Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire shares reaction to BAFTA win

sarah lancashire with her bafta award for leading actress for happy valley
Happy Valley star shares reaction to BAFTA winRowben Lantion - Getty Images
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Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire has reacted to her win at the BAFTA TV Awards last night (May 12).

The star took home her prize for Best Leading Actress for her role in Sally Wainwright's Yorkshire-based police drama, and following the announcement, spoke about it to Digital Spy and other press outlets.

"I'm shocked," she said. "Really shocked. It was totally unexpected, and I know people say that, but it was totally unexpected. Yes, very shocked indeed. But of course, it was fabulous to have it."

sarah lancashire, happy valley, season 3
Matt Squire - BBC

Related: Casualty cast react to BAFTA win

She admitted that she wasn't even sure that the third season would have that many viewers, let alone win a BATA, stating that: "I was surprised how many people came back after so many years, it was a lovely surprise.

"I'm really glad that they did... because I think the third season was a very fitting end of the trilogy and the quality didn't drop at all...

"[Sally Wainwright's] writing, as you all know, is extraordinary, and musical, symphonic. She is so attuned to dialogue and to character in a way that I've not encountered before, which has never come my way before.

"From an actor's perspective it's everything that you hope for really."

sarah lancashire with her bafta award for leading actress for happy valley
Rowben Lantion - Getty Images

Related: Coronation Street's Antony Cotton reacts to the soap receiving no BAFTA nominations

She said it was easier to say goodbye to Catherine Cawood than it would have otherwise been due to the arc being set up to play out over three seasons, and that the character was building up to retire in the final run of episodes.

"What is hardest to walk away from is the company of actors that you're working with," she added, "we worked together very closely over 10 years and I do feel extraordinarily privileged to have had their company for such a long time, and they're rather irreplaceable to be honest."

You can find out all of the winners from last night's BAFTA TV Awards right here.

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