# List of Happy Valley characters
This is a list of characters from *Happy Valley*, the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) crime drama written by [Sally Wainwright](https://www.edgepedia.org/sally-wainwright), set in the Calder Valley in [West Yorkshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-yorkshire) and broadcast in three series between 2014 and 2023.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/happy_valley/cast-and-crew) • [2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf)
| Character | Actor | Role | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Wadsworth | Kevin Doyle | Detective Sergeant with a troubled home life | 2[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) |
| Faisal Bhatti | Amit Shah | Pharmacist drawn into crime | 3[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) |
## The Cawood family
**Catherine Cawood** ([Sarah Lancashire](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-lancashire)) is the lead character, a police sergeant in Halifax who has helped raise her grandson Ryan since his teenage mother Becky died by suicide.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) In the opening episode of series 1 she introduces herself by saying she is divorced, lives with her sister, a recovering heroin addict, and has two grown-up children, one dead and one who does not speak to her, and a grandson.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-bbc1-tv-review-give-me-this-homegrown-yorkshireset-fargo-over-the-new-remake-any-day-9303078.html)
**Clare Cartwright** ([Siobhan Finneran](https://www.edgepedia.org/siobhan-finneran)) is Catherine's sister, a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict often seen running her support group and caring for Ryan.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Ryan Cawood** (Rhys Connah) is the son of Becky and Tommy Lee Royce, who raped Becky as a teenager. He has primarily been raised by Catherine and Clare; in series 2 he faces the reality of his father's prison sentence, and in series 3 the now-teenage Ryan builds a relationship with Royce.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Daniel Cawood** ([Karl Davies](https://www.edgepedia.org/karl-davies)) is Catherine's son from her marriage to Richard. He was estranged from his mother but returned to the family fold in series 2, and by series 3 is in a relationship with Ann Gallagher.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Richard Cawood** (Derek Riddell) is Catherine's ex-husband, father of Daniel and grandfather of Ryan. He and Catherine split after the death of their daughter; absent from series 2, he returns in series 3 as his second marriage disintegrates.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
## Criminals and their victims
**Tommy Lee Royce** (James Norton) is Catherine's adversary, imprisoned for crimes committed over the course of the series. In series 3 he becomes wrapped up in a new murder case while building his relationship with Ryan.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Ann Gallagher** (Charlie Murphy) is the daughter of businessman Nevison. She was kidnapped in series 1 by Royce on behalf of Nevison's disgruntled accountant Kevin Weatherill, was raped and held hostage by Royce, recovered, and joined the police in series 2.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Nevison Gallagher** ([George Costigan](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-costigan)) is a wealthy businessman who was the victim of the series 1 kidnapping plot after refusing his accountant a pay rise. By series 3 he is adapting to life without his wife Helen, who died of cancer.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
**Alison Garrs** ([Susan Lynch](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-lynch)) is a farmer who appears in series 2 and 3. She killed her own son Daryl after discovering he was a serial killer and then attempted suicide; she later becomes a loyal friend to Catherine.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) • [5](https://www.amc.com/blogs/where-to-find-happy-valley-cast-members-on-amc-and-acorn-tv--1063010)
## Police colleagues
Catherine's colleagues include **Detective Superintendent Andy Shepherd** (Vincent Franklin), head of the Murder Squad for Halifax Police; **Inspector Mike Taylor** (Rick Warden), her supervisor; and **PC Shafiq Shah** (Shane Zaza).[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) Series 2 also introduces **DI Jodie Shackleton** ([Katherine Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine-kelly-actress)), a high-flying detective who thinks she is a cut above Catherine but lacks her powers of deduction.[5](https://www.amc.com/blogs/where-to-find-happy-valley-cast-members-on-amc-and-acorn-tv--1063010)
## Series 1 characters
The first series centers on the kidnapping of Ann Gallagher. **Kevin Weatherill** ([Steve Pemberton](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-pemberton)) is Nevison Gallagher's overlooked company accountant, described in one review as "a perfect cartoon of envy, cowardice and regret as his plan inevitably goes awry"; he proposes the kidnapping to fund his daughters' schooling.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-bbc1-tv-review-give-me-this-homegrown-yorkshireset-fargo-over-the-new-remake-any-day-9303078.html)
## Series 2 characters
Series 2 adds **Detective Sergeant John Wadsworth** (Kevin Doyle), a DS with a troubled home life whose girlfriend unexpectedly turns up at the house he shares with his wife and children;[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) **Amanda Wadsworth** ([Julie Hesmondhalgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/julie-hesmondhalgh)), John's wife;[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) and **Frances Drummond** ([Shirley Henderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/shirley-henderson)), Ryan's teaching assistant and an infatuated admirer of Tommy who grooms Ryan into contacting his father in prison.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) Other series 2 cast include **Neil Ackroyd** (Con O'Neill), an old friend of Clare and later her partner; **Daryl Garrs** ([Robert Emms](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-emms)), Alison's son;[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) **Sean Balmforth** (Matthew Lewis);[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf) and **Helen Gallagher** (Jill Baker), Nevison's wife.[2](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf)
## Series 3 characters
The final series introduces the pharmacist **Faisal Bhatti** ([Amit Shah](https://www.edgepedia.org/amit-shah)), whose willingness to dispense off-the-books diazepam brings him into conflict with the Knezevic family of local crime lords and with the Hepworth family.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-review-series-3-catherine-b2254505.html) **Rob Hepworth** (Mark Stanley) is Ryan's football coach, father to two young daughters and husband to **Joanna Hepworth** ([Mollie Winnard](https://www.edgepedia.org/mollie-winnard)), who is misusing prescription medication.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) • [6](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-review-series-3-catherine-b2254505.html) The crime side is filled by **Darius Knezevic** (Alec Secareanu), a powerful figure in local organized crime and an old associate of Tommy Lee Royce, and **Viktor** (Anthony Flanagan), connected to the Knezevic family.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/) Other new faces include Oliver Huntingdon as Ivan and Jack Bandeira as Matja, both criminals.[3](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
## References
1. [Happy Valley: Full Cast & Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/happy_valley/cast-and-crew)
2. [Happy Valley Series 2 Media Pack, BBC](https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/happy-valley-2-media-pack.pdf)
3. [Meet the cast of Happy Valley season 3, Radio Times](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-3-cast/)
4. [Happy Valley, BBC1 – TV review, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-bbc1-tv-review-give-me-this-homegrown-yorkshireset-fargo-over-the-new-remake-any-day-9303078.html)
5. [Where To Find Happy Valley Cast Members on AMC+ And Acorn TV, AMC](https://www.amc.com/blogs/where-to-find-happy-valley-cast-members-on-amc-and-acorn-tv--1063010)
6. [Happy Valley review: One of British television's greatest sagas returns for a third season, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/happy-valley-review-series-3-catherine-b2254505.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Fictional worlds and series reference apparatus › Episode lists, seasons, and broadcast lifecycle › Cast, crew, and character lists for series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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