Mainland censors banned a controversial 30-episode Hong Kong-made television drama series that has built up a large following across the border - with just five episodes to go.
A director at TVB said When Heaven Burns, a bleak portrayal of humanity and Hong Kong society, was the first local TV drama series to be banned on the mainland in a decade.
A source at the channel said the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) ordered TVB's sub-licensees on the mainland - you kou.com and tudou.com - to stop showing the series and remove all its content from their websites. He said a similar order was issued to TVB's other licensed online video providers on the mainland. 'TVB is concerned about the matter. It is waiting for an official notice before making any comment,' the source said.
The ban comes as Sarft starts to limit the number of televised entertainment programmes and replace them with 'moral preaching' programmes from next year.
A source at sohu.com confirmed that episodes of the TVB drama were removed from its website yesterday. Along with other mainland video providers, sohu.com paid TVB a fee for the right to show the series. The exact reason for the ban was not immediately apparent, but the series is known for its controversial storyline, which features cannibalism. It has low ratings but draws a cult following among young viewers in Hong Kong, where it is still being shown. It is one of the most discussed TV series in the online community.
The series is popular among young viewers on the mainland because of its A-list cast including actors such as Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Charmaine Sheh.
The ban has baffled fans north of the border because the series makes no direct reference to contemporary affairs on the mainland. Most people believe it is due to the depiction of cannibalism, which the censor may have deemed inappropriate.