Normal People Becomes BBC Three’s Most Popular Show Ever

It’s been a month since Normal People made its debut on iPlayer and we’re still just as obsessed with Marianne{ =nofollow}’s fringe and Connell’s chain. But it seems we're definitely not the only ones, as the show - based on the hit novel by Sally Rooney - has been breaking records for the BBC.

The heartbreaking love story - which follows Connell (Paul Mescal{ =nofollow}) and Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) through school and university - has now been watched by a whopping 6.75 million devices, understandably making it BBC Three’s most watched show ever, according to the Daily Mail. Which is a pretty impressive feat, considering BBC Three aired the last episode of Fleabag (we're still crying) and the whole of Gavin & Stacey.

'We're delighted that Normal People has been such a success and so many people have come to iPlayer to watch it,’ controller for BBC Three Fiona Campbell previously said about the show’s success. ‘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.’

Despite the massive success of the show, the chances of a second series look pretty slim. But fortunately, we do have an idea what happens to Marianne and Connell - as a Sally Rooney short story, which is set after the show's ending, was recently unearthed. For those who didn't know, it turns out the novel is actually based on a short story called At The Clinic, which was published in The White Review way back in 2016 before Sally even started Normal People. The short story, which is available to read in full here, starts with Connell driving Marianne to the dentist as the 23-year-old gets her wisdom tooth removed, before quickly moving on to their ever-present sexual chemistry which is so often witnessed in Normal People.

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