Rich Lives, Poor Lives

Rob and historian Ruth explore the devastating impact of the Great Plague of 1665 on both London's rich and poor. As they step into the shoes of people from very different backgrounds, the duo discover what happens when the plague take hold in the capital.

Rob and Ruth examine London's Great Fire of 1666, and discover whether wealth really made a difference to chances of survival. Rob dives into the lives of the city's wealthy, including writer Samuel Pepys and the city's Lord Mayor. Meanwhile, Ruth explores the stories of London's working poor, like the young baker's assistant who may have sparked the inferno, and Elizabeth Peacock, a widowed innkeeper with five children to feed.

Rob and Ruth head back to wartime London to uncover how the Blitz was experienced by those from different backgrounds. Rob follows the glamorous lives of the rich, and Ruth uncovers the true story of a young dockworker in Wapping, who formed a brave group of teenage volunteers. They risked everything, fighting fires and saving lives as the bombs rained down around them in London's East End.