Netflix’s breakout documentary Tiger King has been watched by 64 million households, the streaming giant has said.

The figures were announced in a first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, which also revealed that it picked up almost 16 million global subscribers during the first three months of the year.

The numbers, accrued as large parts of the world were placed under stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic, added a further boost to Netflix’s already thriving stock price.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness chronicles the downfall of eccentric zoo owner Joe Exotic, who is serving a 22-year jail sentence for plotting to have an animal rights activist murdered.

The series became one of the most talked-about shows of recent times following its arrival on Netflix in March, thanks to a combination of its wild story and captive audience due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Netflix has now revealed how popular it was, with 64 million households viewing it around the world.

Love Is Blind, a reality show which featured participants dating people they had never seen before, was viewed by 30 million households, while action film Spenser Confidential drew a huge audience of 85 million.

The streaming giant has changed what constitutes a view. Previously it counted a view as a member household watching 70% of one episode of a series or feature film.

Now, however, the number is based on a member account which watches at least two minutes of a series or movie, which Netflix says is “long enough to indicate the choice was intentional”.

Netflix also said its Spanish drama Money Heist, also known as La Casa de Papel, is expected to attract more viewers than Tiger King.