Henry VIII: The glaring errors in BBC's sexed-up, dumbed-down Tudors

Hundreds of viewers have complained about historical inaccuracies and needless sex scenes.

Academics joined the attack, saying the corporation had "dumbed down" British history.

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Modern radiators, Tarmac driveways, concrete bollards and Victorian carriages have all made appearances in the tenpart series set in the 16th century.

Made by Showtime, a U.S. production company, The Tudors appeared on American screens before being bought by BBC2. Henry VIII is played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers of Bend It Like Beckham fame.

Last night, Leanda de Lisle, a Tudor biographer, said: "Overall the series is badly written with an extremely cheap feel to it.

"It is hugely disappointing. With inaccuracies in almost every sentence, the BBC is dumbing down the Tudor period."

She said the anachronisms would be acceptable only if the drama "rang true" - and this hadn't been the case.

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She added: "The characters talk in completely unnatural ways, addressing their own family members as "Anne Boleyn" or "Mary Boleyn" so that we, the stupid audience, understand who they're supposed to be.

"Henry VIII was exceedingly powerful, both politically and physically, but Rhys Meyers is pretty, rather than macho and thus completely unconvincing."

Viewers have been equally critical on the BBC's Points of View website.

"Imagine my bitter disappointment [with] a rewritten, out of context, out of time story about Henry VIII," wrote one. "The story of the Tudors is juicy enough already, it certainly did not need this Americanisation."

Another wrote: "I know that this programme was dumbed down for American audiences but I didn't think for one moment they would make up periods just for TV."

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A raunchy sex scene between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, played by Maria Doyle Kennedy, appeared four minutes into the first episode.

In another scene, Henry is involved in a lewd sex act.

Friday's show will feature the king romping naked with Anne Boleyn, played by actress Natalie Dormer.

"[The Tudors] is a porno-style historical semi-drama [and] quite obviously not aimed at the serious TV watcher," wrote another viewer.

A fourth said: "At the risk of sounding like a big prude, the soft - bordering on hard - porn was totally overdone."

The radiator is seen in Henry's bed chamber while the asphalt driveway leads up to a mansion used by an aide.

In another episode, the king's ambassador is driven in a 19th century carriage, complete with springs that had yet to be invented.

Elsewhere, the philandering monarch has his inside leg measurements taken by a tailor using a modern-day metallic tape measure.

Last night, a BBC spokesman said: "The Tudors is not a documentary drama and as with all dramas, it is reasonable to expect a fair amount of artistic licence and to allow the writers to interpret and invent historical events.

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"BBC Acquisitions hoped to attract a new, younger audience to history which we feel we have achieved.

"The Tudors is watched by over two million viewers, all of whom are enjoying the interpretation."

Alison Weir, historian and author of The Six Wives of Henry VIII, compared the series to a "Hollywood fairytale".

She added: "Henry had red hair, not black hair as this actor has, and some of the scenes are just plain gratuitous.

"Henry was a very discreet king; he would never have indulged in womanising openly. While he may have liked the ladies he would never have been so indiscreet - that is why there is so little evidence of his affairs.

"The truth is interesting enough so why try to glamorise it?"

She said viewers would be sold short, however limited their knowledge of the period.