Chernobyl, the harrowing HBO and Sky Atlantic drama that revisits the 1986 nuclear disaster, is about to land on our screens.
The five-part series explores the events leading up to the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, as well as the aftermath of the catastrophe.
It will follow the stories of those affected by the disaster – which is still considered to be one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history – as well as those faced with the task of containing nuclear radiation.
Here’s everything you need to know before the show airs.
What is the series about?
In April 1986, an explosion occurred during a routine safety test at the Chernobyl power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine.
The test, which was carried out late at night, saw the plant’s safety systems deliberately turned off. However, design flaws generated an explosion which released radioactive material into the atmosphere.
The nuclear fallout reached across the Ukraine, Russia and Belarus and even went as far as Scandinavia and some parts of western Europe.
Over the next few weeks, 134 servicemen were hospitalised with acute radiation sickness, with 28 dying in the months afterwards. The long-term health implications of the accident on those affected by the disaster is still being determined.
The TV series will dramatise the interlocking stories of those caught up in the events, from Soviet politicians to nuclear physicists to power plant workers and their families, and will explore “the sacrifices made to save Europe from the unimaginable disaster,” the network said.
Who stars in the new drama?
HBO has assembled a stellar cast for the new project, which was directed by Johan Renck, who previously helmed a handful of Breaking Bad episodes.
Jared Harris (The Crown) stars as Soviet physicist Valery Legasov, a member of the Chernobyl response team who was among the first to comprehend the huge scale of the disaster, while Emily Watson (Apple Tree Yard) plays fellow scientist Ulana Khomyuk, who was determined to discover what prompted the explosion.
Mamma Mia’s Stellan Skarsgard portrays Boris Shcherbina, deputy Prime Minister of the USSR, who was assigned to head up the government commission on the accident.
Beast's Jessie Buckley and Dunkirk’s Barry Keoghan also star.
When is Chernobyl on TV?
Chernobyl will air on May 7 on Sky Atlantic and will be available to stream on NOW TV.
