+ Q&A with James Norton, Siobhan Finneran, Will Johnston and Jessica Taylor
Sally Wainwright’s multi-BAFTA award winning hit Happy Valley features Sarah Lancashire in her iconic role of Sergeant Catherine Cawood.
When Catherine discovers the remains of a gangland murder victim in a drained reservoir, it sparks a chain of events that leads her straight back to Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton). Her grandson, Ryan (Rhys Connah), is now sixteen and has ideas of his own about the kind of relationship he wants to have with the man Catherine refuses to acknowledge as his father, leaving Catherine’s sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) caught in the middle. In another part of the valley, a local pharmacist gets in over his head when a neighbour is arrested.
Happy Valley series three (6x60’) is a Lookout Point production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Executive producers are Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire, with Faith Penhale and Will Johnston for Lookout Point, Ben Irving and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC. In advance of series three, the first two series of Happy Valley are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
James Norton is an acclaimed stage and screen actor and producer with credits including Agnieszka Holland’s Mr Jones, McMafia, Black Mirror, The Trial of Christine Keeler, Grantchester and Sally Wainwright’s seminal crime drama Happy Valley for which he earned a BAFTA TV nomination. In 2021, Norton was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards for his performance in Nowhere Special, playing a single father with terminal cancer and most recently he produced and starred opposite Gemma Arteron in Netflix thriller, Rogue Agent.
James’s recent stage work includes Amy Herzog’s play, Belleville at the Donmar Theatre and Simon Evans’ critically acclaimed production of Bug in 2016 at Found111.
Siobhan Finneran made her screen debut in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and subsequently worked consistently in television drama including roles in Coronation Street (1989-1990), Clocking Off (2000-2002) and The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006). In 2005, Finneran originated the lead female role in the stage play On the Shore of the Wide World and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Also a comedy performer, Finneran appeared as Janice Garvey, a leading character in the first seven series of ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007-2015).
Later television roles include portraying a lawyer in the mini-series Unforgiven (2009), an embittered servant in the first three series of the costume drama Downton Abbey (2010–2012) and a recovering addict in Happy Valley (2014-present), for which she was nominated for the 2017 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later film credits include Mrs Swift in the 2013 film release, The Selfish Giant, which earned her a British Independent Film Award nomination. Finneran is also a prolific television documentary narrator.
Will Johnston is an Executive Producer at Lookout Point where he becomes Joint CEO in the new year. Alongside Happy Valley his credits include two series of Gentleman Jack, A Suitable Boy and the forthcoming Disney+ series Renegade Nell.
Jessica Taylor is the Producer of the final series of Happy Valley in her debut TV producing role. Her involvement with Happy Valley began on series 1 as the hair and makeup designer. Her credits in this role include Cracker, Last Tango in Halifax, The Village, Life on Mars and Cutting It, for which she won the RTS Award for Best Makeup Design. She is currently producing an 8 part Harlan Coben series for Netflix.
HAPPY VALLEY (Final Series)
Written and Created by: Sally Wainwright
Directed by: Patrick Harkins, Sally Wainwright
©: Lookout Point Ltd
Original Series Developed and Produced by: Red Production
Production Company: Lookout Point
In co-production with: AMC/AMC+
For: BBC
Produced in association with: BBC Studios Distribution
Executive Producers for BBC: Rebecca Ferguson, Ben Irving
Executive Producers: Will Johnston, Faith Penhale, Sarah Lancashire, Sally Wainwright
Produced by: Jessica Taylor
Line Producers: Lisa Corkill, Andy Kitching
Assistant Producer: Emma Blauciak
Head of Production: Louise Mutter
Casting: Beverly Keogh
Script Supervisor: Angie Pontefract
1st Assistant Director: Morris Milne
Location Manager: Luc Webster
Directors of Photography: Dale Elena McCready, Andrew McDonnell
Camera & Steadicam Operator: Chris Hutchinson
Editor: Richard Cox
Post-production Producer: Kate McKerrell
Post-production Supervisor: Alistair Hopkins
Production Designers: Steven Grainger, Pawlo Wintoniuk
Supervising Art Director: Lawrence Hearn
Art Director: Jordan McHale
Prop Master: Al Brauders
SFX: Chris Fowles
VFX: The Flying Colour Company
Title Design: Nanook Studio
Costumer Designer: Ian W. Holmes
Costume Supervisor: Samantha Green
Hair and Make-up Designer: Nadia El-Saffar
Hair and Make-up Supervisor: Rachael Bryant
Music by: Ben Foster
Production Sound Mixer: Jonathan Wyatt
Dialogue Editor: Alex Sawyer
Cast
Sarah Lancashire (Catherine Cawood)
James Norton (Tommy Lee Royce)
Siobhan Finneran (Clare Cartwright)
George Costigan (Nevison Gallagher)
Rhys Connah (Ryan Cawood)
Karl Davies (Daniel Cawood)
Vincent Franklin (Andy Shepherd)
Charlie Murphy (Ann Gallagher)
Con O’Neill (Neil Ackroyd)
Derek Riddell (Richard Cawood)
Amit Shah (Faisal Bhatti)
Mark Stanley (Rob Hepworth)
Rick Warden (Mike Taylor)
Mollie Winnard (Joanna Hepworth)
UK 2022
60 mins
Episode 1
IN PERSON & PREVIEWS
TV Preview: Happy Valley Final Series Episode 1 + Q&A
Tue 6 Dec 18:15
Preview: Emancipation
Wed 7 Dec 18:00
Book Launch Event: The Shining (Extended Version) + Q&A with Lee Unkrich
Thu 8 Dec 18:40
Peter Greenaway in Conversation
Fri 9 Dec 18:20
The Precious Things: BBC Centenary Special + intro
Sat 10 Dec 14:20
TV Preview: His Dark Materials + Q&A with Cast & Crew TBC
Tue 13 Dec 18:00
TV Preview: Ghosts Christmas Special + Q&A with cast and crew
Thu 15 Dec 18:20
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Programme notes and credits compiled by the BFI Documentation Unit
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