Sarah Lancashire shocks fans with real accent as she delivers NTA acceptance speech for Happy Valley role

Sarah Lancashire confused audiences with her real voice (Picture: Shutterstock)

Sarah Lancashire sent fans into a tizzy when she opened her mouth to thank them for her National Television Award on Tuesday night. 

The 58-year-old actress received a gong at London’s O2 for her role in BBC drama Happy Valley and delivered a speech to the packed out arena. 

Shocking viewers and the evening’s host Joel Dommett, the audience couldn’t get over how different the star’s real voice was from her on-screen character’s accent.

Used to hearing a broad northern twang come out of Sarah’s mouth, no one was ready for the well-spoken, southern drawl that escaped her lips as she thanked her list of nearest and dearest. 

Members of the public took to Twitter to express their amusement and disbelief at the winner of the best actress award’s real voice. 

One penned: ‘Watching the NTAs-always good entertainment value-and when you realise/hadn’t realised before (like the Compere) that  is Sarah Lancashire’s real accent and demeanour (quite prim and proper and quietly-spoken)-so very different from the characters she’s played over the years….’

Sarah won an award for her performance (Picture: Shutterstock)

Another said: ‘Anyone else forget that Sarah Lancashire doesn’t have a deep northern accent in real life?! #NTAs’

‘Sarah Lancashire accent in real life I’m shook why did I think she was from Yorkshire,’ a separate account wrote online, while a user added: ‘Love the collective shock of hearing Sarah Lancashire’s real accent #NTAs2023 Well done to her though, great actress’. 

Following her award, the star spoke to press in the winners room – where Metro.co.uk were present – and revealed Happy Valley was well and truly finished. 

The star delivered an acceptance speech (Picture: Getty Images)

She explained when asked if the much-loved series would continue: ‘No it’s a story told as a trilogy. The danger is you carry on you carry on and it loses it’s potency.’

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The star went on to add she hoped the success of Happy Valley would encourage more storylines starring older females – after the hit show won the returning drama prize. 

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

She saw off tough competition from her co-star James Norton, Queen Charlotte’s India Amarteifio, Vera’s Brenda Blethyn and Call The Midwife’s Judy Parfitt on the night and left victorious.

Later on in the evening, the star was awarded a special recognition presented to her by Sir Ian McKellen.

As she walked to the stage, the crowd chanted her name and wiping back tears she exclaimed: ‘You have no idea how it feels to have so many nice things said about you!’

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