BBC director-general Tim Davie said it was a “special moment” watching Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire film her last scenes for the hit BBC drama in West Yorkshire.
The actress reprised her role as Sergeant Catherine Cawood for the third and final six-part series of the multi-Bafta award winning show, written and created by Sally Wainwright.
Mr Davie met the cast and crew at Dean Clough Mill in Halifax on Friday as Lancashire filmed her final scenes.
He said: “It was a special moment to see Sarah film her final scenes for Happy Valley.
“She has brought to life a brilliant character, created by the exceptional Sally Wainwright.
“We’re so lucky at the BBC that we get to work with such incredibly talented people.
“I want to pay tribute to all the cast and crew for making such a successful series. I can’t wait to see it on the BBC soon.”
Series one and two of the show won Baftas for best drama series and writing, while Lancashire won the leading actress prize for the second series.
The final chapter of the Happy Valley story will see James Norton back as Catherine’s nemesis, murderer and sex offender Tommy Lee Royce, and Siobhan Finneran returning as Catherine’s sister, Clare.
Con O’Neill will also reprise his role as Clare’s recovering alcoholic boyfriend, Neil Ackroyd, while George Costigan will be back as Nevison Gallagher and Charlie Murphy as his daughter and Catherine’s police colleague, Ann.
They will be joined by other Happy Valley favourites, including Derek Riddell as Richard Cawood, Karl Davies as Daniel Cawood, and Susan Lynch as Alison Garrs.
Rick Warden as Mike Taylor, Vincent Franklin as Andy Shepherd, and Rhys Connah as Catherine’s grandson, Ryan Cawood, will also return for the new episodes.
The new series will see Catherine discover the remains of a gangland murder victim in a drained reservoir, sparking a chain of events that unwittingly leads her straight back to Royce.
Her grandson, Ryan, is now 16 and still living with her, but he has ideas of his own about what kind of relationship he wants to have with the man Catherine refuses to acknowledge as his father.
Still battling the seemingly never-ending problem of drugs in the valley and those who supply them, Catherine is on the cusp of retirement.
Series three, which is directed by Patrick Harkins and Fergus O’Brien, will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The first two series of Happy Valley are available to watch on iPlayer.