Sarah Lancashire felt she was "wrong for the role" in ‘Happy Valley’ for "the first four weeks".
The 52-year-old actress portrays mourning mother and protective grandmother Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the popular BBC drama, and although the star scooped the award for Leading Actress in the series at this year’s BAFTA TV awards on Sunday (14.05.17), she has admitted for an entire month she felt she was not best suited to play the character because she didn’t feel "comfortable with the uniform" or the accent.
Speaking about the programme to The Sun Online, the golden-haired beauty said: "For the first four weeks I kept telling them, I am wrong for this role.
"I couldn’t find a way to feel comfortable. I didn’t feel comfortable with the uniform. I thought I’d just be an actor in a uniform.
"I was worried about the accent. I was scared the accent was coming across as too broad. But they told me to trust them and I did."
However, Sarah has successfully played the lead character alongside James Norton – who plays the role of the Sergeant’s late daughter’s rapist Tommy Lee Royce – for two series, and she is already "looking forward" to jumping back into character and filming a third instalment of the gripping series, which last aired in March 2016.
However, Sarah has revealed filming for a follow-up is all dependent on the show’s skilled writer Sally Wainwright and her busy work schedule.
Sarah said: "It’s been a pretty long time now. I know she wants to do a third series but she’s so busy writing other stuff we’re kind of in a queue.
"When she feels the time is right, we will do a third. Which I am looking forward to. I am ready to play her again."
Sarah Lancashire felt ‘wrong for the role’ in Happy Valley
