Lemn Sissay: From Childhood in Care to World Famous Poet | Victoria Derbyshire

Poet, playwright and broadcaster Lemn Sissay grew up in the care system. Raised as Norman by foster parents who told him he had been abandoned; at 12, without warning, he was sent away from the family home. He then grew up in children's homes, separated from the only family he knew. It wasn't until adulthood he learnt the truth, discovered his real name and that his Ethiopian mother had repeatedly tried to get him back. He traced his birth family and fought Wigan Council in a landmark legal case that exposed failures in the care system. In this week's Unbelievable Britain, he joins Victoria Derbyshire to explore identity, belonging and the extraordinary journey that shaped his life. Lemn reflects on growing up feeling unwanted, discovering poetry, finding his voice and the lessons he's learned about forgiveness, family and what it truly means to belong. Lemn's project Tell Me Something About Family is here. https://tellmesomething.family/ Please do add your own stories. 🎙️ Listen to Unbelievable Britain with Victoria Derbyshire on all podcast platforms. #VictoriaDerbyshire #LemnSissay #UnbelievableBritain #Podcast #Poetry #CareSystem #Identity #Belonging Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices