The creator of Happy Valley has explained the reason why the smash-hit BBC drama has it's title, and she’s revealed it’s pretty “dark”.
In case you’re not in the know, the third series of one of the BBC’s most-popular dramas is currently airing on our screens.
New episodes are gripping millions of viewers with tension every Sunday night, and the show’s esteemed cast are raking in all the praise from critics and fans each week.
First hitting our screens back in April 2015, and going on to win the BAFTA for Best Drama straight away, Happy Valley follows the story of Sarah Lancashire’s character, Sergeant Catherine Cawood, who is a strong-willed police Sergeant in West Yorkshire.
The show is set and has been largely filmed in the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire since it first aired, although the recent series has also ventured out across the rest of the North of England for filming.
Local areas regularly name-checked in the show include Todmorden, Mytholmroyd, Bradford, Keighley, Sowerby Bridge, Hedben Bridge, and Heptonstall.
Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds, and other West Yorkshire cities are also often mentioned, but they have not main filming locations.
Happy Valley creator reveals the ‘dark’ reason behind the show’s name / Credit: BBC
At the start of the first series, viewers learn that Catherine is still coming to terms with the suicide of her teenage daughter, Becky, eight years earlier.
Catherine is now divorced from her husband and living with her sister, Clare – played by Siobhan Finneran – who is a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict, and is helping her bring up Becky’s young son, Ryan, who is the product of rape.
Throughout the three series, the show deals with a wide range of other heavy topics and storylines, including kidnappings, serial killings, human trafficking, and more, but one of the common threads running through many of storylines is the reason for the show’s name – drugs.
It turns out the name Happy Valley has taken some some real-world inspiration.
The show’s creator, writer and director, Sally Wainwright, has explained in a recent interview that she took inspiration from the crimes really taking place in the Calder Valley to name the award-winning BBC drama.
The name Happy Valley has taken some some real-world inspiration / Credit: BBC
She explained: “So Happy Valley… I always work closely with police advisors, who are old police officers who have worked in the area, and one of them told me that is what they call the Valley because of issues with drugs, so for me, it reflected the show.
“It’s dark, but it has also got a lot of humour in it. I think less so in season one, more so in season two.
“We want to continue that in season three. It’s still very much about the dark side of life, but it’s also about how within that people always find ways of being funny and warm and human.”
Wainwright has also given her take on why she believes the show has gained so much popularity over the past few years, and why viewers just seem to be so wrapped-up in all the action, explaining: “It does always seem to capture people’s imaginations when you are writing about things that are on the wrong side of the law.
“It’s about transgressive behaviour and I suppose humans are fascinated by transgressive behaviour.
“I guess that’s why people are so fascinated by crime.
“It’s a kind of vicarious thing, that we don’t indulge in ourselves but like to watch other people doing it, or we like to see them get caught, or we like to follow the people who sort things out.”
It's time folks, the full lineup for Leeds Pride 2026 has officially been revealed.
This year there are more acts than ever before set to take to the stage across a fabulous two-day festival.
Headlining the weekend will be the incredible La Voix and Sweet Female Attitude. They’ll be joined by, Tomara Thomas, Livin’ Joy ft. Luzahnn, and Baga Chipz, alongside a whole host of other exciting names.
And it doesn't stop there, as presenting the festivities this year will be Bradley Riches, Soraya Vivian, drag icons Mamma Bear and St Sordid Secret.
Taking place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2026, the milestone event will see the city come alive with its best Pride to date.
Organisers are already expecting record-breaking crowds for the packed programme of entertainment which will take place from 12pm – 10pm on both days.
Image: Supplied
A new addition for 2026 - Leeds Pride will host The Freedom Party, a ticketed Saturday event, helping to secure the future of the festival for years to come.
Guests can expect a high energy day featuring incredible stage shows and some of the UK’s best tribute acts, paying homage to the hit songs and pop icons of the last 20 years.
Tickets for The Freedom Party are available now from just £7.50, offering incredible value for a full day of live entertainment. Once inside, attendees can enter and exit the site freely
Image: Supplied
This year also introduces a new and improved VIP area on Lower Briggate, alongside an expanded festival footprint and enhanced production.
A spokesperson for Leeds Pride said: ““Celebrating 20 years of Leeds Pride is a huge moment for the city and the community. This year’s line-up is our biggest ever, with more acts, more local talent and more to experience across the entire weekend.
“What we have in Leeds is genuinely rare, and that’s a Pride celebration that takes place right in the heart of the city. While many other Pride events are moving out to parks and greenfield sites, we’re proud to keep Leeds Pride woven into the fabric of the city. It creates an incredible atmosphere and means the celebration is shared across Leeds, supporting hotels, bars, restaurants and local businesses throughout the weekend.
Image: Supplied
“Pride remains as important as ever, and introducing a ticketed Saturday allows us to protect and grow the event for the future. We’re asking people to support us where they can, even a small contribution helps us continue delivering Pride for everyone.
“We can’t wait to welcome Leeds and visitors from across the UK to what will be an unforgettable weekend.”
Antony Szmeirek announces sophomore album along with biggest UK tour dates yet
Clementine Hall
Greater Manchester spoken word artist Antony Szmeirek has finally revealed the name, cover art and release date for his second album, along with his biggest run of UK tour dates yet.
The Tameside teacher turned full-time artist dropped his maiden record, Service Station at the End of the Universe, back in February 2025, and now, just over a year on from its launch, he’s getting ready to deliver his highly anticipated follow-up.
Entitled Decoding Birdsong, the sophomore studio project is scheduled for this summer, with a series of live shows booked for the following autumn.
Having already dropped lead single ‘The Heron’ earlier this year, Szmeirek has just released the opener from his upcoming LP, which is simply called ‘Chalk’; he’s also unveiled the rest of the tracklist and a rather striking bit of album artwork.
The Hyde-born artist is making big moves not only within the spoken word space but across multiple genres, with his music blending everything from indie, hip-hop, electronica and more.
His latest song, for instance, is more of an acid-house-esque meets contemporary EDM outing, and has quickly gone down as a popular addition among fans.
On the album name itself, he’s never one to shy away from a weird title or two – case in point, ‘The Great Pyramid of Stockport’ from his debut and ‘Dave’s Angling Superstore’ on this new record.
As for his latest raft of live shows, these will be some of the biggest domestic gigs that the local lad has played in his career so far.
In addition to an opening show here in Leeds, he is set to play a dozen different cities across Great Britain and Ireland.
Antony Szmierek UK/IE tour dates – October 2026
We’ve highlighted the Northern stops for you, too:
8 – O2 Academy Leeds, Leeds, UK
9 – The Level, Nottingham, UK
11 – Cambridge Junction, Cambridge, UK
12 – O2 Academy Oxford, Oxford, UK
14 – CHALK, Brighton, UK
15 – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London, UK
16 – O2 Academy Bournemouth, Bournemouth, UK
17 – O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol, UK
20 – Queen Margaret Union (QMU), Glasgow, UK
21 – Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
23 – Manchester Academy, Manchester, UK
For those of you looking to grab tickets to his headline gig, they go on sale at 10am on Friday, 8 May via the likes of SeeTickets.
You can get ready to grab your tickets right HERE.
Featured Images — Press shots via Zak Watson (supplied via SJM Concerts)
Emily Sergeant -
20th January 2023 
