The tense moment beat competition from Ncuti Gatwa’s introduction in Doctor Who and Logan Roy’s death in Succession.
2023 was a year packed with memorable TV moments – and the final showdown in Happy Valley has been named the best of the bunch at the BAFTA Television Awards.
The climactic moment from the last ever episode of the hugely acclaimed drama series beat competition from the likes of Ncuti Gatwa’s introduction as the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who and Logan Roy’s death in Succession to be crowner winner of the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award.
The award is the only one to be voted for by the viewing public, and Happy Valley’s win represents another major honour for a show that has already won big at the NTA Awards and topped the list of the most-watched drama series of 2023.
The incredibly tense scene saw Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) finally come face-to-face in the former’s kitchen, where they had an intense exchange about the death of Catherine’s daughter many years earlier.
The scene ended with Tommy dousing himself in petrol and setting himself on fire, with it later being confirmed that he had died from his wounds.
The award was accepted by Rhys Connah, who played Catherine’s grandson and Tommy’s son Ryan Cawood throughout the series, beginning when he was just eight years old.
“I got a message the other day saying that if we won this that I could give a few words,” he said on accepting the award, before adding: “They didn’t tell me I’d be doing it on my own – I thought I’d have a few people behind me!”
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After some laughs from the audience, he continued: “Honestly, thank you so, so much for every single person who watched the show, who voted for the show – it means so much to me and everyone else down there, and everyone else who works on Happy Valley. We cannot thank you enough.”
He added: “And thanks mostly to Sally Wainwright, the writer of the show, for writing that incredible scene where my dad blows himself up in front of my grandma… bit dark! So, just thank you to everyone, really.”
The Memorable Moment was not the only one won by Happy Valley on the night, with Sarah Lancashire also picking up the honour for Best Actress.
Happy Valley is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.