The four-part drama has also been streamed 12.3m times in just eight days on ITVX, while it helped to give ITV1 its best start to the year for more than a decade, with 18.4% of the audience share for those days.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, said: “The unwavering success of Mr Bates vs The Post Office demonstrates the undeniable power of TV, particularly public service broadcasting.”
He continued: “Aside from it being a ratings hit, dramatising the story with such a high calibre of British actors has reignited the campaign for justice nearly 25 years on, for a group of ordinary people – and the entire nation is behind them.”
Meanwhile, Polly Hill, head of drama at ITV added: “We commissioned this drama because it was a story that demanded to be told. Like everyone watching the show, I couldn’t believe what had happened. We all just wanted the drama to help get that story heard by as many people as we could.
“We are all proud and overwhelmed by the power our drama has had. Alan, Jo, Lee, Jess and every sub-postmaster and sub-postmistress are being heard now, and it looks like they will finally get the justice they deserve. ITV is proud to have told this story and to support the subpostmasters.”
It was previously reported that the series had beaten The Tourist season 2 in the overnight ratings for New Year’s Day, when both shows debuted.
An audience of 2.2 million viewers tuned in to watch The Tourist, as opposed to the 4.6 million who watched Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office is available to watch now on ITVX. For more, check out our dedicated Drama page or our full TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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