Happy Valley creator updates fans about final series

Virgin Radio

19 Jul 2022, 12:25

There's good news and bad news. The good news is that hit BBC drama Happy Valley is set to return to our screens for a third series. However, the bad news is that it will be the final outing for the show. 

The show’s creator, Sally Wainwright, has confirmed that filming for the show is done and dusted, and that the narrative of series three will pick up seven years from where we left it at the end of series two. 

The awesome Sarah Lancashire will reprise her role as Sergeant Catherine Cawood, and there will be plenty of other familiar faces returning too. 

In an interview with Radio Times, Sally said: “I think it's going to be good. I think it's going to be exciting. We've got some very good stories.”

She added: “Everyone's back - all the characters you'd expect to see are back. We're seven years on.”

Explaining why we have moved seven years along in the story’s timeline, the writer explained that it was to allow Catherine's grandson, Ryan Cawood (Rhys Connah), to be a bit older.

She told RadioTimes.com: “The plan was to wait for Ryan to be older so that he can make his own choices about whether he wants to have contact with his dad or not. So it really explores that.”

Speaking of which, the new series will also see the return of murderer and sex offender, Tommy Lee Royce, who is also Ryan's father, played by James Norton.

The official BBC synopsis of the new series says: “When Catherine discovers the remains of a gangland murder victim in a drained reservoir, it sparks a chain of events that unwittingly leads her straight back to Tommy Lee Royce. 

"Her grandson Ryan is now sixteen and still living with Catherine, but he has ideas of his own about what kind of relationship he wants to have with the man Catherine refuses to acknowledge as his father. Still battling the seemingly never-ending problem of drugs in the valley and those who supply them, Catherine is on the cusp of retirement.”

Catherine’s sister, recovering addict Clare Cartwright, will be back, once again portrayed by Siobhan Finneran. Con O’Neill returns too as Clare’s recovering alcoholic boyfriend, Neil Ackroyd.

George Costigan and Charlie Murphy will reprise their roles too, as will Derek Riddell, Karl Davies, Susan Lynch, Rick Warden, and Vincent Franklin.

Joining the cast for the third and final series are Amit Shah, Mark Stanley and Mollie Winnard. The latter appeared on Coronation Street as Kayla Clifton.

As yet, there is no set date for the return of Happy Valley for its final season.