Horse steals the show in epic War and Peace drama
IT boasted a cast of world class talent, with Lily James, Gillian Anderson and the dashing James Norton all fighting for the limelight.
But the unlikely star of the BBC’s new adaptation of War and Peace was, in fact, a horse.
Viewers were left in tears after white steed Ziggy’s untimely death in battle. The horse, whose character was called Little Rook, made only a brief appearance being ridden by Jack Lowden’s Nikolai Rostov, but fans have jokingly called for him to be awarded a Bafta.
One wrote on Twitter: ‘Star of last night’s #WarAndPeace was that horse at the end – more emotional range than James Norton.’ Another posted: ‘The look on that horse’s face. If it doesn’t win the Best Supporting Horse Bafta there is no justice.’
Some worried that Ziggy’s death during a cavalry charge was so realistic he may have been hurt. However the BBC was quick to reas- sure fans that the horse, trained by Gerard Naprous of stunt team The Devil’s Horsemen, was unscathed.
But even Ziggy’s remarkable acting skills could not help War and Peace claim the title of the day’s most watched programme. It was viewed by 6.3milllion people – 600,000 fewer than the BBC’s Countryfile.
Overall the reaction to the adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s love story was positive, with viewers calling it ‘simply stunning’.
Phwoar and Peace – Pages 22&23