If a new series of Happy Valley is your idea of TV heaven, you might want to stop what you’re doing. While we sadly can’t conjure up a another instalment, we can offer a Happy Valley reunion (of sorts) by way of Clocking Off, the BBC’s 10/10 drama that features two of show’s best-loved stars Sarah Lancashire and Siobhan Finneran.
The popular series, which originally aired from 2000 to 2003, takes us into the lives of the workers of a Manchester fabric factory. Among them are Yvonne Kolakowski (Sarah Lancashire), an abused mother-of-three, and Julie (Siobhan Finneran), whose bond with a co-worker threatens to stop her starting a new life elsewhere.
With the series available to binge tonight (or now, if you fancy it), here’s everything you need to know about Clocking Off before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Clocking Off about?
BBC
The drama, which ran for four series on the BBC, centres around the workers of a Manchester fabric factory, with each episode focusing on a different character’s story – and woes. It’s a fascinating insight into the lives of ordinary people who are hiding hiding tumultuous – and often troubled – personal lives. The first story, for example, introduces us to family man Stuart Leach (John Simm), who returns home after a year’s absence with total amnesia.
In episode 2, we meet machinist Yvonne Kolakowski (Sarah Lancashire), a single mum-of-three whose abusive boyfriend throws her out of the house. Among the other main characters are Julie (Siobhan Finneran, pictured below in The Moorside) who is drawn to new factory worker Vicky (Sharon Duce), and factory cook Franny (David Morrissey) who’s when his troubled sister Terri commits suicide.
BBC
Creator and writer Paul Abbott told The Guardian how the idea came from personal experience: “My mantra for Clocking Off was ‘extraordinary moments in ordinary people’s lives’, and seeing how realistic I could make that. It was partly inspired by Dekalog, the Krzysztof Kieślowski TV miniseries, pretentiously. I used to work in a factory and you’d find out secrets about people that were just incredible, so it was also inspired by those memories.
“Initially, it was just called Factory – it couldn’t have been more socialist – and the BBC hated the name. They thought it would put people off. Peter Salmon, who was head of BBC One, came up with Clocking Off. To me it sounded like a cop-out, but it absolutely worked because it’s basically: how well do you know the person working next to you?”
Who’s in the cast of Clocking Off?
ITV
The main cast of Clocking Off includes:
John Simm (Grace)Sarah Lancashire (Last Tango in Halifax)Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley)Philip Glenister (Life on Mars)Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey)Jack Deam (DCI Banks)Ricky Tomlinson (The Royle Family)David Morrissey (Tip Toe)James Murray (Age Before Beauty)Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda)Robert Pugh (West is West)Nicola Stephenson (The Chase)Pam Ferris (Call the Midwife)Sharon Duce (Big Deal)Ben Crompton (Pramface)Lindsey Coulson (The Level)Christine Tremarco (Deadpoint)Paul Oldham (Boy Meets Girl)Jason Merrells (Cutting It)Diane Parish (Indian Summer)Is Clocking Off any good?
BBC
Yes – in our opinion, it’s one of the best British dramas ever made and we don’t say that lightly. It’s a brilliantly written, brilliantly acted series that was genuinely original for its time and wow, what a cast! The series won a BAFTA for Best Drama series in 2001 and, personally, we think it deserved many more.
How can I watch Clocking Off?
All four series of Clocking Off are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
What other Sarah Lancashire dramas can I watch now?
Ben Blackall
If you’re in the mood for something relatable yet heartwarming, we’d recommend Last Tango in Halifax. The series tells the story of two 70-somethings, Alan (Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid), who reunite in later life and their somewhat dysfunctional families – including Alan’s daughter Gillian (Nicola Walker) and Celia’s daughter Caroline (Sarah). You can watch Last Tango in Halifax on BBC iPlayer. For period drama fans, we’d recommend Rose and Maloney. Sarah is superb as a hard-drinking, rule-breaking investigator alongside Phil Davis’ Marion Maloney. While Sarah’s Rose smokes, drinks and refuses to conform, Maloney is a cautious, by-the-book investigator. Rose and Maloney is available to watch on Prime Video.