Girls: Lena Dunham inspired by Gavin & Stacey, Ab Fab and Prime Suspect

The brains behind Girls named hit BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey - starring Joanna Page, Alison Steadman, Ruth Jones and James Corden - as one of her inspirations, alongside Prime Suspect and Absolutely Fabulous.

Dunhum spoke at last night's Royal Television Society Programme Awards where Girls, her controversial comedy drama about a group of dysfunctional twenty-somethings in New York, won the international award. Accepting the award via video link, Dunham said: "I grew up watching British television; some of the shows that shaped me are Prime Suspect, Ab Fab and, more recently, Gavin & Stacey. And if there's a BBC mini-series, you cannot keep me away from it."

The 26-year-old star went on to say that: "The idea that our show would have any impact on British television watchers the way that television from your fine country has affected me is just thrilling. We love the UK – we are inspired by your sense of humour and your love of tea and we will continue to try to please you in upcoming seasons."

The second series of Girls, which follows the escapades of Hannah, Marnie, Shosanna and Jessa, has just finished airing on Sky Atlantic. A third series of the show has been comissioned.