World on Fire is a British war drama television series created by Peter Bowker. Set in the Second World War, the series follows the intertwined lives of ordinary civilians across Europe who are caught up in World War II.
World on Fire | |
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Genre | War drama |
Created by | Peter Bowker |
Written by | Peter Bowker |
Directed by |
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Starring |
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Composer | Dan Jones |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 7 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography |
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Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company | Mammoth Screen |
Distributor | ITV Studios |
Release | |
Original network | BBC One |
Picture format | 2:1 1080p |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 29 September 2019 (2019-09-29) – present |
The series follows the hidden lives of ordinary people from Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States during World War II.[1] The drama switches its scenes between various locations in France, Britain, Germany and Poland. It features repeated visits to Paris, Warsaw, Manchester, Berlin and Dunkirk.
No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Viewers (millions) [6][lower-alpha 1] | |
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1 | 1 | Episode 1 | Adam Smith | Peter Bowker | 29 September 2019 (2019-09-29) | 6.305 | |
1939. As the threat of the Nazi regime looms large over Europe, translator Harry Chase vows to help his Polish lover Kasia Tomaszeski flee Warsaw, but also has his sweetheart Lois Bennett, waiting for him at home in Manchester. Meanwhile, American journalist and broadcaster Nancy Campbell is at the Polish–German border, witnessing the start of the German invasion of Poland. In Paris, surgeon Webster O’Connor finds the distant threat of war on his doorstep as he falls for French–African jazz musician Albert Fallou, who has been beaten up by the Action Française mob. | |||||||
2 | 2 | Episode 2 | Adam Smith | Peter Bowker | 6 October 2019 (2019-10-06) | 5.469 | |
In devastated Warsaw, Kasia makes plans to flee with grief-stricken mother Maria Tomaszeski but gets caught in a resistance cell’s attack on German soldiers. Harry returns to Manchester. When he finally plucks up the courage to tell Lois the truth about Warsaw, she disarms him by declaring her love. Harry then travels to London where he’s dismissed from the diplomatic services because of his conduct in Warsaw. Tom Bennett shocks father Douglas by announcing he is now a conscientious objector, while in Berlin Nancy is frustrated by the growing power of the censor. In Paris, Webster and Albert are deeply in love, but their joy is overshadowed by the growing threat of prejudice they face. | |||||||
3 | 3 | Episode 3 | Thomas Napper | Peter Bowker | 13 October 2019 (2019-10-13) | 5.374 | |
After enlisting in the navy, Tom finds himself on board HMS Exeter in pursuit of the notorious Graf Spee, a German pocket battleship which has been picking off British merchant ships for months. A huge naval battle ensues, and Tom’s moral compass is reset as he watches the carnage and death around him. As Tom fights for his life, Harry and Lois face a battle of their own. Harry is now a 2nd lieutenant, and is in France with the BEF, supervising the digging of foxholes and tank traps with his sergeant Stan Raddings, and trying to win the respect of his unit. When Lois arrives at the base camp to perform with ENSA, Harry’s two worlds collide. Lois is determined to ignore him and finds comfort in the arms of another soldier, Joe, who happens to belong to Harry’s unit, and there’s another shock in store for Harry when he later disciplines Joe, and finds out that Lois is pregnant. | |||||||
4 | 4 | Episode 4 | Andy Wilson | Peter Bowker | 20 October 2019 (2019-10-20) | 5.440 | |
The phoney war is over. Harry and his unit are fighting for their lives in the town of Louvain, where German troops far outnumber those of the Allied forces. Harry is desperate to prove himself as a leader, but when the Nazis close in, Harry freezes. On the road to refuge Grzegorz Tomaszeski and Konrad are woken by a German soldier. Meanwhile, back in Warsaw, Kasia and Tomas’s resistance activity has horrific consequences as the Germans swiftly retaliate. In Paris, Webster is shocked to learn more of the rise of anti-Semitism in the city, when a Jewish couple come seeking his help. Despite hospital policy, Henriette persuades him to look after them, revealing that she too is Jewish. Secrets are also uncovered in Manchester, when Douglas guesses that Lois is hiding her pregnancy. Tom’s return brings momentary relief - until he confesses that he plans to desert the Navy. Nancy submits her script to Schmidt for censor notes, and he is incredulous that she is attempting to broadcast the euthanasia story. Nancy vows to broadcast the story somehow, but Schmidt threatens her: she won’t if she values the Rosslers’ daughter. | |||||||
5 | 5 | Episode 5 | Chanya Button | Peter Bowker | 27 October 2019 (2019-10-27) | 5.995 | |
As thousands flee Nazi-occupied Belgium, Harry, Stan and the rest of their unit take the last route out of France - the road to be evacuated out of Dunkirk. When the boys finally make it to a field hospital, they find an overwhelmed Webster O’Connor dealing with an endless number of injured soldiers and civilians. Having stumbled across an ambulance of shell-shocked, traumatised troops (including Senegalese soldiers Demba and Ibrahim), Harry decides to stay with them. In Warsaw, Kasia’s campaign of fighting and eradicating the barbarous Germans has become routine; she’s worlds away from the young, carefree woman she used to be. Her part in the emerging Polish Resistance is firmly established. In Manchester, Lois and Connie are performing with ENSA at a northern airbase. Tom, now serving on HMS Keith, is reported missing at Dunkirk. They meet Wing Commander Vernon Hunter who is immediately drawn to Lois, charmed by her candour and humour. On saying goodbye, he promises to write to her. In Berlin the Rosslers are growing ever more fearful for Hilda. The only person Mr Rossler can turn to for help is Nancy. | |||||||
6 | 6 | Episode 6 | Chanya Button | Peter Bowker | 3 November 2019 (2019-11-03) | 5.911 | |
June 1940. The Nazis have taken Paris with not a bullet fired. Webster and Albert's life in the city they love will never be the same again. In Berlin, Nancy finds herself once again at the centre of the Rosslers' increasingly desperate situation as both Mr and Mrs Rossler are arrested for neglecting their patriotic duties. Back in Manchester, Harry returns home with another companion, Demba, one of the heroic Senegalese troops who stayed by Harry's side at Dunkirk. And in Warsaw, Kasia's courageous resistance continues in earnest. As she and Tomasz take ever-greater risks in fighting the Germans, the net closes in on them. | |||||||
7 | 7 | Episode 7 | Andy Wilson | Peter Bowker | 10 November 2019 (2019-11-10) | 5.703 | |
Now part of the Special Operations Executive, Harry is about to embark on his first mission. He’s stunned when Major Taylor tells him he must leave for Poland on a mission to intercept a resistance group who have been identified and targeted by the Nazis. Meanwhile, in Warsaw Kasia is led to the gallows until a bomb explodes amongst the watching crowds. Lois welcomes a baby daughter into the world, and it falls to Robina to break the news to Harry that he is now a father. This spurs Harry to head to the Bennett house, where he is met by Douglas, who warns him to stay away. Lois goes to the RAF base to meet Vernon, intending to decline his proposal. His plane is the last to return, and on seeing him, she accepts instead. Harry parachutes into Poland, landing behind enemy lines. Putting his language and military skills to the test, he meets his Polish liaison. He is led to a barn the network is using, and is at last reunited with Kasia. But the network is ambushed by the Germans and only Harry and Kasia escape, with soldiers close behind. |
The seven-part series was commissioned by the BBC in October 2017, with Peter Bowker writing.[7] Casting began in October 2018, with Helen Hunt and Lesley Manville amongst the first additions and filming beginning in Prague.[8] Sean Bean was cast in November.[9] Filming took place in Chester in November 2018, Liverpool in March 2019 and also included other locations such as Prague, Lytham St. Annes, Wigan[10][11] and Lyme Park.
Series two officially began filming on 13 July 2022 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with six confirmed episodes, written by Bowker, Rachel Bennette and Matt Jones and directed by Drew Casson, Barney Cokeliss and Meenu Gaur. Lesley Manville, Jonah Hauer-King, Julia Brown, Zofia Wichlacz, Blake Harrison, Eugénie Derouand, Eryk Biedunkiewicz and Cel Spellman were all confirmed to be returning, while Mark Bonnar, Ahad Raza Mir and Gregg Sulkin joined the cast.[12] Yrsa Daley-Ward and Parker Sawyers were spotted during filming and are also assumed to be returning. Filming wrapped on 5 September.[13]
No. | Title | Air date | C7 viewers[6] (millions) |
C28 viewers (millions) |
Total viewers (millions) |
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1 | Episode 1 | 29 September 2019 | 6.305 | 1.397 | 7.702 |
2 | Episode 2 | 6 October 2019 | 5.469 | 1.272 | 6.741 |
3 | Episode 3 | 13 October 2019 | 5.374 | 1.028 | 6.402 |
4 | Episode 4 | 20 October 2019 | 5.440 | 0.983 | 6.423 |
5 | Episode 5 | 27 October 2019 | 5.995 | 0.785 | 6.780 |
6 | Episode 6 | 3 November 2019 | 5.911 | 0.578 | 6.489 |
7 | Episode 7 | 10 November 2019 | 5.703 | 0.502 | 6.205 |
World on Fire was reviewed positively by Lucy Mangan of The Guardian.[14] The historical accuracy of some elements of the series, however, was criticised by some reviewers, including columnist Peter Hitchens.[15][16]