Explosive behind the scenes secrets of Happy Valley’s jaw-dropping finale as creator gives update on another season

MORE than seven million people tuned in for the finale of Happy Valley, giving the BBC its biggest drama hit since the conclusion of Line Of Duty almost two years ago.

But almost as impressive was how many viewers were left feeling sorry for arch villain Tommy Lee Royce, who turned himself into a human fireball using petrol and matches.

Actor James Norton, who signed up to play Tommy a decade ago because he wanted to portray a baddie, believes his final act — in an emotional showdown with Sgt Catherine Cawood — revealed his character had a good side, too.

He told GQ magazine: “It was really heartbreaking for me. I recognise that there are absolutely despicable acts which he has committed along the way.

“But along that journey, I have been with him for ten years. I feel deeply sorry for him. I feel immense pity and empathy and I sort of really love him.”

A large portion of viewers agreed after watching Sunday night’s clash with Catherine, played by Sarah Lancashire, 58, where he expressed regret for torturing her daughter, Becky, who was the mother of his 16-year-old son Ryan.

After escaping prison, where he was serving a life sentence for murder, he secretly tried to persuade his lad to go on the run to Marbella with him.

But despite initially sounding like he was excited by the prospect, Ryan, played by Rhys Connah, opted to tell his gran and the police.

‘Sympathy to Tommy’

Heartbroken by what he saw as betrayal, and after grassing on gangsters certain to kill him, Tommy decided to end his miserable life.

James, 37, said: “My final conclusion on Tommy is that I don’t think he is a psychopath, he’s just incredibly damaged.

“He can find this incredible love for Ryan. Over the last seven years, that is what drives him.

“The more we went through the series I felt that I was able to tap into his humanity.

“I read episode six, the finale, before shooting the beginning of this series, so I was trying to find that love for Ryan all the way through.

“A person who is void of feeling and empathy, if anything I was playing someone completely opposite. Tommy was so charged up and full of love and full of hope.”

In an online poll carried out by The Sun, millions of readers said that despite Tommy Lee’s evil crimes, they did not hate him.

And social media was filled with viewers who saw their opinion of Tommy do a U-turn, if only briefly, which appeared to be the aim of writer Sally Wainwright.

One person tweeted: “Damn you Sally Wainwright for making me feel sorry for Tommy Lee. A testament to your writing skills.”

Another said: “Everything came full circle, but am I wrong to say that I really did feel sorry for Tommy, that he didn’t have everything that Ryan had, which made him the person that he was.”

Another tweeter added: “I guess Tommy invades the house with the intention of fire and murder. In the house he finds evidence of love, a love which disables him.”

And one more commented: “I still love Tommy Lee Royce. I think I need therapy but what a character.”

Happy Valley fans watched as Tommy broke into Catherine’s house, initially to burn it down with a can of petrol.

But after seeing photo albums of Becky and Ryan living a happy life, he was filled with regret.

Audiences were stunned by the incredible twist in the ending, which only a limited number of cast members were allowed to know about in order to keep it under wraps.

Speaking on ITV’s Loose Women, 16-year-old Rhys said: “When I was first given the script, the very first draft of episode six, I read some of it. When I got to the end, it’s all redacted, redacted, redacted. All of it.

“So I spoke to James and Sarah. I had an idea, they sort of told us, but I didn’t know how it was going to play out at all. I had no clue how it was going to play out on camera, the series of events.

“I think they went for a more emotional side, rather than a big fight between them. A lot of people weren’t expecting it but I think it was the best choice for me.”

Derek Riddell, who plays Catherine’s ex-husband, appeared on This Morning and said: “Once again, Sally surprised us.

“I hadn’t seen it. I don’t know what I expected but that was not what I expected. The conversation between Sarah and James had everything in it really and encapsulated a lot of Sally’s genius.

“At one point you even felt a bit of sympathy to Tommy and you could see this damaged little boy that had been brought up in this thing.

'Special moment’

“But then it switches again and Sarah gets her moment.”

The astonishing scenes helped draw the large audience, with millions more expected to watch the show on catch-up over the coming days and weeks.

The final viewing figures could be more than double the number who tuned in on Sunday.

Those 7.5million viewers did not come close to the 12.8million who tuned in for the finale of crime thriller Line Of Duty in May 2021, which gave the BBC its most- watched episode of any drama since modern records began in 2002.

But those who watched on Sunday were more satisfied with the ending of Happy Valley, with one tweeting: “Writer of Line Of Duty . . . this is how you do a finale.”

All the main players on the show, including creator Sally, insist there will not be a fourth series.

But speculation has still been growing because Catherine did not die and viewers did not actually see Tommy die either.

Some are even suggesting a spin-off series starring Ryan.

One person tweeted: “Anyone else love to see a series 4 with Ryan joining the police?” James revealed the painstaking effort the creative team put into making the final scene of series three so epic.

As well as having Tommy look as blooded, bruised and wounded as possible when he arrived at Catherine’s house, they also reconstructed her kitchen inside a studio for the final stunt.

James said: “I think it would be hard-pushed to go and ask the owner of the house, ‘Do you mind if we just exploded a human being in your kitchen?’.

“So they built it in a studio. Amazing art department. They literally built the exact room down to the scratches on the surface, the same kind of mugs, the same kind of plates. It was incredible.”

James posted a picture on his Instagram of him next to co-star Sarah, in costume and on the set of Happy Valley, both smiling broadly.

He revealed how, as Sarah was promoting the show ahead of the final series starting, she paid a special tribute.

James said: “She said something like, some of these scenes have been the most meaningful in her career.

“She couldn’t say at that moment that one of them was with me, but she looked at me in that moment very meaningfully. And it meant so much.

“It was an absolute privilege. I know actors throw those big words around a lot, but it was genuinely one of the most special moments of my career.”

• Happy Valley is available to view on BBC iPlayer.