Showtrial made a shocking comeback on the BBC tonight, leaving viewers squeamish within moments, despite a forewarning from the broadcaster before airing.
Prior to transmission, the BBC aired a cautionary message stating: “Cranking up the tension on BBC One now with very strong language and scenes which some of you may find upsetting, as a brand new case is brought to trial. Press red now to watch in Ultra HD on BBC iPlayer.”
However, it wasn’t long before audiences were taken aback as they witnessed a cyclist desperately trying to outrun a car pursuing him. The chase intensified until the car violently collided with the cyclist, launching him into the air and onto the car’s windscreen, then crashing onto the ground.
Following the collision, the next scene portrayed the cyclist lying motionless as the unidentified driver removed his bicycle and helmet, and fled. It was then that the injured man opened his eyes in shock and reached for his leg, revealing the grim reason for the initial warning his broken bone protruding from his skin, reports the Express.
The gruesome visuals spurred fans to express their dismay on social media. One viewer tweeted: “#ShowTrial strong scene, the car crash!”
Another commented: “‘Scenes which you may find upsetting… Press the red button if you want to see it in Ultra-HD’. ‘Cos that’s what people need. Potentially upsetting scenes in as much definition and detail as possible. #ShowTrial.”
And a third remarked: “#ShowTrial eek 3 minutes in and we’re seeing an exposed leg bone already!”
A viewer expressed dissatisfaction with the new BBC series stating: “I try and give these programmes a chance but #showtrial is just garbage. Not a patch on things like Taggart/Rebus. What’s happened to drama these days?”
Showtrial’s second series delves into the story of a police officer implicated in the murder of a climate change campaigner.
The much-anticipated sequel to the 2021 legal thriller Showtrial stars Sherwood’s Akheel Aktar, produced by the team behind Line of Duty.
Launching with its first episode tonight, the series revisits the mysterious death of renowned activist Marcus Calderwood who faces a brutal demise from a hit-and-run, with dedicated officers scrambling to piece together the truth.
Showtrial is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer