Happy Valley star to appear in Tim Renkow’s sitcom

Happy Valley star James Norton is to make a guest appearance in the next series of Tim Renkow’s BBC comedy Jerk.

It has not been revealed what his role will be, but a publicity image released by the BBC shows him in a green-and-gold African-style shirt, baggy trousers and a red woollen hat that suggests it’s a long way from the psychopathic Tommy Lee Royce.

He’s pictured above with Oliver Maltman, who his also making his first appearance in the show, Sharon Rooney, who plays Tim’s care worker Ruth, and Renkow himself.

Also joining Jerk’s cast for the third series is Sally Phillips as well as former EastEnders actor Gary Beadle and Lydia Fleming from the Netflix spy series In From the Cold.

Renkow – who also writes the show with Shaun Pye – said: ‘It was great to be back with the old crew and some new faces, they were all unbelievably excellent and so much fun to work with.’

Returning to the show are  Lorraine Bracco as Tim’s mum and  Rob Madin – aka musical comedian Brett Domino – as as Idris, Tim's friend and employment consultant.

Series 3 will air this spring. According to the BBC it will see ‘Tim further bulldoze the sensitivities of modern life with a lead role in a movie, a stint as a drug mule, a job advising government on disability and generally attacking anything that takes itself too seriously’ as well as featuring a love story as Tim falls for a disability activist with an agenda.

Broadcast dates are yet to be announced.

Published: 10 Feb 2023