 David Jessel is the son of Robert Jessel, a former defence correspondent of "The Times" (London), and Dame Penelope Jessel, and the brother of journalist Stephen Jessel.David Jessel was born in Abingdon and educated at the Dragon School, an independent school in Oxford, and at Eton College, to which he won a scholarship in 1959.He won an Exhibition to Merton College, Oxford, where he read Modern History.