In the shadowy corridors of 1930s British aristocracy, the Mitford sisters carved out a legacy of scandal, political intrigue, and cultural upheaval that continues to captivate audiences nearly a century later. BritBox’s new period drama, Outrageous, dives headfirst into the complex lives of these six sisters, whose personal and political exploits made them the tabloid darlings of their era. Premiering with two episodes on June 19, 2025, the series offers a richly textured portrayal of a family whose story is as fascinating as it is fraught with contradictions.
At the heart of Outrageous is Nancy Mitford, the eldest sister and the show’s primary narrator, played by Bessie Carter. Nancy’s voice guides viewers through a world where aristocratic privilege meets the turbulent political currents of the time. Known as a novelist whose semi-autobiographical works—The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate—draw heavily on her family’s escapades, Nancy serves as a lens not just into her own life but into the dynamics that shaped her siblings. Carter, daughter of actors Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter, brings a nuanced vulnerability to Nancy, capturing her wit alongside the insecurities that drive her romantic missteps, including her ill-fated engagement to Hamish, a gay man who ultimately leaves her heartbroken.
The series opens with a brisk introduction to the Mitford siblings: Diana, the striking and willful socialite; Tom, the lone brother and heir; Pamela, the quiet and largely enigmatic sister; and the youngest trio—Unity, Jessica, and Deborah—each poised to follow dramatically different paths. While the initial episodes take a measured pace, focusing on establishing the family’s place in a Britain reeling from the Great Slump, the narrative gains momentum as the sisters’ divergent ideologies and relationships come into sharper focus.
Diana Mitford, portrayed by Joanna Vanderham, embodies the allure and contradictions of the era’s upper crust. Married to Brian Guinness, heir to the famous brewing dynasty, Diana’s seemingly perfect life belies a restless spirit. Her fascination with Oswald Mosley, the charismatic and controversial leader of the British Union of Fascists, sets her on a path that shocks British society. The show delicately explores Diana’s motivations, suggesting boredom and a desire for intellectual engagement as key drivers behind her affair with Mosley, despite his virulent antisemitism and fascist ideology. Their relationship culminates in a marriage attended by Adolf Hitler himself, a fact that underscores the gravity of her choices and the historical tides she helped shape.
Unity Mitford, brought to life by Shannon Watson, offers a chilling portrait of youthful obsession with fascism. Her debutante ball is marked by rebellion and disdain for traditional expectations, and she quickly becomes enamored with Mosley’s movement. The series does not shy away from depicting Unity’s fanaticism, including her attendance with Diana at the 1933 Nuremberg rally, where she is visibly entranced by Hitler. Watson and Vanderham have acknowledged the characters’ dark place in history, emphasizing that their radicalization was influenced by a mix of familial environment, boredom, and a yearning for significance in a constrained world.
Jessica Mitford, played by Zoe Brough, contrasts sharply with her sisters’ fascist sympathies. Her interest in communism and later career as an investigative journalist and author of the best-selling The American Way of Death hints at the ideological battles within the family. Although Jessica’s storyline is less prominent in the opening episodes, the show promises to delve deeper into her rebellious spirit and political convictions as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, the youngest sister, Deborah (Orla Hill), remains somewhat in the background early on but is poised to emerge as a significant figure, noted for her business acumen and role in restoring Chatsworth House in later years. Tom Mitford (Toby Regbo), the only son, serves as a poignant reminder of the era’s brutal realities, with his military service ending tragically in Burma during World War II.
The series also explores the complex dynamics of the Mitford parents, Sydney Freeman-Mitford (Anna Chancellor) and Lord David Freeman-Mitford (James Purefoy), whose detachment and ideological leanings—Sydney’s admiration for the Nazis and David’s xenophobic views—cast long shadows over their children’s choices. Their financial struggles during the Great Slump add another layer of tension, as the family grapples with maintaining status amid economic decline.
Outrageous distinguishes itself not only through its compelling storytelling but also by the care taken in its production. The actors consciously avoided mimicking the Mitfords’ famously clipped and inaccessible accents to make the series more relatable. Costume designer efforts brought authenticity by reflecting the sisters’ distinct styles, with personal touches from the actors enhancing the characters’ individuality. Bessie Carter highlights these details, noting that the sisters had favorite outfits and idiosyncrasies that made them feel real and lived-in rather than distant aristocrats.
The show’s writer, Sarah Williams, drew extensively on the sisters’ voluminous correspondence to imagine their internal emotional landscapes—those unspoken feelings that history’s bare facts cannot convey. This approach adds depth to the narrative, inviting viewers to understand the human motivations behind headline-grabbing scandals and political extremism.
While the first two episodes set the stage with a focus on exposition and character introductions, they hint at the explosive developments to come. Diana’s scandalous divorce and affair with Mosley, Unity’s fascist fanaticism, Nancy’s romantic turmoil, and the ideological rifts within the family promise a season rich with drama and historical resonance. The series also touches on the sisters’ youthful curiosity about topics like sex, reflecting their desire to break free from the constraints imposed by their upbringing.
Outrageous is more than a period drama; it’s a vivid exploration of how privilege, politics, and personality intersected in one of Britain’s most notorious families. As the sisters navigate love, betrayal, and the looming shadow of global conflict, their story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of unchecked ambition and radicalism. With new episodes streaming weekly through July 2025, audiences are invited to witness a family saga that is at once outrageous, tragic, and utterly compelling.
