Until I Kill You set to make history for ITV after viewership figures released

The harrowing true crime drama, Until I Kill You, has been airing on ITVX and tells the chilling story of Delia Balmer's (played by Anna Maxwell-Martin) survival from a near-fatal relationship with murderer John Sweeney (portrayed by Shaun Evans). The viewership figures have just been released by ITV, indicating that it is set to become one of the network's most-watched dramas ever.

The show ranks second only to Mr Bates v The Post Office, having attracted massive streaming audiences in its first week, with over 10 million streams to date. The drama is based on Delia's haunting memoir, Living With A Serial Killer.

The cast were eager to emphasise Delia's courage and resilience during her traumatic journey through the police and criminal justice system as they sought to bring Sweeney to justice for his crimes. The four-part series garnered five-star reviews from critics, many of whom lauded Anna's depiction of Delia.

The Guardian's glowing review read: "This extraordinary portrait of Delia Balmer, who survived a relationship with the murderer John Sweeney, is that rarest of things fearless TV that values viewers' intelligence."

Since the series premiered on November 3, streaming hours have surged by nearly a third compared to the same period last year, reports the Mirror.

Many viewers opted to binge-watch the entire series immediately, as all episodes were made available on ITVX simultaneously.

The documentary series concluded with a stand-alone film that gave Delia Balmer the chance to share her own narrative.

In 1991, while working in London as an agency nurse, Delia encountered Sweeney at a local pub. The progression of their relationship was swift, and soon after he moved into her residence, she began to witness his menacing nature.

Delia endured numerous brutal assaults by Sweeney, who during one such attack confessed to killing his former girlfriend, Melissa Halstead.

Though Sweeney was apprehended, he managed to secure bail, only to carry out a grievously violent assault on Delia, inflicting severe lasting physical and psychological wounds.

The serial killer remained at large for six years before he was finally apprehended in London for murdering another partner, Paula Fields.

Delia, whose recovery was delicate and ongoing, found her life disrupted once more when called upon to provide crucial evidence against Sweeney in court.

ITV detailed: "This is the story of one woman's astonishing will to survive through physical and emotional torment, despite the failings of the institutions which were meant to protect her."