A beloved BBC period drama based on a true story has left viewers feeling heartbroken17:43, 14 Jul 2026Updated 17:43, 14 Jul 2026Fans of period dramas have been left in tears after watching a heartbreaking series.‌TV viewers are being urged to watch a drama that is based on devastating real events.‌Tenko notably aired on the BBC between 1981 and 1985, and centred around the struggle of women civilian prisoners interned by the Japanese army during the Second World War.‌The series dealt with the experiences of British, Australian and Dutch women who were captured after the Fall of Singapore in February 1942, after the Japanese invasion. They were held in a fictional Japanese internment camp on a Japanese-occupied island in the Dutch East Indies in modern-day Indonesia between Singapore and Australia.Having been separated from their husbands, herded into makeshift holding camps and largely forgotten by the British War Office, the women had to learn to cope with appalling living conditions, malnutrition, disease, sexual violence and death.‌The first series depicted the events leading up to the fall of Singapore to the invading Japanese forces in 1942, and the abortive evacuation of civilians from the city."As the war in Europe suddenly erupts into a world war, a group of British and Dutch women find themselves forced to cope with captivity in a Japanese internment camp. They also must find a way to live together as a community, breaking down the barriers of class and race between them, if they are to survive," reads the official synopsis.The second instalment continued with the women arriving at a new camp on New Year's Day 1943. Tensions soon arose, though, as the internees were forced to adhere to the new regime that was implemented by a strict and fierce official interpreter.‌The show's cast included Ann Bell, Stephanie Cole, Stephanie Beacham, Patricia Lawrence, Emily Bolton, Veronica Roberts, Claire Oberman, Elizabeth Chambers, and Emmerdale's Louise Jameson.All 32 episodes of Tenko are currently available to stream for free on U, with many viewers already left feeling emotional after binge-watching the entire series.‌"The characters are flawless and the acting superb. I have laughed and cried during the re-run, and I'm amazed at how little I remember... A wonderfully crafted set of programmes, the continuity and consistency of the storylines leave us wistful for those days of excellent quality tv. All round perfection - I can't think of a single flaw," an IMDb user wrote.Another simply added: "The best BBC series," while a third said: "Tenko is a true masterpiece. Layered, engaging, challenging, compelling, it has stayed with me for years and I often think about the characters as real people...wondering how their lives continued, wondering what I would do in their company."Someone else wrote: "Unforgettable. Without doubt, Tenko is one of the BBC's most successful and popular drama series. Never to be repeated on BBC television. Tenko is a real masterwork. One of the most intense and powerful pieces of television I have ever seen."Article continues belowA fifth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: "Best war drama ever made. Truly exceptional. I was in tears watching it."Tenko is available to stream for free on U