'Normal People' has been sold to more than 20 countries worldwide.

Paul Mescal

Paul Mescal

The hit drama - which stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal - recently became BBC Three's most-streamed show ever, with more than 16 million views, and now the rights to the love story have been sold worldwide by production company Element Pictures.

The programme will now be available to watch in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Benelux countries, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America and Japan.

Element Pictures co-founders Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe said: "The response from audiences in the UK, Ireland and the US to 'Normal People' has been overwhelmingly positive.

"We are delighted that audiences around the world will now have the opportunity to see the show for themselves and we are grateful to Endeavor Content for helping put together such a strong line-up of international partners to launch Normal People into the wider world."

The series - which is adapted from Sally Rooney's novel of the same name - follows the tender relationship of Marianne (Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Mescal) from the end of their school days to their undergraduate years.

And BBC bosses are desperate to make a second series with the support of Rooney, who helped turn her novel into the critically acclaimed series.

A TV source recently said: "The BBC are desperate to get going on series two. The viewing numbers are huge and they want more of the same. They want to strike while the iron is hot and get working on the series as soon as possible.

"Their hope is to roll out the series in a similar time frame to 'Killing Eve'. But it all depends on if they can get Sally Rooney on board."