David Farnor | On 05, May 2020

BBC Three has enjoyed extraordinary success with Normal People, which has driven programme requests on BBC iPlayer to a record high.

In the seven-day period since the series premiered on BBC iPlayer on Sunday 26 April, total requests for BBC Three programmes stands at over 21.8 million, BBC Three’s best week ever for requests on iPlayer and more than double its previous record.

The drama, produced by Element Pictures, is adapted from Sally Rooney’s novel of the same name. It has been a hit with audiences and critics alike and has received over 16.2 million requests in its first week of availability, with nearly 5 million requests from 16-34s. Of all the requests for BBC Three programmes on iPlayer, Normal People makes up for over 70 per cent of the total – and, according to signed in data, a quarter of all accounts requesting it have already watched the whole series.

Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC Three, says: “We’re delighted that Normal People has been such a success and so many people have come to iPlayer to watch it.

“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. It’s a modern masterpiece which has helped in catapulting the careers of two brilliant young actors, and we’re looking forward to bringing more drama to BBC Three in the future.”

“This smart and sensual adaptation is powered by its two impressive young stars,” we wrote in our review of the show.

The previous record for BBC Three was 10.8 million total requests in a week, following the release of the first series of the award-winning Killing Eve in 2018.

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