For many years I have been fascinated by the extraordinary Mitford sisters and I find when I give talks about their lives and writings, that many others share my fascination. So, I was intrigued to hear that a new TV series based on their lives is currently being made. It’s called Outrageous and will star Anna Chancellor as the mother, James Purefoy as the father, and the sisters will be acted by Bessie Carter (Nancy), Isabel Jesper Jones (Pamela), Joanna Vanderham (Diana), Shannon Watson (Unity), Zoe Borough (Jessica) and Orla Hill (Debo). The script is by Sarah Williams and is based on Mary S. Lovell’s excellent biography The Mitford Girls. The series will air some time in 2025 and will also stream on Britbox.
Nancy Mitford is my favourite amongst the sisters because she was the finest writer. Her novels The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate are highly autobiographical and a sheer delight to read. She was also a fine historian and biographer, and you may like to try her Voltaire in Love and Madame de Pompadour. There’s a chapter about Nancy’s life in Paris in Lucinda Holdforth’s True Pleasures: A Memoir of Women in Paris, a book I can highly recommend.
If you want some good biographies of the outrageous sisters, try Mary S. Lovell’s biography, or Take Six Girls: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters by Laura Thompson, who has also written Life in a Cold Climate: Nancy Mitford. There are books available on each of the sisters: The Other Mitford: Pamela’s Story by Diana Alexander, Diana Mosley: A Life by Jan Dalley, Hitler’s Valkyrie: The Uncensored Biography of Unity Mitford by David R.L. Litchfield, Jessica Mitford: Churchill’s Rebel by Meredith Whitford, while Debo wrote many memoirs about her life as Duchess of Devonshire. The sisters were brilliant letter writers and several volumes of their correspondence have been published. I especially like In Tearing Haste: Letters Between Deborah Mitford and Patrick Leigh Fermor.
You can read more about the sisters and the forthcoming TV series at Country & Town House.
Which Mitford sister is your favourite? Let me know by leaving a comment.
Selected links for relevant websites, books, movies, videos, and more. Some of these links lead to protected content on this website, learn more about that here.
The Mitford Girls: The Biography of an Extraordinary Family by Mary S. Lovell
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford
Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford
Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford
True Pleasures: A Memoir Of Women In Paris by Lucinda Holdforth
Take Six Girls: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters by Laura Thompson
Life in a Cold Climate: Nancy Mitford by Laura Thompson
The Other Mitford: Pamela’s Story by Diana Alexander
Diana Mosley: A Life by Jan Dalley
Hitler’s Valkyrie: The Uncensored Biography of Unity Mitford by David R.L. Litchfield
Jessica Mitford: Churchill’s Rebel by Meredith Whitford
In Tearing Haste: Letters Between Deborah Mitford and Patrick Leigh Fermor by Patrick Leigh Fermor
Susannah Fullerton: Nancy Mitford & Love in a Cold Climate
Susannah Fullerton: Nancy Mitford is born
Susannah Fullerton: Nancy Mitford dies
Susannah Fullerton: Diana Mitford is born
Susannah Fullerton: Jessica Mitford dies
Susannah Fullerton: Deborah Mitford and the Devonshire Jewels video talk
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Tell me what you think! Leave a comment.
Mark McGinness
Dear Susannah, I’m itching to see Netflix’ Outrageous and to write abite it. I’d love to know too what Mary Lovell really thinks about the adaptation but I expect she will have to be diplomatic. Deborah Duchess once said that Mary Lovell was ‘a terrier for research’ – no small compliment.
I personally prefer Laura Thompson’s Take Six Sisters but I do admit her style might be too breathless and St Triniams for some. But not
me. Diana thought her earlier work on Nancy the best she had ever read.
But back to Outrageous, I fear – just from the trailer – that the cast won’t come anywhere near capturing the Mitford Voice. It’s true – it’s not an easy one (though I did think that Emily Mortimer as The Bolter in her recent adaptation of The Pursuit of Love did pretty well.
Let’s see what is revealed on the 18th. I look forward to your verdict. All best wishes, Mark McGinness
Susannah Fullerton
I also really like the Laura Thompson biography. Let’s see what they make of it. It could be fabulous, because the whole Mitford story is larger than life, but there are so many ways they could stuff it up. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Marie Nesbitt
I recently visited Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Debo ,of course, is my favourite. Her entrepreneurial skills enabled Chatsworth to be saved from the harsh British “death duties” ! The guides were absolutely outstanding with their knowledge of Deborah and the house.
My joy was enhanced because we stayed in the Mitford room at Cavendish Hotel. An unexpected bonus!
Brian
Nancy is by far my favourite Mitford even her lesser novels have their passages of brilliance. The Mary S Lovell biography is by far the best I’ve read and I’ve read them all, I particularly enjoyed Nancys letters, such a brilliant correspondent for those lucky enough to be a recipient of her coruscating wit and keen observances of the human condition she deserves her own bio pic. Great news that there is a new tv series being made about this endlessly fascinating family.