Scientists fear events of HBO’s Chernobyl could actually happen

HBO’s Chernobyl was one of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of all time with its terrifying depiction of an incompetent government attempting to deal with the meltdown of a nuclear reactor.

However, what many scientists fear is that the events depicted in the show could one day actually happen.

“Look, there are nuclear reactors all over the world, and we’re not exactly short of incompetent, hubristic Governments either,” said a clearly worried Kelly Grace Professor of Nuclear Disasters at Oxford University.

“It is entirely plausible that an arrogant chief engineer could make the wrong decision and cause a meltdown and then have the Government try to cover it up and make everything worse.

“In fact, if you look round the world, it’s hard to find a government that wouldn’t make a nuclear disaster worse.”

Fans of the show were alarmed.

“God, I’d never thought of that,” exclaimed Stewart James, who was wearing his I heart Chernobyl t-shirt.

“I mean, the programme is a brilliant piece of speculative science fiction of what happens when technology goes wrong, but for it to actually happen? In real life? That would be terrifying. I just hope that no one tries to simulate a power outage on a nuclear reactor.

“Or that, if they do, they’ve at least watched Chernobyl so they know how to stop it turning into a huge meltdown.”

Professor Grace also had some advice for the public, should the worst happen and the events of HBO’s Chernobyl actually occur.

“Well, if recent times have taught us anything, it’s that you need a ready supply of toilet paper, and then, if it were me, I’d call Jared Harris – he seems to know what he’s doing.”