Sky and HBO co-production Chernobyl brings "the untold true" story of the world's worst nuclear disaster to the fore, dramatising the events surrounding what happened that fateful night.

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The five-part drama series also follows the Soviet government's response, and explores the terrible repercussions of the tragedy, which lasted for years.

Jarred Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson and Jessie Buckley lead the cast in this nuclear disaster drama.

Talking about the inspiration behind Chernobyl, writer Craig Mazin told Sky News: "Chernobyl, this series, stemmed from a simple question. How did this happen? We know what happened, but not how."

He continued: "This is a story about humanity and the cost of lives; a story about the worst that humans can do, but also the best."

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Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch the drama series and whether it's available to watch on Netflix.

How to watch Chernobyl in the UK

HBO's critically-acclaimed Chernobyl
HBO's critically-acclaimed Chernobyl

Chernobyl is a Sky original drama made in co-production with US broadcaster HBO. For those wondering how to watch HBO in the UK, some of the channel's shows (like Game of Thrones) are accessible through Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.

UK viewers can therefore watch Chernobyl on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV, but it's also available to buy on Amazon Prime Video.

Find out more about how to sign up for Sky here.

You can watch Chernobyl on Amazon Prime Video for £9.99.

Is Chernobyl available to watch on Netflix?

It's bad news for Netflix subscribers.

Unfortunately, Chernobyl is not available to watch on the streaming service.

However, as detailed above, there are plenty of other options: the drama series is available to watch on Sky Atlantic, NOW TV and Amazon Prime Video.

What is Chernobyl about?

CHERNOBYL, UKRAINE, USSR - 1986: Chernobyl nuclear power plant a few months after the disaster. Chernobyl, Ukraine, USSR, 1986. (Photo by Laski Diffusion/Getty Images)

Chernobyl is a tale of "lies and conspiracy" as well as "courage and conviction", focusing on the nuclear accident in Ukraine in 1986 which has had such far-reaching consequences for the Soviet Union, Europe and the world.

Over five episodes, the drama explores how and why the accident happened, and tells "the shocking, remarkable stories" of the men and women who risked their lives (and often actually lost their lives) to limit the scale of the disaster.

Written by Craig Mazin and directed by The Walking Dead’s Johan Renck, Chernobyl promises to “bring to life the true story of the unprecedented tragedy”.

Who's in the cast of Chernobyl?

As seen in these photos released exclusively to RadioTimes.com, The Crown and Mad Men actor Jared Harris plays Valery Legasov, a leading Soviet nuclear physicist who is one of the first to grasp the scope of the nuclear disaster.

He is chosen by the Kremlin to investigate the accident, but becomes bitterly disillusioned with the failure of the authorities to face up to the design flaws in the reactors.

Jared Harris as Valery Legasov in Chernobyl (Liam Daniel, HBO)

Stellan Skarsgård (below) plays Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina, who is assigned by the Kremlin to lead the government commission on Chernobyl in the hours immediately following the accident.

Stellan Skarsgård plays Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina in Chernobyl

Apple Tree Yard actress Emily Watson portrays Ulana Khomyuk, a Soviet nuclear physicist committed to solving the mystery of what led to the Chernobyl disaster and getting to the bottom of this deadly accident.

Emily Watson portrays Ulana Khomyuk in Chernobyl
Sky/HBO

Jessie Buckley, who rose to fame in talent contest I’d Do Anything and recently starred in War and Peace and The Woman in White, will play a character called Lyudmilla Ignatenko – the wife of firefighter Vasily Ignatenko, who was one of the first on the scene when the reactor exploded.

On joining the cast, she said: “It is a real honour to be part of this important piece of work and share with the world the real truth about the unbelievable bravery and sacrifice that the people of Chernobyl made in order to stop an even greater disaster. I feel incredibly humbled.”

Jessie Buckley as Lyudmilla Ignatenko in Chernobyl

The cast also includes Adrian Rawlins (Harry Potter, Innocent, Girlfriends), Paul Ritter (Cold Feet, Friday Night Dinner) and Ralph Ineson – best known for his roles as Amycus Carrow in Harry Potter and Dagmer Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones.

Chernobyl trailer

Yes, there is a trailer for Sky and HBO's co-production Chernobyl. Watch below:

Has Chernobyl won any major awards?

In July 2019, Chernobyl was nominated for a staggering 19 Emmy awards. The mini-series has been hugely well-received, both by critics and viewers – in fact, the final episode was watched by an audience of 4.12 million, making it the first Sky original to reach an audience of over 4 million.

Chernobyl went on to win a 10 Emmy awards including 3 from the Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special, Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special.

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In January 2020, Chernobyl picked up the National Television Award for Best New Drama.

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