Love And War

Sean Bean stars in a sweeping new drama about the first months of World War Two

From Germany’s invasion of Poland to the Battle of Britain, BBC1’s wartime drama World on Fire provides a powerful new perspective on the conflict as it starts to tear Europe apart.

Written by BAFTA-winning scribe Peter Bowker, the landmark seven-part series is set during the first year of the Allies’ struggle to defeat Hitler. The multi-stranded saga tells tales of love, loss and friendship as it follows ordinary people caught up in a war that threatens everything they hold dear.

This week’s first episode opens in 1939 as Warsaw falls to the Nazis, with events seen through the eyes of Harry Chase (Jonah Hauer-King), an English translator stationed at the city’s British embassy.

CHANGING WORLD

News of the invasion soon reaches Harry’s sweetheart, talented singer Lois (Julia Brown), back in Manchester. Yet, unbeknown to her, Harry has fallen in love with local Polish girl Kasia (Zofia Wichlacz) after meeting in a Warsaw cafe.

However, the couple’s budding romance is turned upside down when the Germans invade Poland, and Harry returns to Britain to join the Army.