TV: Reader, writer, co-star, director… Romance is a labour of love for Emily Mortimer

The Pursuit Of Love is something of a labour of love for Emily Mortimer. Not only does she take a supporting role as The Bolter (so named because of her habit of leaving her husbands), but the actress also directed the series and adapted the screenplay from the classic novel by Nancy Mitford.

So, it may come as a bit of a surprise that she didn’t originally come up with the idea of bringing the book (which has previously been filmed in 1980 and 2001) to the screen. It was actually her agent who secured the rights and asked if Emily would be interested in writing the script.

However, she admits she didn’t need much persuading to take on the project, as she’d first read the book as a teenager.

Emily said: “When my agent asked me if I’d have a go at adapting it, I said yes immediately. I re-read the book and immediately thought yes even more.

“The experience of reading the novel is just as exciting in this day and age and the book still feels quite shocking and radical. It’s quite bracing and liberating to read, which is amazing as it was written in 1945. It is full of love and romance but it has an edge. To me, it felt cool and it feels like there is a place for this now.”

Some of that energy comes from a great cast, led by Lily James as the impetuous Linda Radlett. Lily said: “Linda is free-spirited, passionate, impulsive, fiery, frustrating, selfish. Linda really follows her heart and gut. The choices she makes at times feel harsh and quite brutal but I instinctively feel I understand her and love her deeply.”

As the story begins, Linda and her beloved cousin Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham) are impatient to escape the family seat of Alconleigh. Linda, who has grown up under the terrifying regime of her father, known as Uncle Matthew (Dominic West), wants romance and adventure while Fanny longs for stability and security.

When the Radletts’ neighbour Lord Merlin (Andrew Scott) brings Tony Kroesig (Freddie Fox) to their coming-out ball, it seems Linda’s dreams of romance are coming true. Unfortunately, Fanny has her doubts about the match, creating a distance between the cousins.

Emily, who began filming during the pandemic, thinks the last year of lockdown will give the three-part drama, which began in the 1920s and ends during the Second World War, a new resonance for today’s audiences.

She said: “There is something about this story being set between the wars, at a time when life was very fragile and everyone was living like there was no tomorrow. Our generation hasn’t had that experience of life in such an intense way.”

The Pursuit Of Love, BBC1, Sunday, 9pm. Episode one is on iPlayer now.