Sarah Lancashire has left 'panicked' Happy Valley fans convinced either she or co-star Siobhan Finneran might meet their maker in the show's finale, after something her character Catherine Cawood said near the end of Sunday's episode.
Nine years after its explosive debut on the BBC, the smash hit Sally Wainwright drama will come to an end this weekend, with BBC One set to gather one of its biggest audiences 2023 for the last ever episode. Things were set up nicely for a thrilling conclusion when Tommy Lee Royce escaped from court and cycled off to freedom at the end of episode four, with a showdown with Catherine looking very much on the cards.
Having been left furious by sister Clare betraying her by taking grandson Ryan to see his dad Tommy in prison, Catherine was left shell shocked by the news that Tommy had escaped and became desperate to protect her family against him. However, there is clearly no love lost between her and Clare as, after Clare suggested they could all take an extended holiday abroad, Catherine gave her very short shrift.
READ MORE: Happy Valley to get extended finale as BBC confirm schedule change
Happy Valley viewers at home were left on the edges of their seats as Catherine tore into her sibling, blasting: "You're the last person I'[d go on holiday with Clare and that moron you spend your days with. We've got nothing in common you bore me; you have this idiotic, dependant personality.
"You let yourself be talked into doing something so repugnant and offensive to me by him. And what is he? He's now, he's an empty vessel, a siphon...but then so are you, so I guess that works."
But, it was Catherine's parting shot to Clare that sent alarm bells ringing for viewers watching at home, when she said: "Just keep an eye on Ryan and know, whatever, I've done my best for you, all of you...so whatever. Right, good luck, I'm going back to work."
While some fans took to Twitter to voice their concerns for Catherine's fate, others thought she'd end up living to regret her verbal assault on Clare, with one tweeting: "I don’t feel hopeful for Clare, guys. You can’t have a scene like that where Catherine was so awful to her without consequence. Claire’s gunna die in Catherine’s arms isn’t she, after trying to save Ryan. I can’t."
Thinking the same, another reacted: "I think Catherine and Ryan survive. But I don’t have good feelings about Clare’s survival. I think she dies and Catherine will be left feeling guilty forever for everything she said to her." And, another sharer of that theory responded: "My opinion is that Clare will make the ultimate sacrifice (take a bullet for her )for Catherine after what Catherine said to her sister and she can’t take it back"
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