'Normal People' producers take aim at Pornhub over 22-minute sex scene compilation

The producers of hit BBC drama Normal People issued a takedown request to Pornhub after a 22-minute compilation of sex scenes from the show was uploaded to the site.

Since its release on BBC Three, the 12-part adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel has become one of the most acclaimed TV series of 2020.

Ed Guiney, executive producer of Normal People, told Variety he was “hugely disappointed” to see excerpts from the show appear on Pornhub.

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He added: “It’s both a violation of copyright and more importantly, it’s deeply disrespectful to the actors involved and to the wider creative team.”

The adult website, which averages 100 billion video views each year, complied with the request, but the video remains online via other file sharing and streaming websites.

Corey Price, Pornhub’s vice president, told Variety the site is “fully compliant” with copyright law and removes videos as soon as it is alerted to any infringement.

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Normal People follows the relationship between teenagers Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal).

Directorial duties on the 12 episodes are split between Room filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald, who is best known for the standout 2007 Doctor Who episode Blink.

Rooney’s 2018 novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize and was also crowned Waterstones Book of the Year.

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The series has received rave reviews from critics since its release, securing an 88% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The site’s critical consensus reads: “Anchored by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal vulnerable performances, Normal People is at once intimate and illuminating, beautifully translating the nuances of its source material.”

Normal People is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.