This Happy Valley theory about who Tommy Lee Royce’s real dad is has changed my life

Tommy Lee Royce is the answer to British telly’s biggest villain – he is pure evil and now Happy Valley fans reckon they know who his dad is.

Happy Valley has peaked this season and it’s gutting that it’s coming to an end with season three. But surely the writers would pull out all the stops to make it as shocking as possible? I mean, they are already and we’re only a few episodes in. From the moment we met Tommy we found out he doesn’t have a connection to his dad and doesn’t know who he is. We also know he was abusive towards his mum and kept secrets from her like the fact he had Ann tied up in her basement. Also her body was the one we saw at the start of season two after Daryl killed her.

Happy Valley season three has had soooo many twists so far. One of them being the fact Clare and Neil are taking it upon themselves to take Ryan to visit his father in prison. This has got fans talking and speculating about Neil as a character and the true purpose he has in the show.

Once they were inside the prison, Tommy was clearly pleased to see his son and ordered Neil to go and get them a cup of tea. It was a strange dynamic seeing Tommy run the social situation given Neil is doing him a huge favour and knowing he’s fully burnt all bridges between Catherine and Neil in doing so.

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Fans are starting to think of Neil’s involvement in the prison visits and came up with the theory that Neil could actually be Tommy’s dad. That would explain why he’s so involved in all this mess and it’s totally possible given the age differences and Tommy’s dad never being in the picture before. I mean, why would you give a rapist the time of day?? Let alone take his son to visit him in prison?

Is Neil Ackroyd the dad of Tommy Lee Royce?

Is Neil Ackroyd… Tommy’s father, maybe? #HappyValley pic.twitter.com/cuc9RKWZIq

— Happy Valley (@happyvalleybbc) January 15, 2023

I seriously cannot watch the show in the same way again. Tommy’s mum dying in season two and the fact he’s never known his dad is too much for my brain. Also Catherine tried so hard to work out who Tommy’s dad was in season two but had no luck. Now Neil’s feet are firmly under the family table this season and he’s living with Clare and involving himself with Ryan.

The way his relationship came about with Clare was too staged. He randomly bumped into Clare on the street and from there they got into a relationship? Also he used to abuse alcohol too, which Clare did as well but so did Tommy’s mother. Fans are guessing it’s all a premeditated idea to force himself into Clare, Ryan and Catherine’s life.

Happy Valley season three airs Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• All of the iconic Happy Valley season three filming locations

• Here’s exactly where you recognise the cast of Happy Valley season three from

• Every contestant on The Traitors ranked by how pure evil they really are