Game of Thrones breaks Guinness World Record for largest TV drama simulcast

The HBO drama was watched in 173 countries at the same time

Maisie Williams prepares to enter the House of Black and White as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones season five (HBO)

Game of Thrones has broken another record - and this time it’s not to do with the number of illegal downloads across the world.

The HBO series has entered the 2016 edition of the Guinness World Records after hosting the “largest TV drama simulcast” seen so far.

The second episode of season five, “The House of Black and White”, was shown in 173 countries simultaneously earlier this year in a bid to crack down on pirated downloads.

The record for the largest TV drama simulcast was previously held by CSI, which aired in 171 countries on 4 March - just weeks before Game of Thrones broke the record.

Maisie Williams picks up an award on behalf of the show after it made the Guinness Book of Records for the largest TV drama simulcast (PA)

Game of Thrones is frequently cited as the most pirated TV show across the globe, with season five breaking an illegal download record after it was pirated 13 million times.

Another study earlier this year showed Game of Thrones is illegally downloaded 116,000 times a day.

Accepting the Guinness World Record honour, Maisie Williams said: “I’m so pleased for Game of Thrones to be part of Guinness World Records. I’m going to tell my step brother as he gets the book every year for Christmas. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”

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