... AND THE WOMAN WHO BROUGHT IT ALL TO THE SCREEN

Emily Mortimer not only wrote and directed the adaptation, but appears in it as Fanny’s fickle mother The Bolter (below). ‘I loved the book as a teenager, but the whole Mitford phenomenon fascinated me,’ she says. ‘The book still feels shocking and radical, which is amazing as it was written in 1945. It’s full of love and romance but it has an edge.’

She says the story raised questions then, and will have us asking them again now. ‘It’s not just a dusty book from the 1940s, it feels relevant. It’s a relationship between two girls, one of whom has devoted herself to the pursuit of love, the other is much more careful. Is it better to have loved and lost or is it better to have never loved at all? That’s still a good question! We go on an adventure with these girls and ask ourselves if we’re a Linda or a Fanny. It’s about love and romance – but with a bit of a punk-rock soul!’

Emily’s father John Mortimer, creator of irascible TV barrister Rumpole Of The Bailey, introduced her to the writings of Nancy Mitford, and it’s thanks to him that Emily was brought up steeped in the literary giants. ‘I’ve grown up with a huge love and respect for the written word,’ she says. ‘You don’t get opportunities very often to speak great dialogue like my dad wrote, so when you do it feels like an amazing opportunity. He loved these books and I hope I’ve captured what he saw in them.’ n The Pursuit Of Love starts tonight at 9pm on BBC1.