UKTV’s Drama Commissions First Original

UKTV’s free-to-air channel Drama has commissioned its first original, the six-part series Outrageous, from Firebird Pictures.

Written by Sarah Williams (Small Island, Flesh and Blood, The Long Song), the series will tell the true story of the six Mitford sisters, who refused to play by the rules in the 1930s and whose scandalous lives made headlines around the world.

Filled with family betrayals, public scandals, political extremism, personal heartache and imprisonment, the show will explore how and why these women were ahead of their time and what drove them to take their complex paths.

The series will be produced by Firebird Pictures, which is wholly owned by BBC Studios. Executive producers are Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Matthew Mosley for Firebird and Philippa Collie Cousins for UKTV.

“I’ve been intrigued by these notorious sisters for many years and am thrilled to finally be bringing their stories to the screen,” Williams said. “We’ve seen many fictionalized versions of their lives before, but in this family’s case, the truth really is far stranger and more astonishing than anything you could invent. These six headstrong women have often been accused of being mad, bad and dangerous to know—and a couple of them were—but what they all had was the absolute courage of their convictions and to hell with the consequences. And that makes for a cracking good story.”

“This is an exciting piece of television,” said Cousins, senior drama commissioner at UKTV. “A witty, deliciously entertaining and addictive family saga, Outrageous will captivate and enthrall audiences—much like a favorite novel you just can’t put down thanks to Sarah Williams’ clever and insightful writing. Our aim is for each character to resonate with the audience and stay with them for a long time after the end credits.”

Drama’s channel director, Emma Ayech, added, “I am delighted to announce the first original commission for Drama, which is the next step in our continued ambition to be the destination channel for fans of quality British drama. Outrageous is an instantly gripping story about six fascinating and uncompromising sisters who were the celebrities of their day. Sarah Williams’ witty and highly engaging scripts will bring the glamour, scandal and heartache of the Mitfords’ world to life in a way that Drama’s audiences will relish.”

Firebird Pictures said, “When Sarah first talked about wanting to write a show about the Mitfords, we thought that we already knew these women and the scandals and extreme politics that shaped them. But what we didn’t know was the real story behind the headlines of six sisters who refused to conform and refused to compromise. Even today, their stories would be considered extraordinary, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to get beneath the skin of these fascinating, challenging and complex women by bringing Sarah’s beautiful and gripping family saga to life on screen.”