World on Fire
A BBC One Original
World on Fire follows the global reach of World War II through the intertwined lives of ordinary people on all sides of the conflict. From crowded cities to shattered towns, daily life is haunted by shortages, danger, and sudden acts of courage as the war touches love, labor, and family in... Read more
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Streaming availability last verified: January 14, 2026
About World on Fire
World on Fire follows the global reach of World War II through the intertwined lives of ordinary people on all sides of the conflict. From crowded cities to shattered towns, daily life is haunted by shortages, danger, and sudden acts of courage as the war touches love, labor, and family in surprising ways. Across nations and regimes, civilians cling to a sense of normalcy even as the world outside spirals. The show threads together disparate viewpoints into a single human mosaic, illustrating how distant decisions ripple into ordinary routines and change the course of countless lives. It centers on a cast of everyday figures whose paths cross in moments of crisis, offering a humane, character driven lens on history.
Production & Release: World on Fire arrived in 2019, created by Peter Bowker. It presents an original drama about World War II not adapted from a source and uses a cast to trace how the war touches life across continents.
Awards: The show has not received major nominations. It has drawn some praise for its ambition and the performances of its ensemble cast, particularly in portraying diverse civilian experiences during WWII.
Cultural Impact: The show stands out for its globe spanning storytelling and focus on civilian experiences, giving actors like Jonah Hauer-King and Helen Hunt room to explore personal stakes against a vast historical canvas. That approach broadens the war's human lens.
Reception & Themes: Reception focuses on the character driven look at wartime life and the way ordinary people navigate loyalty, fear, and hope under pressure. It emphasizes moral complexity, cross-border connections, and the scale of the conflict. The show sits around 7.5 out of 10 from 76 votes.
Details
- Release Date
- September 29, 2019
- Episode Length
- 1h
- Rating
- TV-MA
- User Ratings
- 76 votes
- Type
- TV Series
- Seasons
- 2
- Episodes
- 13
- Network
- BBC One
- Status
- Canceled
- Genres
- Drama, War & Politics
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Studio
- Mammoth Screen
- External Links
- View on IMDB
Official Trailer
Cast
Jonah Hauer-King
Harry Chase
Julia Brown
Lois Bennett
Helen Hunt
Nancy Campbell
Zofia Wichłacz
Kasia Tomaszeski
Lesley Manville
Robina Chase
Brian J. Smith
Webster O'Connor
Parker Sawyers
Albert Fallou
Tomasz Kot
Stefan Tomaszeski
Gregg Sulkin
David
Ahad Raza Mir
Rajib
Created by: Peter Bowker
Seasons (2 seasons, 13 episodes)
Series 1
7 episodes - 2019
Series 2
6 episodes - 2023