Viewers wowed by Ben Fogle's 'brave' Inside Chernobyl documentary

So it's no surprise that Channel 5 commissioned a documentary telling the true story of the catastrophe, and sending Ben Fogle into the power plant where 'the biggest mistake in human history' took place.

But many viewers were still shocked by the risks the presenter took in tonight's documentary, Inside Chernobyl.

We saw Fogle step inside the hospital where many of the first casualties were treated, standing among abandoned bandages and rags that were still radioactive. Many of the rooms he stepped into, including the control room of nuclear reactor number four, were so dangerous that it took months of negotiations to secure access for just five minutes, and he had to be accompanied by a guide at all times.

Viewers took to social media to say how impressed they were with the documentary, which also told the story of thrill seekers sneaking into Chernobyl illegally for kicks. The programme was called 'superb', 'haunting' and 'impressive' as people couldn't quite believe he was spending a week in a place where radiation levels were still so high.

"You must be bonkers! Very brave to do this and fascinating to watch, but crikey!" wrote one tweeter, while another said "Just watched Ben Fogle, what a brave person to do that. Such a range of emotions #chilling."

Another tweet simply read, "Ben Fogle is proving himself to be an exceptional documentary maker. Really enjoyed #InsideChernobyl."

Although it looked scary to the rest of us, Fogle told RadioTimes.com that he actually walked away from Chernobyl with "a huge amount of hope and optimism".

Inside Chernobyl with Ben Fogle aired on Channel 5 on Wednesday, March 3rd at 9pm, and is now available on-demand on My5. For something else to watch, check out our TV Guide. Also visit our hub for more Documentaries news.