Normal People has broken streaming records on the BBC iPlayer.
The Irish drama, based on Sally Rooney’s novel, received 16.2 million views in it’s first week on the streaming service.
In total, the brand new series was requested more than 21.8 million times on the BBC iPlayer since it first dropped on April 26.
The opening week record was previously held by the first season of Killing Eve, which received 10.8 million total requests in its first week.
Lenny Abrahamson, who directed the 12-part series, described the record-breaking viewing figures as “hard to process.”
“This huge response to the series is a testament to all the brilliant people – producers, cast and crew, as well as the executives at the BBC and HULU who supported us all the way – who put so much talent, skill and hard work into every aspect of the production,” he told The Irish Film And Television Network.
“And of course; there would have been nothing without Sally’s extraordinary book. Doing justice to her book was always our priority.”
BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell added that the series is a “modern masterpiece.”
“From the initial read-through, the phenomenal thought and preparation the directors put into everything from the aesthetics and locations through to the costumes, we felt this incredible piece would always be unique, and it’s clear the audience thinks so too,” she commented.
The BBC also stated that 5 million of the requests were from people aged 16-34, according to iPlayer data.
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