Rob Rinder on Jessica Mitford

Jessica Mitford was the fifth born of the notorious Mitford Sisters.

Born into the aristocracy, as a child she had her own language, collected a running-away fund and fought to set herself apart from her fascist siblings.

As an adult she was in turn a communist rebel, an investigative journalist, a civil rights activist and pop singer - opening a gig for Cyndi Lauper and recording an unlikely duet with her friend and fellow mischief maker Maya Angelou.

She’s championed by Robert Rinder, the criminal barrister and TV personality (‘Judge Rinder’ for ITV and ‘My Family, The Holocaust and Me’ for BBC) who reveals the impact her story has had on his own life.

Robert Rinder and presenter Matthew Parris are joined by guest expert Laura Thompson, author of the New York Times best seller, 'The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters'.

Produced at BBC Bristol by Nicola Humphries.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2021.