Who Do You Think You Are Series 20

The 2024 series of hit family history TV programme Who Do You Think You Are?  will mark 20 years since the programme was first broadcast in 2004.  Once again, several celebrities will take part to learn about their family history.

Simon Young, BBC Head of History, said: “This year we have a stellar line up to mark twenty years of the nation’s favourite social history series. Time and again it proves the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction, while helping us all to understand the history of Britain and the world much better, so it’s clear why our audiences have taken this series to their hearts.

Season 20 includes :

• Melanie Chisholm, known as Mel C, rose to fame as Sporty Spice in 90s girl band the Spice Girls and has continued to have success as a singer and actor. Now, she goes from singing ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ to appearing on the show. In her episode, she will discover a political activist and the story of how her family survived the Great Famine in Ireland.
• Singer-songwriter Olly Murs was a runner-up in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009 and has recorded hit songs including ‘Dance with Me Tonight’ and ‘Troublemaker’. He will travel to Latvia to trace his family history and discover circus performing ancestors.
• Actor Vicky McClure starred in the This Is England series and BBC crime drama Line of Duty and can currently be seen in Paramount+ TV series Insomnia. She will discover the harrowing story of her great grandfather’s experiences as a Japanese prisoner of war in the Second World War.
• Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is a retired track and field athlete specialising in the heptathlon and 100 metre hurdles. She won the gold medal in heptathlon at the 2012 London Olympics. She will travel to Jamaica and learn about her relative’s journey from being enslaved to owning his own land.
• TV star Gemma Collins rose to fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex before appearing on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity Big Brother, Celebs Go Dating and Dancing on Ice. She also her own reality TV show, Gemma Collins: Diva. On Who Do You Think You Are?, she will discover whether she truly is an Essex girl.
• Paddy McGuinness is a comedian, actor, writer and TV presenter, known for presenting programmes including Take Me Out, Top Gear and A Question of Sport. He will discover the truth about his grandfather’s role in the Second World War and investigate the origins of the McGuinness surname.
• Actor Rose Ayling-Ellis is best known for playing Frankie Lewis in EastEnders and winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, where she appeared as the programme’s first deaf contestant. She will discover an incident in her family history which surprisingly mirrors an episode of EastEnders.

A House Through Time

Have you been watching the BBC Two series A House Through Time?  The series started in 2018 and follows historian David Olusoga as he traces the history of a single house, uncovering the lives of the people who lived there throughout centuries of British history. There have been four series of A House Through Time altogether, tracing the history of houses in Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol and Leeds.

The BBC has just announced that A House Through Time will return again in 2023 - but there's a twist.  This new series will look at the history of two apartment blocks, one in London, the other in Berlin, over three decades, from the Roaring Twenties to the aftermath of the Second World War.

The BBC's press release says: "Using painstaking detective work, David hunts down records for the diverse residents of two buildings in two great cities. The cast of characters includes a soldier, an artist, a Nazi teacher, an African academic, a Jewish refugee, an Italian waiter, a poet, a prisoner of war, a woman spy, and an SS officer.

So keep an eye out for the new series, and if you haven't watched the earlier episodes, take a look.  They are a fascinating glimpse of the past and the lives our ancestors may have lived.

 

Who Do You Think You Are UK 2023

A new series of Who Do You Think You Are? is coming in June.  For their 20^th series they will be researching the family histories of the following :

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer behind some of the most successful musicals in history, including Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was made a baron in 1997, but he thought he came from humble origins – so he’s surprised to discover aristocratic ancestors on Who Do You Think You Are?, as well as a musical family with some uncanny parallels.

Claire Foy

Claire Foy has won acclaim for playing historical figures including Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall and the young Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown. On Who Do You Think You Are?, she delves into her own family history and discovers one ancestor was a soldier who died in tragic circumstances, while another was caught up in a sensational murder trial.

Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls OBE is an adventurer, presenter of Born Survivor and Britain’s Chief Scout. On Who Do You Think You Are?, he traces the origins of his love of adventure and discovers his grandfather’s involvement in a top-secret mission during the Second World War. He also traces his roots to Scotland – and discovers a very famous ancestor.

Kevin Clifton

Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Kevin Clifton sets out to investigate a rumour that he’s descended from the First Nations people of Canada. In Canada, he discovers the poignant tale of an ancestor who was raised in an orphanage, and his family’s involvement in Canada’s fur industry. One theme all his stories have in common is brave women who survived and thrived against the odds.

Chris and Xand van Tulleken

Chris and Xand van Tulleken are identical twins, medical doctors and science broadcasters. They know they have Dutch ancestry and they’re keen to find out more. They discover one ancestor was a seafaring adventurer, before confronting one of the darkest chapters of Europe’s history.

Emily Atack

The Inbetweeners actor Emily Atack comes from a family of entertainers – she’s even related to Sir Paul McCartney. On Who Do You Think You Are?, she discovers more performer ancestors – including a connection to Butlin’s holiday camps - as well as a Welsh footballing connection with Ryan Reynolds. She also visits Yorkshire to find out more about the struggles of her coal miner ancestors.

Dev Griffin

Born to an Irish mother and a Jamaican father, Heart radio presenter Dev Griffin grew up feeling he didn’t fit in with either community. On his first trip to Ireland, he learns how his ancestors fought for Irish independence, before travelling to Jamaica, where he meets a newly discovered aunt and discovers surprisingly intimate records of his great grandparents.

Chris Ramsey

Comedian Chris Ramsey discovers that his great grandfather fought in one of the most dangerous campaigns of the First World War before being taken prisoner, while his grandfather faced equally dangerous circumstances serving in the Navy in the Second World War. He also traces his lineage back to the 18th century, where records show an ancestor gave birth in London’s British Lying-In Hospital.

Lesley Manville

Star of The Crown and Mrs Harris Goes to Paris Lesley Manville is keen to uncover the truth about her grandparents, who had children out of wedlock despite the scandal. She uncovers a story of wartime separation, adultery and the inaccessibility of divorce. Going further back, she discovers an ancestor who was sentenced to transportation for his role in the 1830 Swing Riots.

Who Do You Think You Are Australia

Series 14 of Who Do You Think You Are? Australia will start airing at 7.30pm on Tuesday 2 May on SBS and SBS On Demand.

The new series of Who Do You Think You Are? Australia will star actor and comedian Barry Humphries; journalist Jenny Brockie; journalist and former Senator Derryn Hinch; actor and entertainer Rhonda Burchmore; choreographer and artistic director Stephen Page; comedian and broadcaster Peter Helliar; actor Kerry Armstrong; and actor and musician John Waters. The episode themes will include Barry Humphries discovering a royal scandal in his family history; Stephen Page uncovering his mother Doreen's indigenous Australian identity; and John Waters tracing the women in his family tree.

Who Do You Think You Are UK Series 18

 The 2021 series of Who Do You Think You Are? has been announced – with Series 18 due to start broadcasting on BBC One in October.

Executive producer Colette Flight said: “Who Do You Think You Are? is back with another line-up of Britain’s best-loved celebrities exploring their family histories across the UK, Ireland, Denmark and Jamaica.

“The incredible personal stories they unearth of their ancestors’ lives – from royal love triangles to labourers fighting for their rights, from Victorian child sweeps to battling fascists in London’s East end – reflect and illuminate all our collective history.”

The complete celebrity line-up for Who Do You Think You Are? 2021 includes :

Josh Widdicombe

Comedian Josh Widdicombe is best known for co-hosting Channel 4’s The Last Leg. He won the first series of Taskmaster in 2015.

Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi Dench is one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, with eight decades of acting on stage and screen and accolades including one Oscar win and six nominations.

Alex Scott

Alex Scott is a former professional footballer who played for the England women’s national football team. She is now a football pundit for BBC Sport and Sky Sports.

Joe Lycett

Joe Lycett is a comedian and TV presenter. He’s best known for standing up for consumer rights on Channel 4 show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back.

Pixie Lott

Singer-songwriter Pixie Lott has released three albums, spawning six Top 10 singles. She was also a contestant on the 2014 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Joe Sugg
Joe Sugg is the YouTuber behind the hit channel ThatcherJoe, and was also a finalist on the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Ed Ball

Ed Balls served as a Labour MP from 2005 to 2015 and as shadow chancellor from 2011 to 2015.

Who Do You Think You Are Australia

A new season of Who Do You Think You Are Australia premiers on SBS Thursday 19 May with 8 new episodes scheduled.  This is the eleventh series of the popular family history program, which originally premiered in 2008.  The show follows the same format as the popular British series and follows several celebrities as they trace their own families.

It has been announced that the celebrities featured in series 11 will be Lisa Wilkinson, Bert Newton, Cameron Daddo, Lisa Curry, Denise Scott, Kat Stewart, Julie Bishop and Troy Cassar-Daley.

Over the years I have greatly enjoyed watching this program and the insights it provides into genealogical research and social history, while also being slightly envious of all the expert help the celebrity participants enjoy.  The twists and turns of each individual's family story and the emotional journey of their discoveries is fascinating watching and helps re-inspire me to continue my own researches.  Well worth marking in your diary.

Who Do You Think You Are Live 2012

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? LIVE 2012 has finished.

Many of the presenters gave handouts for their talks and workshops for 2012 to the Society of Genealogists, and these are now being made available FREE on the SOG website.  More notes and slides will become available in the coming weeks, so visit the SOG Family History Show page and take a look at what is available.

Who do you think you are - new Australian series

Great news for fans of hit TV drama Who Do You Think You Are? The show returns for a fourth series in March as six more Australian celebrities trace their family tree, uncovering secrets and stories from the past.


Shaun Micallef, Kerry O’Brien, Melissa George, Vince Colosimo, John Wood and Michael O’Loughlin travel to all corners of Australia and the globe to find the definitive answer to where they came from.  The series starts 7.30pm Tuesday 27 March.