ITV viewers have bombarded Ofcom with complaints over Grace’s distressing ‘buried alive’ scene.
The ITV drama aired on Sunday night and followed detective Roy Grace – played by John Simm – and is adapted from a Peter James novel.
The first two-hour episode followed the disappearance of a groom called Michael on his stag do.
Michael was taken in a van by his friends to a woodland area where they decided to ‘prank’ him by putting him in a coffin, drilling it shut and placing it in the ground.
The distressing scenes have lead to 72 viewers complaining to Ofcom about it.
Michael begged his pals not to do it a he suffered from claustrophobia but they ignored him, with one saying to another: “After what he did on your stag do he deserves it.”
The stags then drove off, leaving Michael freaking out in the coffin with just a breathing tube and a torch to help him.
Viewers were equally distressed by the claustrophobic scenes, with one writing on Twitter: “Totally loved #graceitv tonight. Brilliant adaptation – the coffin bit made me as anxious and uncomfortable as when I read the book!”
Another added alongside a gif of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory breathing into a paper bag: “Anyone else feel like this watching the coffin prank?!?! My absolute worst nightmare #graceitv.”
A third tweeted alongside another struggling for breath themed gif: “Coffin scene just finished me #graceitv Fantastic drama though @itvdrama1 Can we have some more please.”
Meanwhile a fourth shared: “That scene was honestly so distressing to watch… and all for some light relief?!! Now they’re dead, whilst my guy is languishing in a coffin in some damn woods somewhere. Actually f***ed up.”
Matters went from bad to worse for Michael after the van his mates were driving ended up in an accident, killing a number of them.
Meanwhile back in the woodlands, someone approached the coffin and pulled the breathing tube out.
Thankfully, the groom was found alive by the end of the episode.
Grace is available on ITV Hub.
