The Lyons family watched the emergency broadcast outside (Picture: BBC)

**Warning, contains spoilers for episode 1 of Years and Years.**

Russell T Davies’ latest television series Years and Years aired its first episode tonight and its closing scenes were so realistic that it left viewers terrified.

The Lyons family were celebrating their gran’s birthday when an emergency broadcast detailing a missile strike on a Chinese island caused by Donald Trump aired and flipped their lives upside down.

Jessica Hynes’ character Edith first broke the news via a video call from an island off Vietnam, telling her oblivious relatives: ‘They fired a nuclear missile. He did it, Donald Trump did it in his final days in office.’




Edith’s camera cut off soon after and the clan gathered around and watched the bloodcurdling broadcast to learn the sickening state of affairs.

‘This is a broadcast on behalf of His Majesty’s government,’ the newsreader began.

‘It has been announced by the Prime Minister that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been placed on an official war footing as of 17.15 this afternoon.

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Viewers were terrified after the final scene (Picture: Twitter)

‘The United States of America has launched a nuclear missile at the disputed Chinese territory.’

One viewer was disturbed by the scary scenes that could so easy become a reality, writing on Twitter: ‘Well, if I wasn’t terrified and hideously anxious before, I am now.’

Echoing a similar sentiment, another added: ‘The fact this could actually happen in real life, this is freaky.’

Years And Years is set to return next week and each episode of the six-part show will progress the story by a couple of years as new problems arise.

The series has a star-studded cast too, with Emma Thompson and Rory Kinnear fighting to survive as they face the challenges of the future.

Years and Years airs Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One.

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