Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Victoria Johns

Happy Valley fans heap praise on Sarah Lancashire as they call tense scene 'best TV ever'

Happy Valley fans reckon Sarah Lancashire delivered an acting "masterclass" in the latest episode of Happy Valley.

The former Coronation Street actress, 58, plays police sergeant Catherine Cawood in the BBC show, which is now in its third series.

In Sunday's show, Catherine confronted her sister Clare - played by Siobhan Finneran, 56, - for taking her grandson Rhys to visit his evil dad Tommy Lee Royce in prison without her consent.

Fans were left in tears after the cliffhanger in which Catherine saw a vision of her late daughter Becky before silently sobbing as she left the cafe in which she'd had it out with Clare in.

Taking to Twitter, viewers called the scene the "best TV ever" with many praising the actresses for their talent.

One said: "The cafe scene was as good as seen in any movie. The tension was unbearable."

Another tweeted: "Ten minutes of two people talking in a cafe. One of the best scenes in a TV drama in years."

Happy Valley fans reckon Sarah Lancashire delivered an acting "masterclass" in the latest episode of Happy Valley (BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)

While a third said: "‘Haven’t got the vocabulary for how utterly brilliant this is. Everything, every nuance, done to perfection."

Others hailed Sarah "one of the best [actresses] of all time" and the "GOAT".

"Just give Sarah Lancashire all the Acting Awards for 2023… no one could come close," one fan gushed.

Viewers reckon Sarah should get 'all the acting awards for 2023' (BBC/Red Productions)

While another said: "That was a very tense episode. My heart was racing towards the end, sat on the edge of my sofa stuff . They are so amazing, I just love Sarah Lancashire. Here's hoping they get an award for outstanding t.v. series."

Sarah won the Bafta for Best Actress for her portrayal of Catherine in 2017 and was nominated in 2015.

In 2017, the star also won the National Television Award for Best Drama Performance for the role.

Sarah won a Bafta for her role as Catherine (BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)

Happy Valley has millions of loyal fans and even beat Prince Harry's bombshell interview with Tom Bradby in a ratings war last week.

The loose-lipped duke suffered a blow when it was revealed the BBC drama was watched by 5.25million viewers compared to Harry: The Interview’s 4.10million.

The show is also having an “outstanding impact” on tourism in Hebden Bridge and West Yorkshire’s Calder Valley, where it's filmed – with viewers from around the world all eager to visit.

Cllr Tim Swift, Calderdale Council’s Leader, told us: “Calderdale is known for its distinctive landscape, architecture and heritage, and when these are showcased on screen they become stars of the show, just like the characters.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.