From Happy Valley to Alma’s Not Normal, the Oldham-born actor has been a scene-stealer for years, but new thriller Protection is her first ever top billing. She talks about cuppas with Sarah Lancashire and hitting it big in her 50s
It may be one of the most devastating scenes in the history of British television. In the final series of Happy Valley, Catherine Cawood begins to understand that her sister Clare has betrayed her, and has been lying about where she is. Catherine watches Clare from outside a cafe, then walks in, sits down at Clare’s table and says one iconic word: “Hiya.”
Siobhan Finneran, who played Clare for a decade, pops up on my laptop screen. Surely there is only one way to start the conversation. “Hiya,” I deadpan, in my best Sarah Lancashire voice.
