Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed that he is an “enormous fan” of the raunchy Netflix period drama Bridgerton.

In an interview with the Radio Times, Mr Sunak added that he had spent “a lot of time watching” the smash-hit show, while admitting that his viewing habits are “not quite the same” as those of his senior government colleagues.

The chancellor added: “Like Emily In Paris, I’m not sure how many others watched that. I’ll check.”

Bridgerton, which was created by world-famous TV producer Shonda Rhimes, started streaming in December, and quickly became one of Netflix‘s most watched shows ever.

A second series is currently being filmed.

As well as discussing his favourite shows, Mr Sunak also talked about what he would watch on TV as a child.

“We were never allowed to eat in the sitting room, but Saturday nights were the exception,” he said.

“We would spread a plastic picnic blanket out and I’d go with my dad to pick up either Pizza Hut or KFC from Portswood in Southampton, and we – Mum, Dad and my younger brother and sister – would eat on this picnic mat and watch The A-Team, Baywatch and Blind Date, which were on one after the other.

“That was a special part of our growing up.”

Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Elsewhere in his wide-ranging interview, he described the country’s creative industries as “one of the UK’s crown jewels”, adding: “It’s something we do better than most other countries; we export it round the world.

“We should be enormously proud of it, and it’s part of our soft power and brand. Brand Britain.”

Mr Sunak added he also wanted the BBC to “take every step possible” to learn the lessons following the fallout over the Dyson report, which found that Martin Bashir convinced Diana, Princess Of Wales to give an interview under false pretences.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

He does say though that he is a “fan” of the corporation, adding: “It probably comes from living in the States for a very long time.

“When you’re abroad, the BBC is your connection with home.

“I was living thousands of miles away in California, and the BBC was still my homepage. There’s an emotional attachment to it.”

Related posts:

Northern Ireland’s lockdown extended to 1 April – but some children to return to school earlier PM pledges UK’s surplus vaccines to poorer nations as he calls for 100-day target for new jabs Khan urges BAME communities to get vaccine after he receives jab Government’s failure to publish COVID contracts details ruled unlawful Hancock admits breaking social distancing after CCTV leak shows office kiss with aide Matt Hancock ‘affair’: Minister asks for office to be swept for cameras No more isolation for fully vaccinated arrivals from France, as India moved off red list Priti Patel visits Greece for discussions on tackling illegal migration No ‘free-for-all’: Wales set to move to alert level zero – but FM warns it ‘does not mean end of restrictions’ Geronimo the alpaca set to die after No 10 refuses stay of execution ‘Sausage war’ truce holds as UK indefinitely extends grace period for post-Brexit checks PM refuses to rule out more tax rises ahead of next election as he defends National Insurance hike