Battle of Waterloo marked with Sean Bean History special

The History channel have announced more details of their special Sean Bean fronted series Waterloo, which will mark the 200th anniversary of the famous battle in an exclusive UK commission.

One of Britain and Europe’s bloodiest battles, the clash between two legendary Generals lasted just a single day but saw nearly 50,000 men killed or wounded and ultimately shape the map of Europe for a century. Sean Bean was the eponymous star of Sharpe, the TV series based on Bernard Cornwell’s novels about fictional British soldier, Richard Sharpe, set during the Napoleonic wars. The Sharpe series covered the periods from 1809 to 1818, with the Battle of Waterloo series (Sharpe’s Waterloo) premiering in the UK in 1997.

“Ever since I’ve played Sharpe, I’ve been fascinated by the story of Waterloo, especially the ordinary soldiers. It’s been interesting; I’ve been able to step out of my ordinary life and just learn a bit more. Even though all this happened 200 years ago, I think it’s a story that needs to be remembered. The people were just like you and me.” – Sean Bean

Inspired by his own experiences of playing Richard Sharpe, Sean draws on eyewitness accounts recorded by those who fought at Waterloo to tell the story of the dramatic events. Piecing together the chronology of the battle, Sean visits some of the legendary locations including the buildings at Hougoumont, where some of the heaviest fighting took place.

Sean’s journey of discovery sees him learn how to fire cannon, shoot a Waterloo Musket and gain a gory insight into this unforgettable and historic battle 200 years ago. The two hour, one off special was commissioned exclusively for HISTORY and was made with the support and expertise of the British Army and the Royal Armouries.

The intriguing and fascinating insight into the ordinary soldier’s battle, Sean Bean on Waterloo, premieres on Sunday 14th June 2015 at 10pm, on HISTORY. The series was first announced back in December last year.