NTAs 2017: 'Call The Midwife' Producer Highlights Women's Issues After Winning Best Period Drama

‘Call The Midwife’ producer Pippa Harris took the opportunity to shine a light on women’s issues, during her acceptance speech at the National Television Awards on Wednesday (25 January).

The BBC series triumphed in the category of Period Drama, beating stiff competition from ‘Poldark’, ‘Victoria’, ‘Peaky Blinders’ and ‘Stranger Things’.

However, while the show is set in the 1960s, Pippa used her acceptance speech to highlight that many of the problems faced by the women on the show are still prevalent today, particularly in the current climate.

Taking to the stage with the rest of the cast, she said: “For us, it’s a bit ironic to be winning Period Drama when many people watch the show because it sheds a light on issues and struggles they’re facing today.

“And we focus particularly on women’s issues and stories, and on the battles that our mothers and grandmothers fought many years ago, and which I thought we had all won.”

To rapturous applause from the audience at the O2, she added: “But at a time when women’s issues are being marginalised and ignored, then it seems even more important to keep telling those stories.”

The show’s victory came just days after hundreds of thousands of women all over the world came together to march in protest, following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, particularly over his policies and past behaviour relating to women.

Other big winners at the NTAs included Ant and Dec, who received three awards in total, and ‘Emmerdale’, which won in the Serial Drama category for the first time ever.