Happy Valley has become one of the most-watched drama series of the past 10 years, with official ratings showing this year’s series finale had a TV audience of 11.1 million.

Only four other series since 2013 have achieved higher ratings, including police thrillers Line Of Duty and Bodyguard.

But Ben Pearson, who was on the roads for West Yorkshire Police for almost 20 years and appeared on Channel 5’s Police Interceptors and has since become a popular YouTuber said that the series surprised him.

He said: “You never know with TV as there have been very mixed portrayals of the police over the years, but I’ve got to say Happy Valley was spot on.”

Ben said that writer Sally Wainwright and actress Sarah Lancashire who played West Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood “hit the nail on the head” when it came to their portrayal of West Yorkshire Police.

He said: “The uniforms, the language, and the code words were incredibly realistic, I’ve never seen a series like it.

“I think all of us officers would like someone like Catherine Cawood on our team. It’s all about the camaraderie.”

Critics hailed Happy Valley’s concluding episode as “electrifying” and “Bafta-winning”, which saw sergeant Catherine Cawood have one last showdown with the murderer, sex offender, and escaped convict Tommy Lee Royce, played by James Norton.

Former police officer turned TV star reacts to ‘Happy Valley’ and shares the reality of working in the police