Sarah Lancashire hints at another Sally Wainwright project: "When do we start?"

In one of the higlights of the evening, Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire was also awarded the coveted Special Recognition Award by Sir Ian McKellen.

Lancashire played Sergeant Catherine Cawood in Sally Wainwright's gritty police drama for three seasons, with the series coming to an emotional end earlier this year.

Following the ceremony, the actress was full of praise for Wainwright, with whom she also collaborated on Last Tango in Halifax, and even hinted at future projects.

Lancashire revealed she would ask "when do we start?" should Wainwright pick up the phone with a new role.

And in terms of what we might expect from a new project, Lancashire was quick to explain she would let Wainwright take the lead on that.

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"I’m putty in [Wainwright's] hands, really," Lancashire told RadioTimes.com.

"She’s a remarkable writer, she’s a genius. We normally wait until people have moved on before we say that, but she is a genius, a rare commodity and she’s very valued; people look after her because they recognise she has this exceptional talent."

She added: "And as and when we collaborate again, I just yield, give into it, and marvel in where she will take me - because whatever we do together, she will always challenge me, always. And I need that, I need constantly to be challenged."

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