Normal People star Paul Mescal has brushed off criticism of the nudity and sex scenes in the new teen drama.

In the show - set on Ireland's West coast - Mescal plays Connell, a 17-year-old boy who begins a relationship with a girl called Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones).

The series is based on Sally Rooney's popular book and has received almost universal acclaim since its release on iPlayer and Hulu last week.

In Ireland, the show was the subject of a debate on radio programme Liveline, which saw several listeners call in to blast it for "pornographic" and "immoral" sex scenes between the two main characters.

"I actually listened in yesterday," Mescal - 24 in real life - told The Late Late Show. "I suppose I was a bit surprised, but the last thing I want to do is sit and judge people for that, because they're entitled to their opinion.

"My own perspective of it is we worked hard to make it feel like it was a real, accurate and truthful representation of sex amongst young people.

"It's something I'm incredibly proud of and incredibly proud to see on Irish screens, personally."

All 12 episodes of Normal People are available to stream now on iPlayer, while two episodes per week are being screened in a prime Monday 9pm slot on BBC One.