'They're just football shorts' - Normal People's Paul Mescal has reacted to the internet's obsession with his shorts

The paparazzi is something that all celebrities have to deal with at one point or another.

But Normal People star Paul Mescal could not have predicted that some of his pictures in the press would inspire such a strange fan obsession with his shorts.

The Irish actor, who has just been nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Connell in the BBC’s TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s hit novel, has finally responded to the hype.

Here’s what you need to know.

Why are people obsessed with Paul Mescal’s shorts?

Paparazzi photographs of Paul Mescal wearing shorts sent the internet into meltdown a few months ago.

Mescal had already become something of a sex symbol following his portrayal of Connell, and fans took to Twitter to express their love for the actor - and his shorter than average shorts.

One person wrote: “I find myself thinking of Paul Mescal in those shorts much more often than I should be.”

Another tweeted: “The Emmys saw Paul Mescal in these short shorts and had to give him the nomination.”

“Paul Mescal in short shorts is truly a work of art,” wrote another.

With news of Mescal’s Emmy nomination circulating, many fans are petitioning online for the actor to attend the ceremony in the infamous tiny shorts.

And it’s not just Mescal’s shorts that have become an object of public obsession - a chain his character on the show wore also became a focus of fans.