Happy Valley series 3 promises to be THE television event of the year – not least because of some exciting new cast members.
The final ever series of the Sarah Lancashire detective drama is set to air later this year or early 2023.
And we can reveal that a well known Gentleman Jack star has been signed up to take part!
So who is joining the regular cast of Happy Valley for the third and final series?
Here’s everything we know so far.
Happy Valley series 3 new cast – Anthony Flanagan plays Victor
BBC One has confirmed that Gentleman Jack actor Anthony Flanagan has joined the cast of the third and final series of Happy Valley.
All we know at this stage is that he will play a character called Victor.
The actor, 50, has played both policemen and criminals in his career, so it could go either way!
Anthony portrays Ben Sowden in the BBC One drama Gentleman Jack opposite Suranne Jones.
TV fans will also know him as Thomas Kneedling in Around the World in 80 Days, Flavian Creech in Endeavour, and PC Sean Cobley in Wild Bill.
Most recently he played Ser Steffon Darklyn in the much-hyped House of Dragons.
Who else joins the cast of series 3?
BBC One has also confirmed several other new faces for series 3 of Happy Valley.
Oliver Huntington is a relative newcomer, but viewers of The Rising will know him as Nicky.
He’s also starred in The Colour Room, Domina, Just Charlie, and one episode of The End of the F***ing World.
Meanwhile, Jack Bandeira also joins the cast of Happy Valley’s final ever series.
He’s known for The Witcher, Sex Education, Noughts + Crosses, and Silent Witness.
Alec Secareanu will also star in the series.
The actor is known for his role as Gheorghe Ionescu in God’s Own Country, opposite The Crown star Josh O’Connor.
Who else stars in Happy Valley?
The third series of Sally Wainwright’s multi-BAFTA award-winning hit Happy Valley will return late 2022 or early 2023.
The six-part series will feature Sarah Lancashire in her iconic role of Sergeant Catherine Cawood for the last time.
James Norton will return as villain Tommy Lee Royce, this time with a radically different look.
Siobhan Finneran returns as Catherine’s sister Clare, while Rhys Connah plays teenage grandson Ryan – yes, he’s 16 now!
The final series will also see the return of Happy Valley favourites Ishia Bennison as Joyce, Shane Zaza as Shaf, Chord Melodic as Sledge, and Mete Dursun as Gorkem.
They join the previously announced new and returning cast members: Con O’Neill, George Costigan, Charlie Murphy, Derek Riddell, Karl Davies, Susan Lynch, Rick Warden, Vincent Franklin, Amit Shah, Mark Stanley, and Mollie Winnard.
What’s the plot of new series?
In series 3, Catherine is on the cusp of retirement (we’ll believe that when we see it).
However, as well as battling the seemingly never-ending problem of drugs in the valley, she also 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 her nemesis 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 his father Tommy.
Read more: Was Mare of Easttown inspired by BBC crime drama Happy Valley?
Happy Valley series 3 will air later in 2022, or early in 2023 on BBC One.
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