UK TV drama about North Korea axed after cyber-hack from rogue nation

A British television drama set to focus on life in North Korea has been scrapped after it was hacked by, you guessed it, North Korea.

The show – called Opposite Number was announced by Britain’s Channel 4 in 2014, which promised it would be a “bold and provocative” drama series about a British nuclear scientist being held prisoner in the rogue nation.

When news of the show first broke, Pyongyang called it a “slanderous farce” and called on the British government to kill the production to avoid souring international relations.

However, before the show could hit our screens the production company behind it, Mammoth Screen, was hacked, BBC reports.

The New York Times first reported the hack, claiming the main target of the cyber-attack was Channel 4, rather than the production company as BBC is reporting.

It’s understood no damage was inflicted by the hackers, but widespread alarm was triggered by the attack.

“They were running around with their hair on fire,” a TV executive from a rival company is quoted as saying to the BBC.

British intelligence was reportedly made aware of the attack.

Since the hacking the project has failed to secure funding and has not moved forward.