Meet the cast of Happy Valley season 3

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Sunday, 01 January 2023 at 12:00 am

Amidst the post-Christmas TV schedule, there has been one drama that’s been a little more anticipated than others. Happy Valley is finally returning to our screens after seven long years and it’s safe to say that the series does not disappoint.

In the third and final season, we follow Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) once more as she investigates the discovery of a gangland murder victim in a drained reservoir. The case sparks a chain of events that lead her straight back to her longstanding nemesis Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton).

Now 16 years old, Ryan (Rhys Connah), has ideas of his own about the kind of relationship he wants to have with Royce, the man Catherine refuses to acknowledge as his father, which leaves Catherine’s sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) caught in the middle. Like previous seasons, this Happy Valley also brilliantly ties in another tale in a different part of the Valley, this time focusing on a local pharmacist.

As well as fan-favourite Lancashire returning to our screens for a final run, there are many returning faces as well as new characters that will play a major part in the third season of Happy Valley. Keen to know exactly who they are and where you’ve seen them before? Read on to find out more about the cast of season 3.

Happy Valley season 3 cast

Sarah Lancashire plays Catherine Cawood

BBC, Lookout Point, Matt Squire

Who is Catherine Cawood? The lead character in Happy Valley, Catherine is a beloved Sergeant and grandmother to Ryan, who she has helped raise since his teenage mother Becky died by suicide.

What else has Sarah Lancashire been in? As well as roles in MotherFatherSon and Last Tango in Halifax, Lancashire has most recently had starring roles in 2018 Channel 4 drama Kiri, as well as appearing as Julia Child in HBO’s Julia earlier in 2022.

Tommy Lee Royce plays James Norton

BBC/Lookout Point/AMC/Alex Telfer

Who is Tommy Lee Royce? Catherine’s adversary, Royce is currently in prison for a variety of different crimes from over the course of previous seasons. In this new season, viewers will see just how he becomes wrapped up in a new murder case, as well as how he’s been building a relationship with son Ryan after the surprise season 2 finale.

What else has James Norton been in? The 37-year-old actor has been in many well-known British series such as Grantchester, War & Peace, McMafia and The Trial of Christine Keeler.

Rhys Connah plays Ryan Cawood

BBC

Who is Ryan Cawood? Catherine’s grandson and the son of her daughter Becky and Tommy Lee Royce, who raped Becky as a teenager. He has primarily been raised by Catherine and her sister Clare but season 2 saw Ryan having to face the reality of his father’s prison sentence.

He was coerced by teaching assistant Miss Wealand (Shirley Henderson) to write his father a letter, even though contact between the two was strictly forbidden by the court. In season 3, viewers will be able to see the impact of that letter and the burgeoning relationship between the now teenage Ryan and Royce.

What else has Rhys Connah been in? Connah – who has played Ryan since he was a child in season 1 – has also starred in 2015 film The Messenger and 2017 series The White Princess alongside Jodie Comer.

Siobhan Finneran plays Clare Cartwright

BBC

Who is Clare Cartwright? Catherine’s sister, Clare is a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict who is often seen running her support group, tending to her allotment, having cups of tea and cigarettes with her sister and caring for Ryan.

What else has Siobhan Finneran been in? Although a fan-favourite character in Happy Valley, Finneran has been in a multitude of different projects over the years including multiple stage performances, as well as detective drama The Moorside, The Loch and most recently, Netflix thriller The Stranger.

Con O’Neill plays Neil Ackroyd

BBC

Who is Neil Ackroyd? Clare’s boyfriend and fellow recovering alcoholic, Neil has been the focus Catherine’s scrutiny in past seasons but has proven himself to be an integral part of the Cawood clan.

What else has Con O’Neill been in? For many, O’Neill will be most recognisable from his role as Val in British sitcom Uncle but more recently, has starred in The Batman film, Chernobyl, Wild Bill and Our Flag Means Death.

Amit Shah plays Faisal Bhatti

BBC

Who is Faisal Bhatti? Bhatti is one of the new faces joining the cast of Happy Valley season 3. He is a pharmacist in the Valley who appears to be caught up in a mess of his own, aka he’s a character that is one to watch.

What else has Amit Shah been in? Shah has previously appeared in The Other One, The Witcher and His Dark Materials and is one of the new cast members confirmed for season 12 of Death in Paradise.

Mark Stanley plays Rob Hepworth

BBC

Who is Rob Hepworth? A new character for season3, Rob is Ryan’s football coach who appears to have an angry streak. He is father to two young daughters and is the husband of Joanna but not everything is quite what it seems with this couple.

What else has Mark Stanley been in? As well as starring as Grenn in Game of Thrones, crime drama fans will most certainly recognise Stanley from some recent hits such as White House Farm, The Bay, Trigger Point and The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.

Mollie Winnard plays Joanna Hepworth

BBC

Who is Joanna Hepworth? Wife of Ryan and mother to their two young daughters, we meet Joanna as an enigmatic character who appears to be struggling. When she is arrested by Catherine, we start to learn of secret happenings in her neighbourhood that point to something much sinister in the Valley.

What else has Mollie Winnard been in? Fans of All Creatures Great and Small will recognise Winnard as Maggie from seasons 1 and 2. She has also appeared in Four Lives, Coronation Street and Love, Lies and Records.

Charlie Murphy plays Ann Gallagher

BBC

Who is Ann Gallagher? We first met Ann, the daughter of billionaire businessman Nevison, in season 1 when she was kidnapped by Royce on behalf of Nevison’s disgruntled accountant, Kevin Weatherill (Steve Pemberton). She was raped and held hostage by Royce, but managed to recover from the tragic events and subsequently joined Catherine in the police force in season 2.

What else has Charlie Murphy been in? The Irish actor has appeared in Peaky Blinders as Jessie Eden and most recently also starred in Halo, Deadline and The Capture.

George Costigan as Nevison Gallagher

BBC

Who is Nevison Gallagher? A wealthy business mogul, Nevison was the victim of a cruel plot after refusing to give his accountant a pay rise in season 1. More recently, though, Nevison is adapting to life without his wife, Helen, who died of cancer.

What else has George Costigan been in? A well-known actor, Costigan has appeared in series like The Bill, A Touch of Frost, New Tricks, Casualty and more recently as Patrick Fairbank in Line of Duty and as James Holt in Gentleman Jack.

Rick Warden plays Mike Taylor

BBC

Who is Mike Taylor? Inspector Taylor has been a long-running character in Happy Valley. He works closely with Catherine and in this new season is the bearer of some bad news as it relates to Catherine, Ryan and Tommy Lee Royce.

What else has Rick Warden been in? As well as appearing in new ITVX drama A Spy Among Friends, Warden has also starred in Trigger Point, Rules of the Game and Casualty.