The final episode of the critically acclaimed series, The Last of Us, received the biggest audience ever for a first-series US drama finale on Sky. The concluding episode has reached over 3.1 million UK viewers to date reflected in the 7-day cumulative audience figure.

Typically a third of fans watching the show within the first 24 hours of episodes airing on Sky. The official Sky Atlantic overnight ratings reported 1.2 million viewers – this exceeded the viewership of the Love Island finale which aired on the same night. With its growing success, the 3.1 million 7-day cumulative figure has also surpassed the audience for the finale of House of the Dragon.

The Last of Us has gripped the nation with thousands of viewers wanting to know more about the potential implication of Cordyceps – a real world fungi – developing a fungal pandemic. According to Sky, the topic has sparked over 11,000 news articles since the first episode aired and 27,000 views of The Last of Us Wiki page over the last 28 days. Trying to get as much information as possible, Brits have been captivated by the series theme. Digging into the archive, David Attenborough’s Planet Earth YouTube clip from 14 years ago, which looks at how Cordyceps can take control of ants, has also reached 11 million views.

Zai Bennett MD of Content at Sky said: “I’m blown away by the overwhelming response we have had to The Last Of Us. The Sky Atlantic series really has broken new ground with its storytelling and you can really see the impact the show has had with its contribution to a national conversation. It has inspired, challenged, and captivated fans and critics alike.”

The Last of Us, which is based on the PlayStation video game(s), has already been renewed for a second season.