ABC’s most celebrated comedy has been nominated for a prestigious International Emmy Award, despite a lack of interest from Australian audiences.

Lauded by Time Magazine as “one of the best shows on TV”, comedian Josh Thomas’s Please Like Me is up against three other nominees in the best comedy category.

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Thomas expressed his excitement on Twitter, revealing he had to explain to his mother how important the award was.

!!!!!!!! #PleaseLikeMe got nominated for an (international) EMMY. !!!!!!!!

— Josh Thomas (@JoshThomas87) October 13, 2014

It took me a long time to explain to my mum what an international Emmy is.

— Josh Thomas (@JoshThomas87) October 13, 2014

Despite struggling in the Australian ratings, the show, which is based on Thomas’s real-life journey of coming out as gay, is now broadcast in countries like Sweden, Israel and France.

The decision to air the show on ABC’s secondary channel ABC2 has been blamed for the comedy’s slow uptake with viewers, with the second series premiering to only 100,000 viewers, according to a Crikey report.

The winner of the International Emmy will be announced at the Emmy Awards ceremony in New York on November 24.