MORE than 11 million viewers tuned in to watch the explosive Happy Valley finale last night. 

The BBC crime drama gave fans a nail-biting final showdown between Sergeant Catherine Cawood and her nemesis Tommy Lee Royce – with the hero copper coming out on top.

Happy Valley, which first aired in 2014, has served up a raft of familiar faces throughout its three seasons.

Many of its stars first appeared in two of Britain's biggest soaps – including Sarah Lancashire, who played ditzy barmaid Raquel Wolstenhulme on Coronation Street between 1987 and 2000.

But how many others do you remember?

Clare Cartwright

Siobhan Finneran played Catherine's sister Clare Cartwright, whose character battled addiction and fell out with her sibling over taking her grandson Ryan to see his dad, Tommy, in prison.

But decades before Happy Valley the actress, now 56, played Heather Hutchinson on Emmerdale.

She was the estranged daughter of Jed Outhwaite, and famously had an affair with Terry Woods.

Heather left the show after calling time on her romance and announcing she would quit her job at The Woolpack and move to Hotten with kids Kirsty and Lyn.

Prior to her stint in the Dales, Siobhan played Josie Phillips on Corrie, who worked at Mike Baldwin’s factory, first as a packer then on the sewing machines.

Most read in Drama

Josie, who had many rows with Mike, made 23 appearances before leaving the soap after just over a year in 1990.

DI Jodie Shackleton

Katherine Kelly played DI Jodie Shackleton in the second season of Happy Valley.

The character had to prove her worth after claims emerged that her senior police officer dad helped to progress her career.

Before that Katherine, now 43, was best-known for playing barmaid Becky McDonald, who was married to Steve McDonald.

Her character faced heartache including alcohol addiction and two miscarriages. 

After six years Becky left the cobbles for Barbados in 2012 with boyfriend Danny Stratton, having turned down Steve’s attempt to win her back.

Nevison Gallagher

George Costigan played wealthy business mogul Nevison Gallagher, whose daughter Ann was abducted and raped by Tommy in series one.

The actor, 75, also played Emmerdale conman Charlie Haynes, who tried to scam Diane Sugden by stealing all her savings in 2010.

He spent five months on the soap – and also appeared in Line Of Duty, Gentleman Jack and the Clint Eastwood-directed film Hereafter.

Amanda Wadsworth

Few can forget Julie Hesmondhalgh’s portrayal of sweet Hayley Cropper, the first transgender character in British soap history. 

She spent 16 years on the cobbles until 2014, when her character ended her life through assisted suicide after a battle with terminal pancreatic cancer.

Julie, 52, played midwife Amanda Wadsworth in the second season of Happy Valley, who had a turbulent relationship with her husband.

Daniel Cawood

Karl Davies played Catherine’s son Daniel in Happy Valley, but die-hard soap fans will remember the 40-year-old actor from his younger days on Emmerdale.

Karl played Robert Sugden – the third actor to take on the role – between 2001 and 2009, before he was replaced by Ryan Hawley in 2014.

While he played Robert, he slept with brother Andy's wife Katie (Sammy Winward) before then cheating on her with Sadie King – played by Patsy Kensit.

Joanna Hepworth

Mollie Winnard, 25, played battered wife Joanna Hepworth in Happy Valley, who was abused by her husband and later murdered by twisted pharmacist Faisal Bhatti.

She previously played troubled waitress Kayla Clifton on Corrie, who arrived on the cobbles to cause trouble for the Platt family.

In the soap she planned to get revenge for her policeman dad Neil, who was jailed for grooming and raping Bethany Platt.

PC 'Sledge'

Chord Melodic, 36, played PC ‘Sledge’ in Happy Valley’s second season, but he too has popped up in Corrie.

The actor played Joe Haslam, an old army colleague of Gary Windass who visited him in the Rovers in July 2017 with a view to getting him working for a private security firm he ran.

Julie Cowgill

Rachel Leskovac starred in Happy Valley’s first season as Julie Cowgill, who was married to drug dealer and kidnapper Ashley. 

Before that role the actress, 46, was probably best known for playing hairdresser Natasha Blakeman in Corrie.

Her initial stint on the cobbles lasted two years until 2010, before she returned with son Sam in tow in 2020 and died a year later after being accidentally shot.

Mrs Murkherjee

Mina Anwar, 53, played Ryan’s schoolteacher Mrs Murkherjee in series one of Happy Valley – but has acted in a number of other shows including The Bill, Doctors and Casualty.

Eagle-eyed soap lovers will remember Mina’s stint in Coronation Street as Ravinder Kalirai, who had an affair with shop owner Dev Alahan and fell pregnant with daughter Amber.

She stayed on Corrie for seven months until May 2006, when Ravinder fled to Finland with a new man.

Joyce

Ishia Bennison has played police receptionist Joyce in all three seasons of Happy Valley and was charged with organising Catherine’s leaving do.

The actress previously played Guizin Osman, the long-suffering Turkish wife of gambler Mehmet Osman, on EastEnders for four years until 1989.

She’s also had stints on Coronation Street, where she played Mrs Mawdsley in 2000, and Emmerdale as Jackie Stiles in 2007.

Ros Cawood

Former model Kelly Harrison, 42, played Ros Cawood, the new wife of Catherine’s ex-husband Richard in Happy Valley.

Corrie fans will remember her as the scorned ex-wife of Nick Tilsley, Elsa, who turned up on the cobbles in 2018.

Nick had kept his family secret from her, and during their messy divorce it emerged he had swindled her out of inheritance money. 

DS John Wadsworth

Kevin Doyle is best known for playing footman Joseph Molesley in Downton Abbey but has also had stints in Happy Valley and Corrie.

Read More on The Sun

My son’s school fined me £240 over hol – now I’m playing them at their own game

Locals are being forced out of our village and tourists are taking over

The actor played DS John Wadsworth in the second season of the BBC crime drama – a family man whose life falls apart, leading to both him and his wife seeing other people.

Kevin, 62, also appeared as Hugh Ridley, the boss of Newton And Ridley Brewery, in two episodes of Coronation Street back in 1987.

Source: Read Full Article