Lancashire’s performance as Catherine Cawood saw her pick up the Best Actress trophy. <\/p>
It\u2019s safe to say that Sarah Lancashire\u2019s impeccable performance as Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley<\/a>\u2018s final season was throughly deserving of accolades \u2013 but the star has said her win at tonight\u2019s BAFTA Television Awards<\/a> came as something of a surprise to her.<\/p>\n Lancashire was up against stiff competition from the likes of The Last of Us<\/a> star Bella Ramsey, Nolly\u2019s Helena Bonham Carter and The Sixth Commandment\u2019s Anne Reid in the Best Actress category \u2013 but was ultimately crowned winner.<\/p>\n And speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press in the winners\u2019 room after picking up her golden mask, Lancashire said she was \u201cshocked\u201d by the result.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was totally unexpected,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I know people say that, but it was totally unexpected; I am very shocked indeed.\u201d<\/p> She went on to heap praise on the \u201cextraordinary\u201d and \u201csymphonic\u201d writing of the show\u2019s creator Sally Wainwright.<\/p>\n \u201cShe is so attuned to dialogue and to character in a way that I\u2019ve never encountered before, and she\u2019s never come my way before. And from an actor\u2019s perspective, it\u2019s everything that you would hope for, really.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, speaking about the public\u2019s reaction to the drama, Lancashire said that she was \u201cvery surprised\u201d by how many people flocked back to the show given the lengthy gap between its second and third seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, it was a lovely surprise,\u201d she added. \u201cI\u2019m very glad that they did, and Sally\u2019s very glad that they did. I think the third season was a very fitting end to the trilogy.\u201d<\/p>\n The public\u2019s incredibly enthusiastic response to the show can be summed up by the fact that Happy Valley also won the award<\/a> for Best Memorable Moment \u2013 the only category that is voted for by viewers.<\/p>\n It won for the incredibly tense scene that saw Catherine confront Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) in her kitchen in the final episode, with star Rhys Connah taking to the stage to accept the prize.<\/p>\n\n