Wolf Hall fans rip into 'positively barbaric' part of The Mirror And The Light - fuming 'I hate this!'

Fans of Wolf Hall have labelled one part of the BBC series 'positively barbaric' after the second episode aired on Sunday.

Viewers and critics have praised the decadent costume drama based on Dame Hilary Mantel's novel of the same name and starring Sir Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis .

But despite their love for the hit series, which has returned after almost ten years, fans have complained they aren't able to fully enjoy it because of a major issue.

Unlike many of its shows, the broadcaster has not dropped all episodes of the TV show on iPlayer for avid fans to binge in one sitting.

Instead the instalments are being aired weekly and viewers are in uproar at having to wait for each nail-biting episode.

In 2015, when the show exploded on to screens, viewers had to wait for a weekly episode, but since streaming services began making all episodes of a show available, fans are furious they have had to go 'old school' and are being made to wait.

Fans of the show took to social media to vent their frustrations, complaining that they hate having to watch TV weekly and chastising the BBC for 'teasing' them.

They wrote: 'Found Wolf Hall during pandemic I love Tudor history. Binged it in one day... should I wait for all episodes to drop or. Ugh. I hate consuming stuff weekly

Another criticised the BBC for forcing them to only watch one episode a week: 'You can binge only the first series in iplayer. They're teasing us with the second series. Week by week. Tense.'

Another said: 'It's positively barbaric to have to wait a full week for more. It's incredible.'

While one fan wrote on X: 'Was gonna watch Wolf Hall but it's one episode a week and I will not be manipulated! Waiting till they've all dropped then will watch season 1 again before going into this lot'

But fans still love the show - even if they are waiting on the edge of their seat each week: 'Fragmenting Wolf Hall into single episodes (one a week) just seems to break apart the fluidity of this sumptuous drama. It's hard to get the feel. I'm adoring it though'.

The second episode of the show saw Cromwell, now as the most important politician in England, continue to scheme against old enemies.

His rival, The Duke of Nofolk has been sent away from the King's cabinet in disgrace following the treasonous behaviour of his niece Anne Boleyn but that hasn't stopped him dallying in court affairs.

The wily politician discovers that the high-ranking nobleman's brother has been having a clandestine affair with the king's niece and sees an opportunity to destroy his enemy for good.

Fan frustration at not being able to devour the award-winning series in full follows complaints about the depiction of Anne Boleyn's execution in last week's episode.

After having to wait nine years fans were excited for the first episode, but they were quickly left horrified after a brutal and harrowing execution scene was shown just moments after the opening credits.

Viewers were transported back to the the brutal and gory world of Tudor England as Anne Boleyn's execution at the hands of a French swordsman was shown.

While the doomed former Queen of England, played by Claire Foy, got herself ready for her beheading, King Henry married his third wife Jane Seymour.

The gory scene of Anne's execution ended with her ladies in waiting, spattered in blood, picking up her head and loading her body into a waiting coffin.

Viewers of the Sunday night drama took to social media to share their shock at the bloody scene, calling it 'harrowing' and 'traumatising'.

One fan wrote on X: 'Still traumatised by Anne Boleyn's execution from the last series of #wolfhall'. *Please* don't show it again.'

Another said: 'It's true. No matter how much we knew it was coming, it was horrific (and great credit to Claire Foy for her portrayal of #AnneBoleyn). #WolfHall'

The second series of Wolf Hall, The Mirror and the Light, picks up where the last series ended in the aftermath of the execution of Queen Anne Boleyn.

While the death of the Queen has left the King free to marry again, the politics at court are deadlier than ever before.

An isolated and increasingly desperate Thomas Cromwell, played again by Sir Mark, will stop at nothing to cling on to power, while an increasingly paranoid King Henry, again played by Homeland star Damian , is proving more difficult to please.

This bleaker tone is evident in the new trailer which features the King telling Tudor powerbroker Cromwell: 'You have very few friends Cromwell' and 'always you with the bad news'.

Cromwell tells one of his supporters: 'When negotiations and compromise fail and your only course is to destroy your enemies... have the axe in your hand.'

The famous politician and mastermind of Henry VIII's court until his downfall started out as an overlooked solicitor, born to a Putney cloth worker.

Despite his humble beginning, he went on to control the entire government, bearing an impressive string of titles, including Earl of Essex, Lord Great Chamberlain, Lord Privy Seal, Master of the Jewels, Baron Cromwell of Wimbledon and Lord Privy Seal.

In less than a decade, he became one of the most powerful men in England, manipulated the Tudor government to his favour, single-handedly devised a plan to remove all monastic institutions by 1540 and secured the submission of the clergy to the King in matters of legislation by 1533.

This meant for the first time in English history, the King established himself as the Supreme Head of the Church of England.

His downfall came swiftly in 1540, as he was arrested and executed on charges of treason and heresy, bringing a dramatic close to his career.

In a dramatic twist at the royal court, Thomas failed in his attempt to arrange a marriage between King Henry and Anne of Cleves, a German princess.

Initially he was the King's saviour when he desperately sought to get out of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

But when Anne also failed to produce a male heir, he turned on her.

But as he intended to secure a strategic Protestant alliance in Europe through the marriage to Anne of Cleves, following the death of Jane Seymour, Thomas and the marriage quickly became an embarrassment.

Despite years of service and loyalty, Henry turned on his advisor, ordering his arrest in June.

Pleas for mercy were ignored, and he was convicted without a proper trial.

In July 1540, Thomas was led to the scaffold at the Tower of London, where he met his end by beheading.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.