Happy Valley themed coach tour launches for fans of TV drama

Locations covered include Hebden Bridge, which is the setting for main character Catherine Cawood’s home town

The West Yorkshire market town of Hebden Bridge will be one location visited by fans (Getty Images)

A Happy Valley coach tour has been announced, enabling fans of the gritty TV drama to visit key locations in the show.

The Yorkshire-based BBC One drama follows lead character Catherine Cawood, a policewoman played by Sarah Lancashire.

Over three seasons it has earned legions of loyal fans, with scenes set in Sheffield but often filmed in other West Yorkshire locations as well as in Manchester.

Happy Valley’s latest series has been mostly filmed against the backdrop of places like Sowerby Bridge and Halifax, while the market town of Hebden Bridge is the setting for Catherine Cawood’s home town.

All these locations are to be covered on the coach tour, and the news coincides with the TV show’s grand finale, airing this Sunday night.

JG Travel Group announced the trip this week; the firm will operate five-day tours of West Yorkshire with its Just Go! Holidays and National Holidays brands.

Three trip departures have been planned for June 19, July 17, August 28 and September 25, and the coach journey will stop at several pickup points in the North East, Midlands and the North West.

Prices start at £339 per person, including four nights’ accommodation with breakfast and dinner.

Explaining the tour announcement, JG Travel Group product director Joanna Roberts said:“Happy Valley has such a huge following of fans, first airing in 2014 and running for three series.

“We’ve created this new tour in time for the finale on Sunday and hope that agents will use the hype around the show as an opportunity to generate sales.

“We know how well our other tours sell that link to TV shows and I have no doubt that this will appeal to lots of customers who will miss watching the drama unfold in West Yorkshire.”

The third and final series of Happy Valley has focused on Catherine Cawood hunting down murderer and sex offender Tommy Lee Royce, who is played by James Norton. Fan theories are already circulating about how the drama will draw to a close.