Lemn Sissay on his foster family

08 Oct 2025 • 3 min • EN
3 min
00:00
03:48
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The poet Lemm Sissay was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2015. As a poet, writer and playwright, much of his work tells the story of his search for his birth parents. Born to a young Ethiopian woman who wanted him temporarily looked after while she completed her studies, he was with a foster family until he was 12. Lemn told Kirsty how he felt after his foster family broke ties with him. You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

From "Desert Island Discs"

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