Siobhan Finneran, 56, was born in Oldham to Irish parents. After completing a theatre studies course, she landed her debut role aged 20 in the film Rita, Sue and Bob Too. She’s since worked regularly on stage, alongside TV roles including Clocking Off, The Moorside and, in 2021, Alma’s Not Normal and Jimmy McGovern’s Time. She also played villainous lady’s maid Sarah O’Brien in Downton Abbey. She now returns to her Bafta-nominated role of recovering addict Clare Cartwright, sister of Sarah Lancashire’s policewoman Catherine, in the third and final series of BBC One drama Happy Valley.
The show is back after seven years off our screens. Are you as excited as viewers are?
I got sent the scripts and just thought, she’s managed to do it again. As far as I’m concerned, [writer] Sally Wainwright is a genius. She hooks you in and never lets you go. In the new series, the plot twists come out of left field. It’s proper edge-of-the-sofa stuff. As for Sarah’s central performance, I’ve never seen anything like it on TV.
You and Sarah Lancashire have cracking chemistry. Have you known each other a long time?
God, decades. We first met when I was 17. She’s a couple of years older and was doing this brilliant theatre studies course at Oldham College, which I’d applied to. Sarah and some other students performed at the open day. We met then and eventually did a play together. We’ve both got a slightly warped sense of humour and we both like a cake. It’s always a joy to work with another actress who actually eats cake.
Is the bond between your characters Happy Valley’s secret weapon?
That’s where the heart of the show is. Those sisters are each other’s wing man. For us, their scenes are like coming home. It feels safe and wonderful. Those women have been through the kind of trauma that completely destroys families. On top of that, Clare’s a recovering addict and Catherine’s police job is challenging on a daily basis. So when they come together and chew the fat over a cup of tea, it’s special. That’s what viewers mostly talk to me about – the sisterly relationship and how much love there is in that house. They’re a little unit who’ve worked very hard to survive and they’re relatable. There’s familiarity there and you absolutely care about them.
Where do we find Clare in the new series?
It’s six years later and Clare’s very happy. She’s in a committed relationship with Neil [played by Con O’Neill] and excited for what the future holds. She’s relieved that Catherine is about to retire and they seem in a good, hopeful place. Then a lot of stuff happens that I can’t talk about. But it was lovely getting everyone back together. Back on set, being far too loud and having far too much fun, it felt like we’d left off only yesterday. Well, until Rhys [Connah, who plays Catherine’s grandson, Ryan] walked into the room. He was still a little boy last time around; now he’s a fully grown man. It’s been amazing watching him grow up on screen.
Clare fell off the wagon in series two. What were those scenes like to film?
That stuff was heartbreaking for me and Sarah to do. The way Sally wrote it was beautiful. After the drunken night, Catherine puts Clare to bed so tenderly. There’s no anger or judgment. She understands it’s an illness. It’s a huge smothering of love.
You once said that peeling carrots while acting is the hardest thing about the job…
I’m pretty good at basic cooking but for some reason, preparing food during a scene is beyond me. You should see what I do to those carrots [laughs].
I’ve seen Happy Valley described as a Yorkshire version of a western. Do you agree?
That’s great! I’ve never thought about it like that. I love a western. Well, if Catherine’s the sheriff, maybe I’m Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s sidekick.
Also among the Happy Valley cast is George Costigan, who was your co-star in Rita, Sue and Bob Too. Was it fun to work together after all this time?
That was something scary like 36 years ago. But we stayed friends and it’s lovely to be in scenes with George again. Actually, I have his wife, Julia North, to thank for my entire career. Even after the film was released, I still didn’t have an Equity card so I couldn’t work. Jules was working at the Half Moon theatre down in east London and cast me in the chorus for this show called Poppy. It was about the opium wars but done like a pantomime. I ended up half of a horse called Randy. I was the back end of Randy, but it finally got me an Equity card. Bless Jules – and Randy – because God knows what I’d be doing now.
Do you have fond memories of making Rita, Sue and Bob Too?
The whole time I was doing it, I was terrified because it was my first proper job. I’d never done any filming before, didn’t understand what was going on and lived on my nerves. It was a bit of a baptism of fire but fond memories, yeah.
In Sophie Willan’s Bafta-winning comedy Alma’s Not Normal, you play her troubled mother, Lin. Was that a daunting role to tackle?
I was a bit scared to take Lin on because she’s quite something. But Sophie’s a joy to be around; so smart and talent oozes out of her every pore. Her writing is hilarious one minute, heartbreaking the next. And then getting fitted with Lin’s wig and those teeth – happy days! Let’s be honest, I basically do this job to dress up and have fun. Alma’s Not Normal ticked both those boxes. Fingers crossed, series two will happen this year.
What was the reaction from the social care sector?
We had lovely feedback. People who work in that field said thank you – partly because it’s so difficult for them to explain what they do for a living. Alma’s Not Normal gave an idea of how they help all kinds of people dealing with different issues.
Have you hit a rich seam of playing recovering addicts?
I have. But it’s always more interesting to play somebody with layers, who’s got stuff going on. I was never going to play the princess in a pantomime, although years ago I’d have been desperate to do that. I have far more fun playing one of the clowns.
Roles often dry up for mature female actors but you still seem prolific…
I can’t moan about that. From my early 20s up to nearly 40, I was a jobbing actress. I had long periods out of work and it was hard going. My bit of success has come late but I’m grateful it’s been that way around. I’m not sure I could have survived the attention when I was younger. Now I’m older I can go, “Fuck off, I’m not doing that” . I don’t read press coverage and don’t do social media, so that sort of thing doesn’t affect me.
Was it Eric Morecambe who first made you want to perform?
I actually wanted to be him. As a little girl, I used to sit on my grandma and grandad’s floor, watching Morecambe and Wise on telly, roaring with laughter. I still laugh as loud at him 50 years later. I just remember thinking: I’d like to do that. My grandma is also [the person] who first took me to the theatre. I’d accompany her to the RSC in Stratford, not having much clue what was going on, but we’d have fish and chips and I loved the day out. I saw Glenda Jackson play Cleopatra when I was about 10. I’ve still got the programme. Obviously something went in.
Will you make any new year resolutions?
No, January is such a hard month to get through, topped off with a fucking tax bill at the end of it! Denying yourself a drink or some chocolate is just too much. Enjoy finishing off the Christmas leftovers. Do Dry February or start your healthy eating plan then.
Happy Valley returns on 1 January at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Series one and two are available on iPlayer now