Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories

In this opening episode, Lemn compares his experiences as a foster child to the life of Harry Potter.

Like Harry, Lemn was never told the truth about what happened to his parents. Like Harry, he found his foster parents harsh and unforgiving. But, like Harry, he came through those problems, avoided the dementors, and grew up.

As well as storytelling, comedy and poetry, Lemn imagines an interview with Vernon and Petunia Dursley - Harry's foster parents. Finally, they get to tell their side of the story.

Lemn discusses his experiences as a foster child and draws comparisons with Harry Potter.

Lemn's foster child experience: comparing his life to Harry Potter, he was never told the truth about his parents. From 2016.

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In this episode, Lemn looks at the children at Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, otherwise known as The X-Men Academy.

More specifically, Rogue and Wolverine, whose dark and tragic origins lie long before either of them reached the School. But there, Xavier - Professor X - sought to teach the children how to control their powers and make the most of them.

Lemn's experiences in children's homes in Wigan was not the same. What difference would it have made it it had been?

Lemn also talks to comedian and care leaver Sophie Willan, who spent most of her childhood in foster care and assisted accommodation.

What superpowers did she discover she had, removed from the security of family?

Lemn looks at the children at Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Lemn's experiences in children's homes in Wigan was not the same. What difference would it have made if it had been?

Poet Lemn Sissay's comic and poetic look at the treatment of children raised in care, based on his own experiences. From 2016.

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The most important thing that John and Martha Kent taught Clark, the boy they found in a strange-looking pod that crash-landed on their Kansas farm, was to keep his true self secret.

People wouldn't understand that you can lift cars, melt steel beams with your eyes, or fly. People will be scared of you because you are different. Every adoptee and every care leaver knows this feeling. Lemn examines how he hid his feelings, his experiences, his identity, in order to fit in better with the world around him.

Lemn also talks to comedian and adoptee Deborah Frances-White about secret identities - and how to go about reinventing yourself.

Lemn examines how he hid his feelings and identity to fit in with the world around him.

Poet Lemn examines how he hid his true self to better fit into the world around him. With Deborah Frances-White. From 2016.

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No-one, really, believes they are doing evil.

Anakin Skywalker did not become Darth Vader because he liked being bad, he did it because he believed his pregnant wife was in danger - and so began his journey to the Dark Side.

In this final, and possibly toughest, episode, Lemn examines his bad choices; where he let himself do the wrong thing - and how he has attempted to make amends.

When must you let go of your memories and live?

Lemn examines where he let himself do the wrong thing, and how he has tried to make amends

Poet Lemn Sissay examines where he let himself do the wrong thing, and how he'd attempted to make amends. From 2016.

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