Halifax-filmed BBC drama Happy Valley used as a specialist subject on Mastermind

In the first of the semi-finals, Sarah Thornton picked the Bafta-winning TV drama as her specialist subject.

Happy Valley, created by Calderdale-writer Sally Wainwright, is a BBC series that followed the life of police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, in the Calder Valley.

She knew all of the answers asked by Clive Myrie, with questions relating to the theme song, Catherine’s nicknames and a series one director.

On top of the 12 points scored in the specialist subject round, Sarah went on to get 14 questions correct in the general knowledge round, winning the episode and going through to the final.

Sarah, who’s a solicitor, said at the end of the programme: "I went for Happy Valley because firstly it’s a brilliant series but secondly having done Joanne Harris in my first round who’s a writer local to me also Sally Wainwright’s a writer that’s local to me as well so there was this lovely local connection.

"I just can’t believe I’ve got through.

"Getting through to the final is fantastic. If I won it it would just be incredible. I’d be terrified of breaking the glass bowl but it would be lovely to have it. But let’s just see what happens.”

The episode is currently available on BBC IPlayer.