BritBox pulls Nuclear disaster film Threads ahead of the Ukraine war after it gave viewers nightmares
BRITBOX pulled nuclear disaster film Threads from its platform ahead of the Ukraine war after it gave viewers nightmares.
The apocalyptic drama left people so terrified it was rarely repeated on the BBC after it first aired in 1984.
It did however land on BritBox, until earlier this year, and clips of the film also emerged on TikTok, with people saying that they “can’t believe” it was ever broadcast on the telly.
One distressing scene was captioned on TikTok: “Who as a kid had nightmares after watching this?”
And one comment from a user read: “To think they showed this in schools in the Eighties. No wonder 80s kids were hard as nails!”
Threads was about a nuclear attack in Sheffield.
Set in the near future, Threads examined a thirteen year period in the projected life - and death - of the city of Sheffield, during which time Britain is devastated by nuclear attacks.
When it first aired on BBC Two it was "the night Britain didn't sleep", so shocked were the people that had tuned in.
It aired once again the following year and didn't make it back on screen until 18 years later.
It was also released on DVD and aired once more on telly in April 2005.
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One viewer said after watching it: "recently watched this for the first time and it absolutely terrified me. Im a student, born in 87, but its still harrowing to see places that are recognisably sheffield, and hear the voices that could have been me and my mates completely obliterated by nuclear war…."
Another viewer said: "I saw this film in 84 and it scared the hell out of me,the next time i saw it was 20 years later, it was on bbc4 i couldn,t believe it i had to watch it again to see those images that have stayed with me all those years.
"never has a film knocked the stuffing out of me as much as this one. knowing that everything we have taken for granted our lives, families, homes, food, happiness could all be gone so abruptly."
