Fans of Happy Valley have been transfixed by straight-talking Sergeant Catherine Cawood over the past three series of the hit BBC drama, written and created by Sally Wainwright. While rooting for Catherine to head off into the sunset on a safe road to retirement in her restored Land Rover, viewers are binge-watching Sally's other Yorkshire-based series Last Tango in Halifax on iPlayer - and there's a fascinating crossover between the two BAFTA award-winning shows.
Actress Sarah Lancashire plays headteacher Caroline in Last Tango in Halifax, screened on BBC One from 2012 to 2020, and has also been winning hearts as Catherine in Happy Valley since 2014. In the fifth and final series of Last Tango in Halifax there was a moment when PC Cheryl, played by Rachel Lescovac who also starred in Happy Valley as Julie the wife of drug dealer Ashley Cowgill, talked to Caroline about Sergeant Cawood being "terrifying" in a sweet tribute to its Calder Valley sister show.
Sue Spedding asked on Facebook: "I have just finished binge watching Last Tango in Halifax and in the final series Gillian’s ex Robbie’s ex Cheryl, a policewoman, threatens a character with Sergeant Cawood. I wonder which came first - at what point did Sally Wainwright get inspired to create a series around Sergeant Cawood?"
