It's a bleak BBC dramatisation that has already divided opinion but last night's episode of A Christmas Carol went even darker by suggesting Scrooge was sexually abused as a child.

The BBC1 production also showed Scrooge, played by Hollywood star Guy Pearce, apparently offering money for Tiny Tim to have an operation in exchange for sex with the disabled boy's mother.

Viewers were left horrified by the latest episode of the drama with many suggesting Charles Dickens would be 'turning in his grave' over the programme written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, with Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott as executive producers.

Posting on Twitter, one irate viewer commented: 'Spectacularly dreadful. Terrible CGI, terrible acting, horrible colours, ridiculous, unnecessary dialogue, obnoxious modern styling. Won't be watching the next two episodes.'

The first episode on Sunday night led to accusations that the BBC had 'butchered' the story, when Scrooge dropped the F-bomb, and viewers claimed they couldn't hear anything because of poor sound quality and mumbling actors.

Last night's episode of A Christmas Carol went dark by suggesting Scrooge was sexually abused as a child. Pictured: The boy with his headmaster

The BBC1 production also showed Scrooge, played by Hollywood star Guy Pearce (pictured), apparently offering money for Tiny Tim to have an operation in exchange for sex with the disabled boy's mother

In one scene from last night's episode, Scrooge's father was seen beating his son, using the f-word repeatedly and killing his mouse with a knife.

When Scrooge revisits his past it was revealed that his father would leave him alone with the headmaster for Christmas in exchange for waiving school fees.

The master tells the boy: 'It's just you and I here for Christmas. Of course, I won't expect you to sleep here on your own. You'll be with me – just like last year.'

In another scene that strays wildly from Charles Dickens's original text, Mary Cratchit visited Scrooge to get money for an operation for her son, Tiny Tim.

Many viewers were left horrified by last night's episode of A Christmas Carol, with one calling it 'a stain on Christmas'

Scrooge asked what she would do in return, saying he liked to experiment with 'virtue and vice' and wanted to know the exchange rate for 'compassion'.

The opening episode on Sunday averaged peaked at 5.2million viewers but sunk to 4.2million as many switched off.

Many were horrified by last night's episode, with some suggesting Charles Dickens would be 'turning in his grave' over the programme.

Posting online, one disappointed viewer wrote: 'Extremely disappointed, was really looking forward to #AChristmasCarol BBC, but it's pretty awful...what a shame.'

Some have criticised the three-part series for its grimness, foul language and mumbled dialogue. One posted on social media: 'Why the gratuitous swearing?' Pictured: Andy Serkis as the Ghost of Christmas Past

Another wrote: 'Terrible version of A Christmas Carol, why on earth the BBC needs to use such bad language is beyond me. Why am I paying my license for this rubbish? GIve me Alistair Sim or Patrick Stewart any day.'

One commented: 'This BBC #AChristmasCarol is absolutely bonkers. Charles Dickens would be turning in his grave.'

And it's not the first time the programme has come under fire, with many of those watching the first episode of the series left disappointed by 'mumbling', and accused the BBC of 'butchering' the classic tale.

F-bomb! Those tuning into episode one of the three-part drama found the sudden expletive out of place in the story - which is set in Dickensian London

Episode one of the BBC series began with a boy urinating on the grave of 'skinflint old b******' Jacob Marley, played by Stephen Graham, as the dead man lies in the soil with pennies on his eyes.

And viewers were not impressed to see Dickensian dialogue done away with in favour of a script littered with expletives, including Scrooge, played by Australian star Guy Pearce, dropping the F-bomb in place of his customary 'Bah humbug'.

'I turned over when Scrooge/Mike from Neighbours said f**k. And I'm proper sweary!' one irate viewer wrote, while another branded it 'completely soulless and unwatchable'.