Ammon News - tars of period drama Bridgerton have thanked fans after Netflix announced that the show had become its "biggest series ever".

The streaming giant said 82 million households around the world tuned into the show in its first 28 days online, surpassing the firm's own projections.

The drama hit the number one spot on the service in 83 countries, including the US, UK, India, France and Brazil.

Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor described the news as "utterly insane".

"I'm SO proud of the incredible team behind this show! And thank you guys for loving it," she wrote on Instagram.

Fellow star Regé-Jean Page also reacted to the announcement on social media.

Netflix measures a view as any piece of content watched for at least two minutes.

Bridgerton is set in 1800s London but is designed for today's millennial and Gen Z audiences. It has been described as a Regency-era Gossip Girl.

Adapted from a series of historical romance novels by author Julia Quinn, the drama follows members of the Bridgerton family as they navigate through London's high society.

The show has been widely praised for its racial diversity.

Netflix said Bridgerton had made the top 10 in every country it operates in except Japan, and had propelled the books it is based on into the New York Times bestseller list for the first time.

The previous record for most-watched debut series on the platform was held by fantasy drama The Witcher, which Netflix said was watched by 76 million households in its first 28 days.

In a blog post, Jinny Howe, vice-president of original series at Netflix, said Bridgerton "defies tradition, and demonstrates that period dramas are not limited in scope or audience".

"The empowerment of people of colour and women made Bridgerton feel accessible and contemporary, resonating with audiences all around the world," she wrote in a blog post.

The show has been renewed for a second series.

*BBC