Viewers of Brazilian soap opera Amor à Vida were this week treated to the country’s first gay lip-lock following a dedicated social media campaign by fans of the show.

Characters Felix and Niko (played by Matthew Solano and Thiago Fragoso, pictured) had embraced and kissed each other chastely on the cheek in previous episodes, but had never enjoyed a “proper” kiss, reports Gay Star News.

Fans of the show turned to Twitter to forced producers to bring the couple closer together, using the hashtag #BeijaFélixeNiko (KissFelixAndNiko) over the past several months.

The campaign was supported by a number of prominent Brazilians, including the country’s first openly gay politician Jean Wyllys. “People gathered in front of the television in angst, and celebrated the kiss as if it was the World Cup,” Wyllys told BBC Trending.

The couple finally shared a passionate kiss in the final episode show, which aired on Brazil’s most-watched network, Rede Globo – the second-largest broadcast network worldwide – at the weekend.