Filming is underway on Outrageous, a new, six-part drama about the Mitford sisters starring Bessie Carter, Joanna Vanderham, Anna Chancellor and James Purefoy.

Sarah Williams has written the series, based on Mary Lovell’s biography The Mitford Girls. BBC Studios- owned Firebird Pictures produces; the drama was co-commissioned by UKTV and Britbox International (for North America).

Set during the gathering storm of the 1930s, the aristocratic Mitford girls frequently made headlines with their non-conformist, scandalous lives. Carter plays Nancy Mitford with Vanderham as Diana, Shannon Watson as Unity, Zoe Brough as Jessica, Orla Hill as Deborah and Isobel Jesper Jones as Pamela.

Directors for the series will be Joss Agnew and Ellie Heydon with Natasha Romaniuk producing. The executive producers are Elizabeth Kilgarriff, Matthew Mosley and Craig Holleworth. Helen Perry, head of drama, will executive produce for UKTV. Executive producers for BritBox are Robert Schildhouse Jess O’Riordan and Stephen Nye.

Firebird exec producer Mosley said: “We couldn’t be more excited about the stunning cast we’ve assembled to breathe life into this epic tale of sibling rivalry and political radicalisation – and we can’t wait for directors Joss Agnew and Ellie Heydon to weave their visual magic in evoking the febrile world of 1930s Britain, where old social orders are crumbling and a group of headstrong, rebellious sisters set out to change the world, with sometimes devastating consequences.”