Courtney McGrailStaff reporter
A Vatican-based drama due to air on Irish screens today, October 27, has drawn record numbers in Italy where it debuted last week.
According to Sky, the first two episodes of The Young Pope, starring Jude Law, drew some 935,000 viewers, a record for the channel in Italy.
Putting the numbers in context, they are three times higher than those gained by Game of Thrones when that series first aired in Italy. With a production budget of €41million, The Young Pope also stands as the most expensive Italian television production ever.
The Young Pope has been the subject of heightened anticipation since it opened to positive reviews at the Venice Film Festival in September. The series has already been confirmed for a second season.
The Young Pope centres on the papacy of the fictional Pius XIII (Law), a conservative figure whose elevation to the Throne of St Peter leads to intrigue and tribulation within Vatican circles. The series also stars Diane Keaton who plays a confidant of the Pope.
The series was directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who won an Academy Award and a BAFTA for his 2013 film The Great Beauty.
The series makers have confirmed the sale of The Young Pope to broadcasters in 80 countries.