Happy Valley

If you look at the schedules, it would be reasonable to assume that everyone in Yorkshire goes about their day-to-day life followed by a camera crew. It seems we have every profession covered, including vets, farmers, midwives, shepherdesses, auctioneers and airport workers.

In addition, Yorkshire continues to inspire writers like me to write shows such as Gentleman Jack, Ackley Bridge, Hullraisers, Happy Valley and, of course, Emmerdale, which recently celebrated 50 years of being filmed in the region.

Happy Valley last aired in 2016, and speaking to Radio Times earlier this year, Sally Wainwright confirmed that the new series will jump time accordingly, taking place seven years after the events of the last.

In one image, Sarah Lancashire can be seen making her final outing as Sergeant Catherine Cawood, sporting a bloody nose after a police raid.

Sarah Lancashire will be returning to her iconic role of Sergeant Catherine Cawood, with James Norton reprising his role as the murdering sex offender Tommy Lee Royce and Siobhan Finneran also returning for series three as Catherine’s sister, the recovering addict Clare Cartwright.

The BBC has announced the new cast for series three, with Amit Shah (The Other One), Mark Stanley (The Girl Before) and Mollie Winnard (Four Lives) joining Happy Valley’s celebrated lineup.

After a five-year hiatus, Wainwright has written six new episodes of the West Yorkshire set police drama, with Sarah Lancashire returning to her iconic role as Sergeant Catherine Cawood.

James Norton (McMafia) will reprise his role as Tommy Lee Royce, the murderer and sex-offender who assaulted Catherine’s daughter. Siobhan Finneran (Alma’s Not Normal) will also return as Catherine’s sister, the recovering addict Clare Cartwright.

She is now penning the second series of the hit BBC drama, which is based on the diaries of a 19^th century landowner exploring her lesbian sexuality.

Progress, however, has been slow. “I’ve got tons of work to do, but I’ve found it very hard to concentrate,” admitted Wainwright. She has turned out one episode during eight weeks of lockdown, a slower pace of writing than usual.

Normally, she said, “I take my deadlines very seriously”, but the coronavirus outbreak has put back filming of the new series from June to September.

Series binging over weekly releases has become the new norm, and brand new, high-quality TV content seems to be in endless supply.

The competition for viewers’ attention has intensified tenfold, and the leading broadcasters have risen to the challenge.

At the beginning of a new decade, we look back at some of the most memorable performances and series of the last ten years.

Gentleman Jack wowed critics and audiences alike when it aired on BBC One earlier this year. This was a Sunday-night period drama with a difference – based on the diaries of early 19th-century landowner, industrialist and traveller Anne Lister, it revealed a woman determined to explore her lesbian sexuality.

Wainwright was joined on stage by series consultant Anne Choma and folk duo O’Hooley & Tidow, the creators of the drama’s closing song, who also played a live set.

Finneran plays Cheshire housewife Nikki Kirkbright, who develops a close bond with David Marsden (Robert Bathhurst) through his job in personal finance.

Despite her luxurious lifestyle, there is more than meets the eye as it becomes apparent that Nikki's husband George (Robert Glenister) is not the man he seems. 

When secrets are revealed, will David be able to help Nikki escape, or will he get tangled up in the situation?