It’s A Sin star and Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander has revealed that he was the only person to audition for the role of Ritchie in the record-breaking Channel 4 drama.

• READ MORE: Olly Alexander on ‘It’s A Sin’: “There’s not been a British Aids drama on this scale ever”

Alexander played Ritchie Tozer in the show, which chronicles the lives of gay friends living in London during the ’80s Aids crisis and has become Channel 4’s most-binged series of all time since its release.

In a new interview on This Morning, Alexander revealed how the show’s creator Russell T Davies earmarked him for the role of Ritchie from the beginning.

“I did audition, yeah,” he said. “I got an email from my agent saying Russell T Davies is making a new show, wants to meet you for the part of Ritchie and instantly I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that would be so amazing, I love Russell, I love his work.’ I was like, ‘I’m in, I’m in.’”

He added: “I went and met him and I read for the part. Russell did say I was the only person that auditioned, so…”

In other news, Russell T Davies has confirmed that It’s A Sin won’t return for a second season.

Saying that the hit drama “said everything I wanted to say,” the Queer As Folk and Cucumber writer explained to The Hollywood Reporter, why he wouldn’t pursue things further. “There isn’t a second season. It was lovely. It said everything I wanted to say. The only long-running thing I’ve ever done is Doctor Who and that’s because Doctor Who is designed to be long running.”

Reviewing It’s A Sin, NME wrote: “By telling this story through the eyes of warm, flawed and sometimes frustrating characters you’ll care about, it offers a heartbreaking reminder of the countless lives claimed by HIV/AIDS.”