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7 September 2017 2:29 AM

Viewers shocked (and excited) as BBC’s ‘War and Peace’ shows full-frontal nudity on the front line

By Troy Nankervis

Unsuspecting BBC viewers were slapped across the eyeballs as Oscar Pearce’s privates were shown front and centre on last night’s episode of War and Peace.

The big reveal came in the first half of the programme, less than half and hour after the 9pm watershed – practically unheard of by BBc standards.

For those seeking some catch up television, the episode does warn it contains “some upsetting scenes”.

Featuring alongside dozens of men were bathing naked in a river, the Pearce told the Daily Mail the scene was filmed last May in Lithuania, and that it was a “massive relief” the water was warm.

“When I got offered the job, I’d seen the scene where they were swimming and I’d read the bit in the book and it’s clear that they are naked,” he said.

“Tolstoy writes about this. I kind of knew that I was going to have to be naked.

“There was a nudity clause in the contract so I had to be prepared on the day to be naked, which I thought was a no-brainer, because the Russian army weren’t supplied with swimming costumes.”

The married father-of-two added he had pictured the scene as a slow motion homage to Daniel Craig’s iconic beach scene in Casino Royale “We were running out of light. There were about 60 extras in the water and they all had their modesty pants, their linen pants,” he said.

“We rehearsed the shot and the camera was miles away on a really long lens. The director shouted that we were going for a take so I took my linen pants off. I turned around expecting the extras to take theirs off as well, but they didn’t. I was like, oh.

“I ushered to the men to take theirs off. I was naked, completely naked. James [Norton] was on horse, fully-clothed, in uniform. Seventy people behind the camera, seventy people in front of the camera, and me in the middle stark-b****** naked.’

War and Peace - Episode 5

BBC3

BBC4

Social media was buzzing last night with commentary on the provocative scene.

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