Matthew Lewis wants to return to 'Happy Valley'.

Matthew Lewis

Matthew Lewis

The 26-year-old actor is desperate to reprise his role as sex addict Sean Balmforth, who was wrongly accused of murder, in the popular crime drama now that the third installment has been given the go-ahead.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, he said: "I have absolutely no idea if I'll return for the next series! Obviously the characters sort of arch when that series came to an end but he was a dodgy guy like I'm sure he's got a few more skeletons in his closet so who knows, we'll see, we'll see whatever [the writer] Sally Wainwright's got in store."

Meanwhile, although the drama has been given the green light to return for another series, Sally has teased that matriarch Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) will eventually return to screens at some point but there will be a little wait as she doesn't have time to pen anything.

She said recently: "What we've kind of decided is that because I'm so busy with other projects at the minute I haven't got time to sit down and come up with stories.

"What I'd hate to do a third series and people say it wasn't as good so I want time to go away and come up with stories that I think are going to make a third series that I think."

And, although Sarah is yet to sit down and take pen to paper, show insiders believe the third series will be packed with lots of twists and turns.

The insider said: "There are lots of exciting plans."

The next series will see Sergeant Catherine - who is still grieving over her dead daughter - contemplate leaving the corrupt police force as she continues to protect her fragile grandson Ryan (Rhys Conna) from his rapist father Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) - who is serving time for allegedly raping the officer's daughter - and his girlfriend.