The Walking Dead Season 7 Premiere Sets Two Ratings Records in the UK

The good news for The Walking Dead just keeps hitting. Every time you swing around, you're bludgeoned right in the head with another spike in the ratings. It's not just in the U.S. either, as fans overseas turned their TVs on in droves for the number one show in the world.

For the season 7 premiere, UK fans set two new records for The Walking Dead. With 1.43 million people watching there, it was the highest rating of any series ever on FOX UK in its 14 years, the host for the show there. It was a staggering 59% increase in viewers over the season 6 premiere, the previous high for The Walking Dead in the UK.

The ratings records didn't stop at FOX UK, though, as The Walking Dead was also the top-rated 9pm show in pay TV history in the UK. They really knocked those ratings out of the park. Hopefully no one loses their head over it, though, and keeps on producing quality television.

"Since its launch, this global phenomenon has continued to increase its audience year on year, however for last night's episode to deliver the highest ratings of any series launch in the channel's history is testament to The Walking Dead's status as the number 1 TV show in the world," Jeff Ford, UK managing director of Fox Networks Group Europe and Africa told Digital Spy.

Here in the states, The Walking Dead season 7 premiere had 17 million viewers, a staggering number that will only go up in the live+3 and +7 ratings that include DVR playback (though it isn't a record - season 5's 17.3 million still hangs onto that). AMC also put the premiere episode up online on their website for free with no subsrciption, undoubtedly reaching more fans that way. The huge viewership bumped AMC's stock prices up by 4% yesterday, despite ratings not yet being out, and another 6% today.

The show can't possibly maintain that level of viewership all season long, but it's an incredible start after the half a year wait off a massive cliffhanger.

NEXT: 5 Great Walking Dead Spinoff Ideas

MORE: Alternate Negan Kill VIDEO / BEST Twitter Reactions to Negan's Kill / Record HIGH Ratings / Why Negan Didn't Kill Rick / What's Next for Maggie? / What do DEATH 1 & DEATH 2 mean for the show? / Kingdom Preview Released / Negan's Kill Reveal / Season 7 Premiere Recap (SPOILERS) / Who Is King Ezekiel / Where's Daryl Now? / Negan's Comic Book History / Was the Premiere Too Violent?

The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights @9/8c on AMC.