Happy Valley star Rhys Connah ‘can’t stand’ himself in early seasons of Sally Wainwright’s drama: ‘Was I always that annoying?’-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Rhys Connah was cast in Happy Valley at the age of eight (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point)

*Warning: This article contains spoilers fo Happy Valley season 3.*

Happy Valley star Rhys Connah has confessed he cringes watching back seasons one and two of the blockbuster BBC drama.

The actor shot to fame in Sally Wainwright’s series at the tender age of eight, playing Catherine Cawood’s (Sarah Lancashire) grandson.

Now 16, The Runaways star has reprised the role in the below show’s, which also stars James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce, final and third outing.

Much of the latest instalment so far focuses on Catherine’s agony that Ryan has been secretly visiting Tommy behind bars, accompanied by her sister Clare Cartwright (Siobahn Finneran) and Neil Ackroyd (Con O’Neill).

Reflecting on his character then and now on podcast Obsessed with Happy Valley the young star told hosts Amy Gledhill and Isy Suttie that he didn’t understand Ryan’s choices – and also struggled to watch himself on screen in seasons 1 and 2.

When asked about Ryan’s decision to strike up a rapport with Tommy, he said: ‘From an unbiased perspective, it doesn’t make any sense for him to visit Tommy because he’s a mad psychopath.

Rhys Connah plays James Norton’s son in Happy Valley (Picture: Twitter)

‘But one of things when I was playing Ryan – and playing him while disagreeing with his point of view – was [in order] to play him believably I had to see why he would go and visit Tommy. I had to convince myself.’

Rhys was then asked if he rewatched the first two series in preparation for Happy Valley season 3, which is currently airing on Line of Duty broadcaster, the BBC.

He replied: ‘I watched full series one and two all the way through to make sure I fully understood everything because even thought I had a general idea of the story of my character, there are so many interconnecting plots and subplots.

Ryan has been visiting Tommy in jail for over a year (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point)

‘It was a great series so it was good I couldn’t stand the sight of myself,’ he continued.

‘Now watching it I’m like, “I’m some tiny little annoying guy that does everything wrong, messes it all up, has a squeaky voice”.

‘I’m watching it like, “Was I always that annoying?”

Ryan is causing his grandmother a real headache (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)

While Rhys had to remain schtum about what fans can expect for the rest of the drama, Sally, 60, has recently confessed to fearing writing the final episode.

‘We [Sarah and I] made a definite decision that this was going to be the final season. Just because it’s been successful, we weren’t going to let it drift on until it became a pale shadow of itself,’ she said in an interview with the Radio Times.

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‘I was really anxious not to write a duff third season – [but] I really don’t think it is. There’s a very definite climax.’

Happy Valley continues on Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.

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