Happy Valley's Rhys Connah reacts to Ryan's "vital" decision in finale

Late one night as the pair communicated via their games consoles, Tommy posed the question to his son, who he had formed a relationship of sorts with through their prison visits - but Ryan didn't have an answer for Tommy and told him he'd think about it.

It was a decision that required some serious thought. He had an opportunity to build a robust bond with his dad, but following Tommy would mean turning his back on Catherine, his surrogate mum – not to mention the many risks attached to a life lived with Tommy.

What's a boy to do?

In tonight's (Sunday 5th February) episode, that question was answered. Tommy's Spanish adventure would be a solo enterprise.

"It's a big decision," Rhys Connah, who plays Ryan, told RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview. "It's a vital choice because Catherine's always been worried about Ryan turning into his dad. And for Ryan, making a choice to go with Tommy would essentially be choosing to turn into his dad.

"But the fact that he chose Catherine is what makes his character come full circle. He proves that he isn't like Tommy, that he isn’t going to be a bad person, and that he can be a good person when a lot of people don't think he can."

He added: "I think she [creator and writer Sally Wainwright] made the right decision because if he decided to go with Tommy to Spain, it wouldn't have been a very fulfilling ending."

Connah went on to say that it wasn't a straightforward decision for Ryan. "It was a choice. In episode 5, it ended with Ryan saying, 'Granny, I love you.' She doesn't say it back and later in the episode, Tommy is the only person to say, 'I love you.'

"There's definitely a choice in Ryan's head. He's definitely thinking, 'Well Catherine doesn't want me, all these people don't want me, but here's someone who does want me.'

"So it was definitely a choice. It definitely wasn't clear cut."

Happy Valley seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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