Happy Valley actor James Norton reveals what it was like filming the final scenes of BBC drama

Actor James Norton has told The News Agents podcast what it was like filming the final scenes of Happy Valley.

Speaking to the podcast hosts Emily Maitlis and Lewis Goodall he also criticises Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans to extend maths education to 18 years old for hindering access to the arts.

On filming the final scenes of Happy Valley and working with Sarah Lancashire, James said: “Everyone knew that this day was very special. No one knew what was going to happen because they only gave the scripts to Sarah and myself and the people, the producers who needed to know, so everyone was really excited to see what happened. And the crew, the cast, everyone was walking around in whispers.

"The energy was palpable. It was crackling. And Sarah and I, I think we knew the pressure on us, but often you thrive in that kind of environment. I mean, I could say so many platitudes about her. She's genuinely very, very special and brilliant.”

When asked how to open up the arts for children across the country, James said: "Well, first thing you do is you don't follow Rishi Sunak’s advice and make everyone take maths through to A Level and you nurture arts and humanities all the way through school and allow kids to take on courses which aren't necessarily as practical and vocational.

"And so, you that's the most important thing is school. I guess, making sure that they are supported and there's outreach programmes from centres of excellence in London and then in other big cities, and they get out to those schools, and they introduce kids to theatre at an early age and so there's an awareness. And then it's youth theatres and I mean, I was so lucky I grew up in North Yorkshire and every summer holidays, I did a youth theatre, it was called Livewire and it was great.

"I went to Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough for work experience one summer and so there was stuff there.”

He stressed the importance of preserving the UK’s cultural heritage and spoke of Happy Valley’s success around the world, telling Emily and Lewis: “This country's got such a cultural heritage and to waste that... Talk about us standing on the world stage right now.

"I mean, the way shows like Happy Valley travel over to America, it's amazing. I feel so proud when I go over there, and random people come up to me on the street and talk to me about Hebden Bridge… They watch it with subtitles on, but they love it. And it's an amazing advert for this country. So, I think we need to keep nurturing the arts.”

The final ever episode of Happy Valley was the most-watched television programme of the year so far, as 7.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the conclusion.

The figures showed the series had a 41.6 per cent share of the ratings.

This is the highest ever overnight figure for Happy Valley, and the largest overnight rating for a drama on UK television since May 2021, when the Line of Duty series six finale aired.