Gunpowder viewers are horrified at BBC for ‘GOT’ violence

Horrified viewers were left throwing up during the sickening gore-filled scenes of the the BBC drama Gunpowder last night.The show chronicles the notorious plot to blow up the House of Lords in 1605, with Kit Harington playing his ancestor and mastermind of the plan, Robert Catesby.However, as viewers tuned into the eagerly anticipated period series, many were left with a foul taste in their mouths when a young priest was hung, drawn and quartered alive.’Thank you #Gunpowder. I didn’t want to throw up but I did! I know that sort of violence happened but did not want to see it graphically,’ one fan wrote.’This execution scene is the most painful thing I’ve ever witnessed on TV. ‘Others remarked, ‘Eek! The violence! Very disturbing #Gunpowder.’In the grotesque sequence, Daniel Smith (Thom Ashley) is dropped from the gallows and sliced open before his insides are ripped from his body as he issues ear-piercing screams.The priest also has his hands and feet chopped off in the vile torture scenes, dubbed by one fan as one of the ‘most painful scenes on television’.And as if that wasn’t enough, the executioner then goes onto proudly show off the priest’s head as a trophy kill to the crowd after it is dipped it in tar.Elsewhere in the show, Lady Dorothy (Sian Webber) is paraded through the cheering crowds in bare feet and a nightdress.The humiliating scenes bare a striking similarity to that of Cersei’s nude walk of shame in Game Of Thrones’ iconic season five finale.Lady Dorothy is then stripped to be executed and crushed beneath what appeared to be four kettle-bells.Reflecting on the violent project, series star Harington hailed the historic drama as ‘his baby’.He said: ‘I loved being involved as a producer in this from genesis, from coming up with the idea to finding a brilliant writer that wanted to do it with us, to finding a brilliant director who wanted to direct it with us, to casting it.’You know, I was involved from the very start. I understand now what they mean when they say it’s my baby.’Viewers, however, flooded social media with their disgust at its savage violence which left little to the imagination.’#Gunpowder is a difficult one. Many will accept and continue to watch such harsh violence while others may choose to turn it off,’ one person wrote.’#Gunpowder is really good as it does not focus on Guy Fawkes, but the sectarian violence which took place centuries ago.What’s changed?”Kit Harington’s good looks are getting me through all this violence tbh.’The BBC came under the firing line from viewers who slammed the broadcaster for the ‘gratuitous violence’ which played out on the small screen.Fans wrote: ‘Gunpowder, on BBC, was the worst program I have ever seen, I had to switch over.Horrendous violence. ”This may be history but I cannot watch such gratuitous violence #Gunpowder’  Really not entertaining, any excuse for post watershed violence.”BBC doing Got style violence *yawns* hope the story gets going soon #gunfawkes #Gunpowder”F*****g hell.Gunpowder. Just switched it on. Advisory warnings or not, I’ll be amazed if there aren’t any complaints about the violence.’The BBC has defended the scenes, claiming they were historically accurate, and said that viewers were warned before the start of the show.Aspokesman said:  ‘The scenes aired after 9.30pm with a clear warning given to viewers before the episode started.’The methods depicted are grounded in historical fact and reflect what took place during the time of the gunpowder plot.

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