arah Lancashire has mentioned she hopes the success of Happy Valley encourages extra storylines starring older females after the hit present received the returning drama prize on the National Television Awards.

The BBC crime sequence beat out medical drama Call The Midwife, Netflix sci-fi hit Stranger Things and detective sequence Vera on the annual award ceremony held at The O2 in London on Tuesday evening.

Asked within the present’s winner’s room if she thinks her casting will encourage extra storylines starring older females, the 58-year-old actress mentioned: “I do hope.

“I think things are changing and they’ve needed to change for a long time, evolution is slow but we’re catching up.”

She confirmed there won't be one other sequence after their success as she feels the present is full, including: “It was a story told as a trilogy which has been a great way to tell a story arch.

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“The danger is you carry on and it losses its potency but I think this way it keeps it on top.”

The actress additionally praised the “calibre of writing” by creator Sally Wainwright and the manufacturing staff.

She additionally picked up the most effective drama efficiency award later within the night, seeing off robust competitors from her co-star James Norton, Queen Charlotte’s India Amarteifio, Vera’s Brenda Blethyn and Call The Midwife’s Judy Parfitt.

Collecting the award on stage, she mentioned: “Thank you so much for this. I have adored every scene, every moment of Happy Valley and I know I will never forget it.”

Comedian Joel Dommett kicked off the present by introducing a few of the nominees earlier than he informed the viewers: “My wife is actually nine months pregnant, she is due basically now.”

He joked that if his accomplice, Hannah Cooper, goes into labour, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are on standby to take her to the hospital.

Reality TV sequence Gogglebox took residence the primary award of the evening, The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, seeing off robust competitors from The Masked Singer and Donnelly and McPartlin who have been nominated for 2 of their reveals, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway.

BBC’s The Traitors additionally obtained the award for finest actuality competitors and The Graham Norton Show received within the new TV interviews class, beating Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, Louis Theroux Interviews… and The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show to assert the prize.

Norton appeared on a video hyperlink to gather the award, saying: “I’m so sorry I can’t be there. Finally, I win a National Television Award and I’m not there.”

He added: “This award, winning it means so much. Mostly it means that Ant and Dec don’t have a talk show… yet. Don’t do it to me, boys.”

The Our Dementia Choir delivered a transferring efficiency in the course of the present, with This Is England actress Vicky McClure admitting she was “shaking” throughout it.

McClure, who's the founding father of the choir, informed the viewers: “I am shaking through pride that I am feeling right now to witness Our Dementia Choir playing at the O2.”

She added: “Our mission is to share knowledge, raise awareness and aid research to help find a cure, but also to remind everyone that with the right hearts and minds you really can change people’s lives for the better.”

Earlier within the night, Sir Lenny Henry mentioned “there’s a lot of change happening” within the TV business close to range, however mentioned that “the fight… is something that’s ongoing”.

Speaking to the PA news company on the pink carpet on the NTAs, the 65-year-old actor mentioned: “Things are changing.

“We’re seeing more people of colour wielding clipboards and telling people what to do.

“I see more people with disabilities doing stuff, I see more people with tattoos.

“I think there’s a lot of change happening, just in the last five years but, don’t let anybody be thinking that it’s over.

“Because the fight and, it is a fight, is something that’s ongoing.”