War and Peace: Director Tom Harper on being nervous he has ruined the story and *that* nudity scene

The script said the men were bathing and it didn’t make sense for them to be in their clothe'

BBC One's adaption of the Tolstoy classic is set to hit screens on Thursday (BBC)

The BBC’s latest Sunday night drama, War and Peace, has won acclaim across the board, with critics and fans praising the shows balance of romance and action.

However, as he was directing the hundreds of cast members, Tom Harper was a little nervous, wondering to himself if he had just ruined one of the greatest stories ever told.

“You get so close to the work it’s very hard to look at it with any objectivity,” he told The Observer. “Some of the reviews have been better than I ever hoped for.”

Before its release, the 36-year-old was “very nervous” about how it would be received: “The time I was most fearful was approaching the end. I’d stop and think, ‘Oh God, have I ruined it for people?’ – all those who considered it a great story.”

‘War and Peace’ stars Paul Dano and Adrian Rawlins (BBC)

Speaking about the now infamous nudity scene, the director said: “The script said the men were bathing and it didn’t make sense for them to be in their clothes.

“Being honest, I didn’t think about it a great deal at the time. I always want things to feel as natural as possible within the context of the scene.”

Harper went on to compliment members of the cast, particularly lead Paul Dano who plays Pierre Bezukhov: “Not many people in the world could play that role, it’s particularly hard.”

The final episode of War and Peace airs at 9pm tonight on BBC 1.