Sarah Lancashire’s moving acceptance speech on the importance of television has gone viral with audiences up and down the country left crying their hearts out.

The Happy Valley actress, 58, collected the Outstanding Achievement Award at the star-studded Royal Television Society Awards on Tuesday.

During her time on stage to accept the gong, Sarah told a story about how she was once approached by an elderly woman at Christmas time, who told her ‘I bet you think what you do doesn’t matter.’

Sarah continued: ‘She said, “Tomorrow is Christmas Day and I will be on my own, but I will have the television on all day and that will be my company, so thank you”.’

Concluding her heartfelt speech, she added: ‘I think we all need to carry on doing what we are doing because it really is company for so many people.’

Sarah Lancashire shared a moving story about an elderly woman and the importance of television as she collected her Oustanding Achievement Award (Picture: @scottygb/Twitter)

Viewers up and down the country were left in pieces by Sarah’s powerful story, with one writing: ‘Just when I thought I couldn’t love her more. What a lovely lady.’

Another penned: ‘What an incredible woman! I would never ever have a bad thing to say about her. She’s amazing and I love her.’

The Happy Valley actress’s acceptance speech has gone viral since the RTA’s earlier this week (Picture: BBC)

A third added: ‘Just stunning!! I still can’t get over the fact that the arts have sometimes been said to not be that important…. Imagine a life with no TV, music, books, radio, theatre etc…

‘The whole world revolves around the arts! It brings people together and creates special memories!’

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Last week, it was revealed that Sarah is among the leading actress nominations at this year’s Bafta TV Awards for her role in Julia.

She will battle it out against Imelda Staunton, who played the Queen, in the latest series of The Crown, Kate Winslet for I Am Ruth, Billie Piper for I Hate Suzie Too, Maxine Peake for Anne, and Vicky McClure for Without Sin.

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‘Just when I thought I couldn’t love her more.’