Actress Charlie Murphy has thrown us Happy Valley fans a bone and shared some exciting news about series 3.
The upcoming third and final series – SOB! – of the excellent police drama promises to be the best thing on TV this year.
And cast member Charlie will be reprising her role as fledging cop Ann Gallagher.
Here’s all the news we have about Happy Valley series 3.
Read more: Married At First Sight Australia: Are Tamara and Brent still together?
Is there news about Happy Valley series 3?
Yes! Actress Charlie Murphy has teased some important news about the upcoming series 3 of Happy Valley.
On Friday (April 29 2022), she told her 60,000 Instagram followers that she had said goodbye to her character for good.
She wrote: “That’s a wrap on Ann Gallagher. What a journey! Goodbye Happy Valley you’ve been a particularly special one.”
The TV star, who also played Jessie Eden in Peaky Blinders, made sure she tagged in her Happy Valley co-star James Norton.
View this post on Instagram
Fans were naturally keen to react to her exciting news, with a resounding “can’t wait”.
One fan spoke for all of us when they wrote: “Best show there ever was. Ever!”
Read more: Where is Freeze the Fear filmed? The stunning location of the BBC survival show
What is the Happy Valley series 3 start date?
A BBC representative told us that Happy Valley series 3 is still shooting at present.
We hope that doesn’t mean a premature end for Ann Gallagher (gulp?).
The channel are unable to give us a start date at this early stage.
However, if we keep everything crossed, there’s a chance we might get to see Happy Valley series 3 at the end of this year.
If not, we’re very hopeful that fans will get to see the Sarah Lancashire drama return in early 2023.
We do know that Happy Valley series 3 will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
When did series 3 start filming?
Filming began on Happy Valley series 3 in January 2022.
At the time, the BBC confirmed that the cast and crew had come together once again in West Yorkshire for the third and final series of Sally Wainwright’s BAFTA award winning series.
How many episodes will series 3 be?
Happy Valley series 3 will be six glorious episodes long.
Although we already know it won’t be enough.
The BBC told us: “Sarah Lancashire returns to her iconic role of Sergeant Catherine Cawood for six new episodes, long discussed by Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire as the final chapter of the Happy Valley story.”
Who else will return to the Happy Valley series 3 cast?
James Norton and Siobhan Finneran will also return for series 3 of Happy Valley.
Viewers know that James Norton plays Catherine’s nemesis, the murderer and sex-offender Tommy Lee Royce.
Siobhan portrays Catherine’s sister, the recovering addict Clare Cartwright.
Meanwhile, Con O’Neill will reprise his role as Clare’s recovering alcoholic boyfriend Neil Ackroyd.
George Costigan will return as Nevison Gallagher, with Charlie Murphy as his daughter and Catherine’s police colleague Ann.
They will be joined by other Happy Valley returning favourites including Derek Riddell as Richard Cawood, Karl Davies as Daniel Cawood, and Susan Lynch as Alison Garrs.
Rick Warden will portray Mike Taylor, Vincent Franklin will play Andy Shepherd, and Rhys Connah stars as Catherine’s grandson Ryan Cawood.
Are there any new cast members in series 3 of Happy Valley?
Mark Stanley, who recently played Mark Darwin in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, joins the cast of Happy Valley series 3.
He also played DI Thom Youngblood in Trigger Point.
The Long Call star Amit Shah also joins the cast, as does Mollie Winnard of All Creatures Great and Small fame.
We’re told all three will play pivotal roles in Happy Valley’s final chapter.
What happens in series 3?
The BBC tell us: “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 16 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.”
Are Happy Valley series 1 and 2 still on iPlayer?
Happy Valley series 1 and 2 premiered on BBC One in 2014 and 2016 respectively.
The first series was watched by an average of eight million viewers.
Series 2 averaged 9.3 million viewers.
The series 2 finale was watched by 9.8 million viewers when it aired in 2016.
Both six-part series are still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Happy Valley series 3 will return to BBC One in later 2022 or early 2023. Series 1 and 2 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Are you a fan of Sarah Lancashire and her work? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.