Happy Valley series 3 cast list and actor character profiles

Joining the trio in the third season are a bunch of familiar faces, including Siobhan Finneran as Catherine’s sister Clare Cartwright and Con O’Neill as Clare’s boyfriend Neil Ackroyd.

There are also some new cast additions to look forward to, in particular Sex Education’s Jack Bandeira, God’s Own Country’s Alec Secareanu and Gentleman Jack’s Anthony Flanagan.

Keen to know exactly who’s in the cast of Happy Valley season 3, which writer Sally Wainwright has teased will have “a very definite climax”? Read on to find out more about the cast of season 3 and where you’ve seen the stars before.

Who’s in the cast of Happy Valley season 3?

The full cast of Happy Valley season 3 is as follows.

• Sarah Lancashire as PS Catherine Cawood
• James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce
• Siobhan Finneran as Clare Cartwright
• George Costigan as Nevison Gallagher
• Rhys Connah as Ryan Cawood
• Karl Davies as Daniel Cawood
• Vincent Franklin as Detective Superintendent Andy Shepherd
• Charlie Murphy as PC Ann Gallagher
• Con O’Neill as Neil Ackroyd
• Derek Riddell as Richard Cawood
• Amit Shah as Faisal Bhatti
• Rick Warden as Police Inspector Mike Taylor
• Mark Stanley as Rob Hepworth
• Mollie Winnard as Joanna Hepworth
• Susan Lynch as Alison Garrs
• Ishia Bennison as Joyce
• Shane Zaza as PC Shafiq Shah
• Chord Melodic as PC ‘Sledge’
• Mete Dursun as PC Gorkem Tekeli
• Jason Merrells as DC Stead
• Joe Simpson as DC Carey
• Oliver Huntingdon as Ivan
• Jack Bandeira as Matja
• Ezra Brook as Joseph Palmer
• Saba Nikoufekr as Nazeem
• Anthony Flanagan as Viktor
• Alec Secareanu as TBC

For more about the major players in Happy Valley season 3, read on…

Sarah Lancashire plays PS Catherine Cawood

Who is Catherine Cawood? The lead character in Happy Valley, Catherine is a beloved Sergeant and grandmother to Ryan, who she has helped raise since his teenage mother Becky died by suicide.

What else has Sarah Lancashire been in? As well as roles in MotherFatherSon and Last Tango in Halifax, Lancashire has most recently had starring roles in the 2018 Channel 4 drama Kiri, as well as appearing as Julia Child in HBO’s Julia earlier in 2022.

James Norton plays Tommy Lee Royce

Who is Tommy Lee Royce? Catherine’s adversary, Royce is currently in prison for a variety of different crimes from over the course of previous seasons. In this new season, viewers will see just how he becomes wrapped up in a new murder case, as well as how he’s been building a relationship with son Ryan after the surprise season 2 finale.

What else has James Norton been in? The 37-year-old actor has been in many well-known British series such as Grantchester, War & Peace, McMafia and The Trial of Christine Keeler.

George Costigan plays Nevison Gallagher

Who is Nevison Gallagher? A wealthy business mogul, Nevison was the victim of a cruel plot after refusing to give his accountant a pay rise in season 1. More recently, though, Nevison is adapting to life without his wife, Helen, who died of cancer. In the new season, Nevison is closer to the Cawoods than ever and may even have a romantic interest in Catherine…

What else has George Costigan been in? A well-known actor, Costigan has appeared in series like The Bill, A Touch of Frost, New Tricks, Casualty and more recently as Patrick Fairbank in Line of Duty and as James Holt in Gentleman Jack.

Rhys Connah plays Ryan Cawood

Who is Ryan Cawood? Catherine’s grandson and the son of her daughter Becky and Tommy Lee Royce, who raped Becky as a teenager. He has primarily been raised by Catherine and her sister Clare but season 2 saw Ryan having to face the reality of his father’s prison sentence.

He was coerced by teaching assistant Miss Wealand (Shirley Henderson) to write his father a letter, even though contact between the two was strictly forbidden by the court. In season 3, viewers will be able to see the impact of that letter and the burgeoning relationship between the now-teenage Ryan and Royce.

What else has Rhys Connah been in? Connah – who has played Ryan since he was a child in season 1 – has also starred in 2015 film The Messenger and 2017 series The White Princess alongside Jodie Comer.

Siobhan Finneran plays Clare Cartwright

Who is Clare Cartwright? Catherine’s sister, Clare is a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict who is often seen running her support group, tending to her allotment, having cups of tea and cigarettes with her sister and caring for Ryan.

What else has Siobhan Finneran been in? Although a fan-favourite character in Happy Valley, Finneran has been in a multitude of different projects over the years including multiple stage performances, as well as detective drama The Moorside, The Loch and most recently, Netflix thriller The Stranger.

Vincent Franklin plays Detective Superintendent Andy Shepherd

Who is Detective Superintendent Andy Shepherd? A superior to Catherine, Shepherd investigates a murder in the new run. Andy previously appeared as part of an investigation into a series of murders in the second run.

What else has Vincent Franklin been in? Franklin is best known for his films with Mike Leigh such as films Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake, and Mr Turner, plus the films The Bourne Identity, Confetti, and The Illusionist, as well as roles in the TV series Cucumber and Bodyguard.

Charlie Murphy plays PC Ann Gallagher

Who is PC Ann Gallagher? We first met Ann, the daughter of billionaire businessman Nevison, in season 1 when she was kidnapped by Royce on behalf of Nevison’s disgruntled accountant, Kevin Weatherill (Steve Pemberton). She was raped and held hostage by Royce but managed to recover from the tragic events and subsequently joined Catherine in the police force in season 2. In the third season, Ann is now in a relationship with Catherine’s son Daniel.

What else has Charlie Murphy been in? The Irish actor has appeared in Peaky Blinders as Jessie Eden and most recently also starred in Halo, Deadline and The Capture.

Karl Davies plays Daniel Cawood

Who is Daniel Cawood? The son of Catherine Cawood from her marriage to Richard, Daniel used to be estranged from his mother and nephew Ryan, but after the breakdown of his relationship, Daniel returned to his family fold in the second season. In the third run, Daniel has never been closer to his mum and Ryan and is also now in a relationship with Ann.

What else has Karl Davies been in? Davies is best known for his turn as Robert Sugden in Emmerdale from 2001 to 2005 and then for a brief turn in 2009, while also appearing in Lyle Anderson. Davies also appears in The Bay, Brief Encounters and My Mad Fat Diary.

Con O’Neill plays Neil Ackroyd

Who is Neil Ackroyd? Clare’s boyfriend and fellow recovering alcoholic, Neil has been the focus Catherine’s scrutiny in the previous season but has proven himself to be an integral part of the Cawood clan.

What else has Con O’Neill been in? For many, O’Neill will be most recognisable from his role as Val in British sitcom Uncle but more recently, has starred in The Batman film, Chernobyl, Wild Bill and Our Flag Means Death.

Derek Riddell plays Richard Cawood

Who is Richard Cawood? Richard is the ex-husband of Catherine, the father of Daniel and the grandfather of Ryan. Richard and Catherine split after the death of their daughter but maintained a sexual relationship despite his remarriage. The character was absent from the second season but returns in the new run as his marriage disintegrates.

What else has Derek Riddell been in? Best known for his role in the Channel 4 drama No Angels, Riddell has also appeared in Doctor Who, Ugly Betty, Silent Witness, Waterloo Road, and Shetland.

Amit Shah plays Faisal Bhatti

Who is Faisal Bhatti? Bhatti is one of the new faces joining the cast of Happy Valley season 3. He is a pharmacist in the Valley who appears to be caught up in a mess of his own, aka he’s a character that is one to watch.

What else has Amit Shah been in? Shah has previously appeared in The Other One, The Witcher and His Dark Materials and is one of the new cast members confirmed for season 12 of Death in Paradise.

Rick Warden plays Police Inspector Mike Taylor

Who is Mike Taylor? Inspector Taylor has been a long-running character in Happy Valley. He works closely with Catherine and in this new season is the bearer of some bad news as it relates to Catherine, Ryan and Tommy Lee Royce.

What else has Rick Warden been in? As well as appearing in new ITVX drama A Spy Among Friends, Warden has also starred in Trigger Point, Rules of the Game and Casualty.

Mark Stanley plays Rob Hepworth

Who is Rob Hepworth? A new character for season3, Rob is Ryan’s football coach who appears to have an angry streak. He is father to two young daughters and is the husband of Joanna but not everything is quite what it seems with this couple.

What else has Mark Stanley been in? As well as starring as Grenn in Game of Thrones, crime drama fans will most certainly recognise Stanley from some recent hits such as White House Farm, The Bay, Trigger Point and The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.

Mollie Winnard plays Joanna Hepworth

Who is Joanna Hepworth? Wife of Ryan and mother to their two young daughters, we meet Joanna as an enigmatic character who appears to be struggling. When she is arrested by Catherine, we start to learn of secret happenings in her neighbourhood that point to something much sinister in the Valley.

What else has Mollie Winnard been in? Fans of All Creatures Great and Small will recognise Winnard as Maggie from seasons 1 and 2. She has also appeared in Four Lives, Coronation Street and Love, Lies and Records.

Susan Lynch plays Alison Garr

Who is Alison Garrs? A farmer who appeared in the second season, Alison was the victim of sexual abuse in her youth and gave birth to a son named Darryl who was the product of incest. Alison later killed her own son after discovering he was a serial killer and then attempted suicide. How will Alison and Catherine be reunited this time around?What else has Susan Lynch been in? A Northern Irish actress, Lynch is best known for her turns in §6 Years of Alcohol, Waking Ned, Nora, Beautiful Creatures, and From Hell.

Anthony Flanagan plays Viktor

Who is Viktor? A mysterious character who will be introduced in the third episode of Happy Valley’s final season, Viktor is likely connected to the Knezevic crime family – or could even be one himself.

What else has Anthony Flanagan been in? The Stockport actor is best known for his role as policeman Tony in Shameless but has also appeared in Survivors, Life on Mars, Doctor Who and House of the Dragon.

Who else appears in Happy Valley season 3?

Elsewhere, more returning faces include Shane Zaza as PC Shafiq Shah, Mete Dursun as PC Gorkem Tekeli, Chord Melodic as another PC dubbed ‘Sledge’ and Ishia Bennison as Joyce, all of whom work with Catherine at the police station.

As for new faces, those include The Rising’s Oliver Huntingdon who will play Ivan, Sex Education’s Jack Bandeira as Matija, while God’s Own Country’s Alec Secareanu rounds out the cast.

Happy Valley season 3 airs on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.