James Norton wouldn’t turn down the chance to do another series of ‘Happy Valley’.
The 31-year-old actor has admitted he’d jump at the chance to reprise his role as rapist Tommy Lee Royce in the popular crime drama if screen writer Sally Wainwright approaches him about taking part in the third instalment.
Speaking on ‘This Morning’ on Thursday (20.04.17), he said: "Sally has said so, so it’s all in her hands but if they would like me back then it would be hard to say no."
However, not everyone is as willing to do another batch of episodes as Sarah Lancashire threw things into chaos last year when she said she had no intention of reprising her role as lead Catherine Cawood in the show because it was "over."
She said at the time: "It’s the end of the story for ‘Happy Valley’. I wouldn’t want it to go to a third series, I really wouldn’t – then it becomes something else.
"We set out to tell a story and we have told it.
"The temptation is you see something that is great and you think, ‘This can run and run and run’, but then it becomes a homogenised, diluted thing."
Thankfully, the 52-year-old actress had a change of heart shortly after she was crowned Best Actress – for her role in the drama – at the TV Choice Awards in London last September and said she would consider doing one more series.
She said at the time: "I thought we’d already had the end but Sally [Wainwright, writer] feels there is a very final ending needed for the show and for Catherine. There is going to be a very big full-stop to the piece."
Although Sally is yet to sit down and take pen to paper, it’s believed the next series will see Sergeant Catherine – who is still grieving for her dead daughter – contemplate leaving the corrupt police force as she continues to protect her fragile grandson Ryan (Rhys Conna) from his rapist father (James) – who is serving time in prison for raping the officer’s daughter – and his conniving girlfriend.
Sally said previously: "It [the third series] will happen but it will be a little while. I have got some good ideas."