A new series of Who Do You Think You Are? is coming in June. For their 20th 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.
