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee, and has previously won an Emmy Award for its work.

In a joint statement, Majumdar and Yee said:

"It’s a genuine privilege to continue our creative relationship with Dominic Savage, one of the most brilliant and uniquely talented filmmakers today, and to be working with Nicola Coughlan, one of the standout performers of her generation."

They added:

"Their collaboration on this two-part installment of I Am promises to be something truly special, and we’re deeply grateful to Channel 4 for their continued support and belief in this powerful series."

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Channel 4 recommissions the fourth season

Channel 4 has officially recommissioned the show for a fourth season. This follows the critical success of its earlier seasons, which each featured self-contained stories led by well-known female actors. The channel has supported the series since its first installment and continues to back Savage’s unique creative approach.

I Am Helen will consist of two episodes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it continues the series’ tradition of showcasing emotionally driven stories with minimal scripting and a documentary-style visual tone.

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Variety was the first outlet to report Coughlan’s casting.