The third and final season of Happy Valley continues next Sunday, and for fans who are desperate to find out what happens next after that shocking cliffhanger, we have our first look at what to expect.
In newly released images from episode 3, Ryan (Rhys Connah) can be seen visiting Tommy (James Norton) in prison along with Neil (Con O’Neill), meaning we will get to see what happened while we were following Catherine (Sarah Lancashire) and Clare (Siobhan Finneran) at the end of episode 2. In one of the images, Ryan appears to be smiling at Tommy.
The first episode of this season saw Catherine finding out that Ryan had been visiting his biological father behind her back, escorted by a couple. In episode 2, she discovered the couple was her sister Clare and Clare’s partner Neil, with this proving to be the ultimate betrayal.
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The official synopsis for episode 3 reads as follows: “Catherine confronts Clare and presents Ryan with an ultimatum. Faisal and Joanna hatch a plan that takes an unexpected turn.”
Ryan’s repeated visits to see Tommy and Clare’s betrayal could well be leading up to the “big face-to-face showdown” between Catherine and Tommy which creator Sally Wainwright has teased for this season, which she said is “the kind of cathartic showdown that people have waited for”.
“It’s pretty dramatic.”
Wainwright has been clear that this will definitely be the final season of Happy Valley, with executive producer Will Johnston recently adding: “It definitely isn’t coming back – and again this is [from] Sally and Sarah who completely and rightly feel that you can have too much of a good thing”.
Meanwhile, Tommy actor James Norton has teased a finale which will “deliver” for the fans, saying: “We’re all aware of the incredible love people have for it and we really have to deliver. But I’m pretty sure that, by the time you get to the finale, you’ll be reeling.”
Happy Valley season 3 continues on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The first two seasons are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
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