One of the most surprising and controversial series of this year, Baby reindeerwon the Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series on Sunday night. After thanking his team, series creator Richard Gadd referred to the “slump” the entertainment industry is currently experiencing.

“I believe that a crisis can never be overcome without risk-taking,” said Gadd. “I think if Baby reindeer has proven something, there is no magic formula for it. But you don’t need big stars, proven intellectual property, long-running series or a catchy narrative to land a hit.”

The series was the second most nominated show in this category this year with a total of 11 nominations, followed by True Detective: NightlandDuring his speech, Gadd encouraged both viewers and other television creators to “dare to fail in order to achieve something.”

“The one constant for any success in television is good storytelling, good storytelling that speaks to our times,” Gadd said. “So take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable.”

The Netflix series had already taken home three Emmy Awards in the “Limited or Anthology Series” category tonight: one for lead actor, one for supporting actress and another for screenplay. Gadd had previously accepted the award for screenplay for a limited series and called the award “the stuff dreams are made of.”

“Look, 10 years ago I was devastated; I never thought I would ever get my life back on track,” Gadd said of his autobiographical series. “I never thought I could make up for what happened to me and get back on my feet, and now here I am, a little over a decade later, winning one of the most important awards in television screenwriting.”

The series, which takes several unexpected twists and turns, follows Gadd, who also created the series, as his character Donny Dunn. Dunn deals with complicated feelings for a stalker, played by Jessica Gunning, and tries to understand the sexual abuse he previously suffered. The unusual mix of black humor, suspenseful drama and clever cliffhangers made the series a popular audience favorite.

One person who didn’t like it, however, was a woman named Fiona Harvey, who claimed that Gadd based the stalker character on her. She filed a $50 million lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the platform of “defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, gross negligence, and violation of Harvey’s privacy rights arising from the brutal lies the defendants told about her in the television series. Baby reindeer.” The controversy only increased interest in the show.

Before Sunday’s broadcast, the series had already won two Emmys. The fourth episode received a trophy for Outstanding Cinematography Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie, while the series as a whole won a statuette for Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie.