Doubts raised over third Happy Valley series as star Sarah Lancashire seems to rule herself out

It has been reported in media outlets that the actress told programme bosses during filming that series two would be her last.

Lancashire is quoted as saying: “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.”

The remarks come less than a week after writer Sally Wainwright said she was on board to write another series when she has time to dedicate to the perfect plot.

Wainwright told BBC Breakfast last week: “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.”

Discussing the popularity of the gritty show, Wainwright praised Lancashire for her role as the determined officer.

“I thought Sarah was just amazing, absolutely amazing,” she said.

The first series won best drama at the television Bafta awards, and fans on Twitter were quickly demanding that Lancashire win a Bafta for her role as the gripping series came to the close.