Sarah Lancashire DOES want to return to Happy Valley

The Mail On Sunday reported that Lancashire - who plays tough police sergeant Catherine Cawood - believed the second series was the “end of the story” for the hit BBC one drama.

“I wouldn’t want it to go to a third series, I really wouldn’t - then it becomes something else,” she was quoted as saying.

But a spokeswoman for the show said the comments were made a number of months ago and there had since been discussions between the actress and Happy Valley writer Sally Wainwright.

Wainwright, who also wrote Last Tango In Halifax starring Lancashire, has previously said she is on board to write a third series when she has time to dedicate to the perfect plot.

A spokeswoman for Red Production Company, which makes Happy Valley, told the Press Association: “Sarah and Sally have been talking and Sarah would be very keen to revisit Catherine Cawood.”

Happy Valley, which came to a dramatic conclusion last week, has regularly drawn in more than seven million viewers.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast last week, Wainwright said she did not want to rush out a third series that “wasn’t as good”.

She said: “I’m so busy with other projects at the moment, I haven’t got time to sit down and come up with stories.

“What I’d hate to do is do a third series and people say it wasn’t as good so I want time to go away and really come up with stories that I think are going to make a third series.”