Rich Times Poor Times with Rob Rinder and Ruth Goodman | Preview (5)

In Rich Times, Poor Times (3x90’), Rob and Ruth will travel back in time immersing themselves in some of the most turbulent events in history, exploring them through the contrasting eyes of the rich and poor.

In this first episode, Rob Rinder and historian Ruth Goodman explore the devastating impact of the Great Plague of 1665 on both London’s rich and poor. As they step into the shoes of Londoners from very different backgrounds, they discover what happens when the plague take hold in the capital.

Barrister-turned-broadcaster Rob Rinder investigates the lives of London’s rich during the year of the plague, including a wealthy cloth merchant, well-connected and living in luxury – and a well to do vicar, in the most fashionable district of 1660s London, Covent Garden.

Meanwhile, Ruth Goodman uncovers the story of a poor gravedigger doing whatever he can to keep his family alive in one of London’s poverty-stricken backstreets. As the plague creeps across the city, we see how both the rich and the poor deal with it and discover whether Monday makes a difference when it comes to the deadly disease.

There’s everything from secret plague burials and strange cures to surprising theories about how the disease spread - and the crucial importance of washing your underwear. And as panic sets in, we find out who runs, who stays and who’s brave enough to face it all head-on.

With some shocking discoveries, this episode reveals what it really meant to live, and die, whatever your background, in one of London’s darkest chapters.

The Great Plague with Rob Rinder and Ruth Goodman airs Thursday 10th July at 9pm on 5.