The third series of the BBC's hit drama Happy Valley reached its conclusion on Sunday night (February 5). The main character, police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, was confronted by James Norton's evil escaped prisoner Tommy Lee Royce during an unbearably tense scene that kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
The acclaimed show's third set of episodes came six years after the second series, giving enough time for Catherine's grandson - and Royce's son - Ryan to grow up and begin to make up his own mind about his criminal father. Viewers may be wondering whether they'll have to wait such a long time for Happy Valley to return again - but its writer, Sally Wainwright, has already spoken about the prospect of a fourth season.
Wainwright told the BBC late last year: "I waited six years because I wanted to get to a point where Ryan would be old enough to start making choices about whether he wanted to have a relationship with his dad or not. And could he have a relationship with his dad, and how would Catherine feel about that?
"I really wanted to be able to explore that. Just the right period of time because he is now 16, so he can travel places by himself, he can make choices. He can do things behind Catherine’s back."
Wainwright added: "The intention developed through conversations I had with Sarah to make it a three-parter, to make a trilogy. We always said this would be the final season and it is very definitely is the final season."
And speaking at a BFI screening, executive producer Will Johnston also confirmed the news, YorkshireLive reports. He said: "It definitely isn't coming back – and again this is [from] Sally and Sarah who completely and rightly feel that you can have too much of a good thing. We're really not doing any more.
"When you get to it [the ending], I really hope you'll feel content that if that's the last you ever see of the characters of Happy Valley, it was a big way to go out."
