Paul Mescal, who plays Connell in Normal People, is raffling off a personal chain for charity after his character's jewellery became a surprise star of the series.

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Mescal announced on Instagram that a chain of his own will be raffled for mental health charity Pieta House in Dublin, which provides free suicide for those engaging in self-harm, with suicidal ideation and bereaved by suicide.

The raffle for the white gold sports chain, from designer Roxanne First, is open until Monday 8th June and has already raised €15,320 (£13,643), with donations starting at €10 (£9).

"In light of ep 9 and 10 airing on BBC and RTÉ today and tomorrow, episodes that deal with mental health and suicide, I've decided to support @pieta.house," he wrote. "I've personally seen the amazing work this charity has done in terms of helping those in need."

Paul Mescal with co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones in Normal People
Paul Mescal with co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones in Normal People

He added: "I will be raffling one of my chains by @roxannefirst and all proceeds will be going to Pieta. Anything you can do to support will be greatly appreciated. The link to the raffle is in my bio."

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Episodes nine and 10 of the Sligo-set romantic drama, adapted from Sally Rooney's novel, see Connell deal with the suicide of a school friend and the mental health ramifications he suffers as a result of that.

Speaking to Pieta House, Mescal said: "Pieta is a cause very close to my heart, having experienced loss due to suicide in my local town while growing up."

Normal People became a lockdown obsession for many house-bound viewers, with the show receiving 16.2 million requests on BBC iPlayer in its first week, contributing to iPlayer's best week in history.

The series follows the love story between popular athlete Connell and intelligent but disliked Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones), whose roles are reversed when both begin attending Trinity College Dublin.

Many viewers lusted after Connell's chain during Normal People, with an Instagram account dedicated to the jewellery amassing 163,000 followers.

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You can donate to the Pieta House raffle for Paul Mescal's chain here. Normal People is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.

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