Happy Valley star James Norton says finale script ‘goes against expectation’

By Lauren Morris

Published: Thursday, 26 January 2023 at 12:00 am

With just two episodes left until Happy Valley ends for good it’s difficult to know where the drama will go, particularly after the shocking end of last Sunday’s episode.

However, James Norton – who plays the villainous Tommy Lee Royce – is back to tease the highly-anticipated ending, revealing that it goes “against expectation”.

Speaking to BBC News ahead of the series’s penultimate episode, Norton said that he was given copies of the script first along with star Sarah Lancashire and had to keep quiet until the rest of the cast were given access.

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Tommy Lee Royce.
BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire

“Everyone I’ve spoken to who has read it is like ‘phew’,” he said. “It’s just great. It’s Sally [Wainwright, writer] letting rip in her wonderful way. Going against expectation, but also giving you what you want. I loved reading it.”

The actor added there’s also a “melancholy tinge” to the episode. “It’s the end of a very significant chapter for everyone.”

Norton took on the role of psychopathic criminal Tommy Lee Royce in 2014 and received a BAFTA nomination for his performance the following year, before appearing in Little Women, Rogue Agent, Black Mirror and McMafia among other projects.

Amit Shah, who plays Faisal in Happy Valley’s ongoing season, recently revealed that the show filmed multiple endings for the drama.

“Sally [Wainwright, creator] was actually directing those. So it’s quite open and we did different options, so I’m not entirely sure how he’s [Faisal] gonna end up,” he said.

Meanwhile, spoiler photos released earlier this week gave fans a first look at fugitive Royce in hiding, with the murderer stood breathless on a large hill, still in his cycling gear disguise.