The BBC hit TV series 'Sherlock' received 69 million views in China despite being banned by state-run media censors bent on Internet sexual content crackdown.

Reports said the series is one of the most sought after shows in China amid strong media state regulation. The government banned Sherlock from the Chinese Central Television network together with major TV channels in the country.

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However, the state ban didn't stop followers of the TV series from finding ways to watch their favorite show.

Already in its third season, the TV series is starred by Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the role of the eccentric private British detective called Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman, who plays the character of Dr. John Watson, Sherlock's partner in solving mysteries.

Its first season was aired in China January of this year and has attracted a strong following with thousands of members. It has boosted Youko.com, one of China's fastest growing Chinese online video businesses.

According to Youko.com, the show had 14.5 million views two weeks after it was aired in China in January. At the time, rules on online streaming sites showing Western programs and content were not as strict.

However, during the same month of Sherlock's showing, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People's Republic of China issued new rules that even video streaming sites would be censored.

What made Sherlock so loved by Chinese audiences? An anonymous source told Mirror that local Chinese dramas are dull when compared to UK soaps.

Even the TV series' take on the Arthur Conan Doyle classic veers away from the traditional approach of current dramas on TV.

According to Yu Fei, a veteran TV writer for Chinese crime and dramas, the TV production of Sherlock treats each episode as if it's a movie. The details, the build-ups, the middle and the climax of every episode are appealing to viewers worldwide including Chinese audiences.

Tagscensorship, viewership, UK TV series