Now this looks like exactly what we need at the moment, and what a crew and cast! This is your first look at Emily Mortimer’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Pursuit of Love, which comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 9th May at 9pm, with all three episodes then available to watch and stream via the BBC iPlayer.
Written and directed by Mortimer, The Pursuit of Love is an adaptation of the celebrated novel by Nancy Mitford and a romantic comedy-drama about love and friendship.
Set in Europe between the two World Wars, the story follows the adventures and misadventures of the charismatic and fearless Linda Radlett, played by Lily James and her best friend and cousin Fanny Logan, played by Emily Beecham. Further cast members include, and this is very impressive: Dominic West and Dolly Wells as Linda’s parents, Uncle Matthew and Aunt Sadie Radlett, Andrew Scott as Lord Merlin, the Radlett’s wealthy and eccentric neighbour, Emily Mortimer as Fanny’s mother, The Bolter, John Heffernan as Davey, Annabel Mullion as Aunt Emily and Beattie Edmondson as Louisa Radlett.
Check out the trailer now, and scroll down for a host of great stills!
Linda and Fanny’s suitors include Assaad Bouab as Fabrice de Sauveterre, Shazad Latif as Alfred Wincham and Freddie Fox as Tony Kroesig. The series is from executive producers Charles Collier for Open Book Pictures and Matthew Read and Frith Tiplady for Moonage Pictures.
The Pursuit of Love is produced by Open Book and Moonage Pictures for the BBC and is a co-production with Amazon Studios in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Photographer: Robert Viglasky
critical popcorn 
I was so disappointed by the adaptation of this wonderfully funny book. I couldn’t believe that half way through I was just bored. For me adaptations of classic novels stand or fall by their tone, regardless in fact of their strict adherence to the text. The tone of the book is light, eccentric and very funny, and occasionally poignant. This felt heavy and yet paradoxically manic.
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Sorry to hear this! Do you think there’s a chance it might settle down over the episodes, or have you already delved into all of it?
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One third down and the best thing about it is the wardrobe. Oh and I loved looking at the horses too. The rest doesn’t work. Why cast thirty somethings as 18 year olds, for a start? Give a young actress a chance. I expect it’s made to sell but that doesn’t excuse it. I don’t know if the story doesn’t work these days but certainly the acting was over the top and the casting wrong.
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Are you also a fan of the book?
I honestly didn’t even realise Lily was 32!
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I have never read the book. I didn’t know how old the actresses were but when they said they were 18 I could see they weren’t that. I thought Lily looked better when she was in Downton Abbey. Someone fresh and of that age might have been better but no actress coud do much with that script and direction, I supppose. It was meant to be over the top and funny but it didn’t work on that level, so it didn’t work.
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Fair enough, Downton was 7 years ago btw (!!)
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