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Who Do You Think You Are?

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S23 E8 · Katarina Johnson-Thompson

About Who Do You Think You Are?

Who Do You Think You Are? is a family and documentary TV series that premiered on BBC One on October 12, 2004. It has 23 seasons and 193 episodes so far and is still airing new episodes. The latest episode, Season 23 Episode 8 "Katarina Johnson-Thompson", aired on August 6, 2026.

A British genealogy documentary series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.

  • Family
  • Documentary

Last updated

Episodes

193 episodes · 23 seasons

Season 1

2004 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 21 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 1 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E10 still E10

    10. Vic Reeves

    Finale

    Comedian Vic Reeves goes in search of his ancestor Simeon Leigh who isn't at all what he seems.

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E9 still E9

    9. Meera Syal

    Meera explores her grandfather's contributions to the struggle for Indian independence and delves into her family's history, including the fall of the Raj, the creation of India and Pakistan.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E8 still E8

    8. Lesley Garrett

    Garrett, discovers her roots and those of her great great grandfather who was a butcher, farmer and prominent member of the Thorne Council. His history was kept secret from her and her father.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E7 still E7

    7. David Baddiel

    David explores his Jewish roots and discovers some Orthodox Jewish relatives in London.

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    6. Moira Stuart

    Moira Stuart's family tree exploration takes from the Highlands of Scotland to the West Indies.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E5 still E5

    5. Ian Hislop

    Ian finds out more about the part his grandfathers played in the wars of the 20th Century.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E4 still E4

    4. Jeremy Clarkson

    Jeremy is determined to find out if his mother was descended from the Kilner Jar people, and if they were, where all the money had gone.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E3 still E3

    3. Sue Johnston

    Johnston learns about two of the more famous men in her family, her great grandfather who went from rags to riches of the industrial revolution. As well as his son (her grandfather) who joined the railways and made money from that.

  9. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E2 still E2

    2. Amanda Redman

    Redman learns more of her father's history, her illegitimate sister, she gets a reunion with reunion with a long lost relative and finds out her grandfather was of Victorian up-bringing.

  10. Who Do You Think You Are? S1 E1 still E1

    1. Bill Oddie

    Bill Oddie is the first celebrity to undergo the family tree search, as he endeavours to find out more about his mother, who was institutionalised when he was a child.

Season 2

2006 · 6 episodes · Last episode: 20 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 2 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E6 still E6

    6. Gurinder Chadha

    Finale

    Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend It Like Beckham, grew up in Southall in West London. But she was born in Kenya, and her family's story is tied up with that of the British Empire.

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E5 still E5

    5. Jane Horrocks

    Jane Horrocks's family history is rooted in Lancashire - three generations of her family lived in the same street in Rawtenstall. Her ancestors form part of the town's cotton-weaving heritage.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E4 still E4

    4. Julian Clary

    Growing up Clary knew very little about his family history. His Grandfather had died before Julian was born and was curious about his story. Clary found out that his grandfather was on the front line of WW1 and was very important of post war history.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E3 still E3

    3. Stephen Fry

    Stephen Fry knows that people always think of him as being quintessentially English, but his mother is from a large European Jewish family. Stephen traces his maternal grandfather, Martin Neumann, back to modern-day Slovakia.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E2 still E2

    2. Sheila Hancock

    Sheila Hancock believed that her family's history was very boring. But she discovers that her grandfather was a successful manager and guide for Thomas Cook's travel agents in Milan.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S2 E1 still E1

    1. Jeremy Paxman

    Jeremy Paxman's not sure he's interested in family history, but he does love social history. However, he quickly realises that his family's story is inextricably linked to that of Britain.

Season 3

2006 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 20 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 3 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S3 E8 still E8

    8. Julia Sawalha

    Finale

    Julia Sawalha comes from a multi-cultural family. Her mother is English but believes her side of the family are descended from French Huguenots.

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    7. Jeremy Irons

    Jeremy Irons is largely perceived as the quintessential English gentleman, but he feels a strong connection to Ireland. He has a house in Ireland, an Irish wife, Sinead Cusack, and is sure that there's Irish blood somewhere in his family.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S3 E6 still E6

    6. Nigella Lawson

    Nigella Lawson's Jewish immigrant family have come a long way from poverty in Europe and the East End to the wealth of Belgravia. Her father Nigel was Margaret Thatcher's golden boy and mother Vanessa was heiress to the Lyons food dynasty.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S3 E5 still E5

    5. David Dickinson

    David Dickinson explores the circumstances of his adoption and the story of his Armenian ancestors.

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    4. David Tennant

    David's quest to discover his family take him to the Isle of Mull, and then on to Londonderry, to confront an unexpected side to his ancestors.

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    3. Colin Jackson

    Colin's roots extend to Panama, Jamaica and Scotland.

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    2. Robert Lindsay

    Robert Lindsay discovers that his paternal grandfather Jesse was severely wounded in the trenches of WWI.

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    1. Barbara Windsor

    Barbara Windsor traces her maternal grandfather to the East London docks and finds that his mother was a matchgirl at the Bryant and May factory.

Season 4

2007 · 7 episodes · Last episode: 19 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 4 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S4 E7 still E7

    7. Matthew Pinsent

    Finale

    Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent knows that his parents' families were greatly affected by WWI; two of his grandfather's brothers were killed, as well as his grandmother's only brother.

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    6. Graham Norton

    As a Protestant growing up in Catholic Ireland, Graham Norton sometimes felt that he and his family were made to feel like foreigners in their own country.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S4 E5 still E5

    5. Alistair McGowan

    Alistair McGowan explores his heritage from his father's side, investigating what 'Anglo-Indian' means by a journey to India.

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    4. Carol Vorderman

    Although there comes a point in her investigations when Carol Vorderman's eyes fill with tears she manages for the most part to keep a lid on things in tonight's edition of the reality/ genealogy series. Initially, that's because her mother's side of the family seem a jolly lot with a great-grandfather who was an astute businessman and owned the first butcher's shop in Prestatyn. It's not until Vorderman starts poking around in her Dutch father's family that things get a bit more emotional. Tony Vorderman and his wife split up three weeks after her birth and Carol didn't see him for more than 40 years. All she has to go on is a family rumour that her great-grandfather was robbed of the Nobel Prize for science, and that her father worked for the Dutch Resistance during the war, with the fishy nickname "Snoek".

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S4 E3 still E3

    3. Griff Rhys Jones

    Griff Rhys Jones looks at both sides of his family's history, learning about the early British railway workers and trying to work out whether relatives really died in a train crash or there might be darker family secrets.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S4 E2 still E2

    2. John Hurt

    Although John Hurt was born in England, he is proud of his Irish heritage and hopes he will be able to discover the truth about an illegitimate daughter in his family tree.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S4 E1 still E1

    1. Natasha Kaplinsky

    Natasha travels to Cape Town in search of information about her father's involvement with the anti-apartheid movement during the 1960s. Later, after researching a possible connection with King George the Third, she travels with her Australian cousin Benni to Belarus where some disturbing discoveries are made about the persecution of her Jewish ancestors.

Season 5

2008 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 18 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 5 release dates →
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    8. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

    Finale

    "Most people assume that I'm from a long line of gothic, castle-dwelling Welsh gentry", says Laurence, "but I don't think I am". However, an old family letter hints that some of these assumptions may in fact be correct. Following a tantalising clue left by great-aunt Kitty, Laurence sets out to investigate. Is there a long lost family estate and fortune somewhere in Somerset? Could Laurence really be a member of the landed gentry?

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E7 still E7

    7. Jodie Kidd

    Jodie has often wondered why none of her family ever talked about her mother's grandfather, Sir Rowland Hodge. Although she grew up with many stories about her other great-grandfather Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Rowland's past remains a mystery. Investigations in Newcastle and London soon reveal why, as Jodie uncovers a tale of scandal and political corruption. An exploration of Beaverbrook's ancestors takes her across the Atlantic to Colonial America and a connection to some of the first Puritan settlers.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E6 still E6

    6. David Suchet

    Confusion reigns in David Suchet's family history. Was his father's father German, Russian or Estonian? Was his name Suchedowitz, Suchet or Shoket? David’s mother's family is equally confusing. Was her grandfather really a French photographer? And why did another ancestor's ship sink off Norfolk? David travels across Europe hoping to find some answers.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E5 still E5

    5. Ainsley Harriott

    Ainsley Harriott heads to the West Indies and discovers that Caribbean history isn't quite as 'black and white' as he'd imagined. In addition to harrowing stories of slavery, Ainsley discovers his ancestors include a soldier, a policemen, wealthy 'free blacks' and even white plantation owners.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E4 still E4

    4. Esther Rantzen

    If Esther's family is as genteel and respectable as she's always believed, where do the rumours of bigamy, fraud and murder come from? Stories of a 'black sheep' have always intrigued her, as have the origins of the Rantzen side of the family. Her search for answers takes her from the slums of Spitalfields in London to the diamond mines of South Africa. Along the way she discovers the amazing story of a fugitive from justice.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E3 still E3

    3. Jerry Springer

    Jerry knows that if his parents had not fled Germany before the start of the Second World War he would almost certainly not be alive today. As Jewish refugees, they settled in London before moving to the United States. Tragically, Jerry’s grandmothers were not so lucky. Unable to escape from the Nazis, both died in the Holocaust. Jerry sets out on an emotional journey to discover what happened to them. How far back can he trace the Springer family in Germany and did any of them survive the war?

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E2 still E2

    2. Boris Johnson

    Boris Johnson knew a certain amount about his diverse family background, but was intrigued by several family stories and mysteries. He was particularly keen to investigate stories associated with the relatives of his paternal grandparents. Boris's grandfather, Wilfred Johnson, had never spoken about the murder of his Turkish father in the 1920s. Boris’s grandmother Irene Johnson (née Williams), known as 'Granny Butter', had always been the subject of derision in the family due to her grandiose claims of an aristocratic French background. So Boris set out on an international journey of discovery to separate fact from fiction.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S5 E1 still E1

    1. Patsy Kensit

    Patsy's late father was a villain. Jimmy Kensit was deeply involved with the most notorious gangsters of 1960s London: the Krays and the Richardsons. Reggie Kray was even godfather to Patsy's brother. Apprehensively, Patsy embarked on an investigation into her father's murky past, to understand the roots of his criminality and to discover how far back 'the family trade' goes. Patsy met up with a criminologist who had unearthed a copy of her father’s criminal record, revealing the true extent of his crimes. She was then shocked to uncover documents in the National Archives that show her grandfather was also a prolific criminal. After more research, Patsy was at last relieved to discover that her great-grandfather, though impoverished, was an honest walking stick maker. Tracing her roots even further back, an amazing document in Goldsmith's Hall revealed how the Kensit family, once affluent artisans, first fell into terrible poverty. Ultimately Patsy made the emotional discovery that rather than descending from a long line of villains, one of her ancestors was a remarkable vicar who dedicated his life to helping the poor.

Season 6

2009 · 11 episodes · Last episode: 17 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 6 release dates →
  1. E11

    11. Martin Freeman

    Finale

    With his dad having died when he was 10 and his parents having divorced some years before, Martin Freeman tries to find out the paternal side of his family history.

  2. E10

    10. Kim Cattrall

    Liverpool-born Kim Cattrall sets out to solve a family mystery that has endured for more than seventy years, the disappearance of her grandfather.

  3. E9

    9. David Mitchell

    David Mitchell goes in search of his Scottish roots. David knows that the Mitchells were wealthy sheep farmers in Sutherland.

  4. E8

    8. Kate Humble

    TV presenter Kate Humble knows little about her family history. What she does know is that her paternal grandfather was a test pilot, and she believes her maternal grandfather ended up in Colditz. On the trail of her grandfather Bill Humble, who was a test pilot during the Second World War, Kate visits the RAF Museum. She is astonished to discover what a legend Bill was in flying circles, and is amazed to see his daredevil flying for herself in archive film held there.

  5. E7

    7. Chris Moyles

    Known for his outspoken views, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles finds himself getting unexpectedly emotional as he goes back to his Irish roots.

  6. E6

    6. Davina McCall

    Davina McCall makes some intriguing and shocking discoveries as she delves into her family's past, hoping to learn more about her maternal French heritage.

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    5. Kevin Whately

    Actor Kevin Whately discovers that his ancestors were amongst the richest and most powerful men of the 17th century.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S6 E4 still E4

    4. Zoe Wanamaker

    Actress Zoe Wanamaker traces the roots of her family back to the Ukraine via America and the anti-communist witch-hunt that caused her father Sam to flee to the UK.

  9. Who Do You Think You Are? S6 E3 still E3

    3. Rick Stein

    Rick Stein's father Eric suffered from manic depression and committed suicide in the 1960s. Rick explores his father's life. Next, travels to China to explore the life of his great-grandfather Henry Parkes, a 19th-century missionary.

  10. Who Do You Think You Are? S6 E2 still E2

    2. Fiona Bruce

    Fiona Bruce discovers the sad truth behind her great-grandfather's mysterious death, and returns to her family's ancestral home.

  11. Who Do You Think You Are? S6 E1 still E1

    1. Rory Bremner

    In Holland and Germany, Rory Bremner delves into the wartime experiences of the father he didn't know very well.

Season 7

2010 · 9 episodes · Last episode: 16 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 7 release dates →
  1. E9

    9. Alan Cumming

    Finale

    Award-winning actor and Broadway star Alan Cumming made his name acting in films such as Goldeneye and X-Men, but grew up in a small Scottish town. He tries to solve the mystery of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Darling. A career soldier who spent most of his life away from home serving in the army, he died, aged just 35, in mysterious circumstances in Malaysia.

  2. E8

    8. Hugh Quarshie

    Holby City actor Hugh Quarshie was born in Ghana, but moved to Britain with his parents as a child. He knows there is Dutch ancestry in his family, but doesn't know where the bloodline began. To find out, he visits his uncle in Ghana, where he discovers a new relative and learns some interesting facts about his mother. Finally, he travels to the Netherlands to unravel the truth.

  3. E7

    7. Jason Donovan

    Jason comes from showbiz parents who divorced when he was five. His British born father won custody and brought him up alone, but its Jason's mother's family line that holds the key to Jason's Australian heritage - up to now a complete mystery to him.

  4. E6

    6. Alexander Armstrong

    Comedian Alexander Armstrong always knew his family background was likely to be privileged, but he's keen to find out exactly how posh he is...

  5. E5

    5. Rupert Penry-Jones

    Actor Rupert Penry-Jones has made his name playing dashing, quintessentially English heroes. But his family background is very different. His mother, actress Angela Thorne, was born in Karachi, when it was part of British India.

  6. E4

    4. Monty Don

    Famous gardener Monty Don comes from a well-known dynasty of architects on his mother's side of the family, but knows little about his other relatives.

  7. E3

    3. Dervla Kirwan

    Irish actress Dervla Kirwan became a household name in the hit series Ballykissangel. But she has never spoken about her great-uncle Michael Collins, a national figure who changed Irish history and fought to establish the Irish Free State. Dervla wants to find out how her grandfather Finian, Michael's nephew, fits into the events shaped by his famous uncle.

  8. E2

    2. Rupert Everett

    Rupert Everett’s varied acting career has involved starring in Hollywood films as diverse as My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shrek 2 and The Importance of Being Earnest. Rupert has a rigidly conservative background, and feels that much of his own life has been a reaction against it. Following the recent death of his father six months ago, he wants to investigate the paternal side of his family.

  9. E1

    1. Bruce Forsyth

    Bruce Forsyth receives a letter from America from a woman who claims to be related to Bruce through Bruce's great-grandfather, Joseph Forsyth Johnson. The letter suggests that Joseph Forsyth Johnson was married to two women at the same time and that he died at sea. Bruce is determined to investigate these claims and discover the truth for himself.

Season 8

2011 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 15 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 8 release dates →
  1. E10

    10. Tracey Emin

    Finale

    Tracey knows very little of her maternal line, and is keen to find out more about her East End roots

  2. E9

    9. Len Goodman

    Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman investigates his mother's family.

  3. E8

    8. Richard Madeley

    Richard Madeley sets out to learn more about the Canadian side of his family.

  4. E7

    7. Robin Gibb

    Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb discovers how his paternal great-grandfather rose from poverty to become a decorated soldier, and heads to Paisley, Renfrewshire, to investigate a mysterious family breakdown.

  5. E6

    6. Alan Carr

    Alan Carr explores his family's football connection and his grandfather's brush with fame.

  6. E5

    5. Emilia Fox

    Silent Witness star Emilia Fox tries to find out how far back her family's acting roots go.

  7. E4

    4. Larry Lamb

    Larry Lamb, British Actor discovered that he is descended from a line of proprietors of Day's Menagerie and the famous Martini Bartlett lion tamer.

  8. E3

    3. Sebastian Coe

    The former Olympic gold medal winner sets out to discover if there is any truth in his grandmother's claims that the family's origins were once quite grand.

  9. E2

    2. JK Rowling

    In a rare television appearance, best-selling Harry Potter author JK Rowling sets out to investigate her French roots.

  10. E1

    1. June Brown

    During her search to find out if she is a real EastEnder, June unravels her Jewish heritage, and discovers how momentous historical events shaped her family's destiny, forcing them to migrate across Europe.

Season 9

2012 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 13 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 9 release dates →
  1. E10

    10. John Bishop

    Finale

    John Bishop finds out what happened to his great great grandfather, a POW in the Crimea.

  2. E9

    9. John Barnes

    Fifty years after Jamaica gained independence from Britain, former footballer and sports pundit John Barnes sets out to investigate the extraordinary role his grandfather, Frank Hill, played in the island's struggle for self-rule. John discovers how his grandfather became the subject of secret telegrams, and why he was interned by the British during World War Two. John also uncovers how, from being at the heart of Jamaican politics, Frank fell from grace among his political allies.

  3. E8

    8. Celia Imrie

    Actress Celia Imrie knows that she comes from a long line of aristocrats on her mother's side, but has always resisted finding out any more about her illustrious heritage; her fear is that they will turn out to be privileged and boring, but she is quickly proved very wrong. In a film that ranges from political intrigue to impotence, Celia traces her family back to the 17th century. She discovers an ancestor who broke all the rules and ended up in the Tower of London, and investigates the extraordinary political legacy of another ancestor, who was accused of plotting to kill King Charles II.

  4. E7

    7. William Roache

    Actor William Roache has always known that his grandmother, Zillah Waddicor, ran a cafe in Alton Towers in the 1920s and 1930s, long before it became a theme park. But as Bill sets out to discover more about Zillah, whom he remembers as a kindly elderly lady, he is astonished to find out that the cafe was a far more ambitious enterprise and that, while overcoming a challenging personal life, Zillah was a trailblazing entrepreneur. Bill discovers that his great-grandfather James was also an innovative business person, dealing in some very unusual wares in late 19th century Blackpool.

  5. E6

    6. Alex Kingston

    Actress Alex Kingston knows that her great-grandfather, William Keevil, died during the First World War, leaving behind a wife and young family - including Alex's then 4-year-old grandmother. Alex sets out to investigate exactly what happened to William, and discovers how his pre-war career as a photographer put him in an unusual position. Alex has also heard rumours of Jewish ancestry in her family tree. Her quest to discover if this is true takes an unexpected turn, leading to a story involving her four-times great-grandmother, Elizabeth Braham, another widow with young children. As Alex delves further into Elizabeth's life, she is astonished to discover the unconventional enterprise Elizabeth undertook to avoid sliding into poverty.

  6. E5

    5. Hugh Dennis

    Comedian and actor Hugh Dennis's grandfathers both fought in the First World War, but rarely spoke about what they went through. In this episode, Hugh uncovers their very different wartime experiences. For his paternal grandfather, Ronald Dennis, the war offered an opportunity to finally escape a life in the coalmines of Yorkshire. For Hugh's maternal grandfather, Godfrey Hinnels, it was a brutal and bloody experience, as he found himself in some of the Great War's most infamous battles.

  7. E4

    4. Annie Lennox

    Eurythmics singer and political activist Annie Lennox, whose grandmother's father died when she was only three, knows little about this branch of the family. Annie's episode uncovers an extraordinarily dark tale of tangled family relationships blighted by illegitimacy and poverty. On her journey, Annie also discovers the humiliation her unmarried great, great grandmother suffered before the Scottish church.

  8. E3

    3. Patrick Stewart

    Sir Patrick Stewart's memory of his late father, Alfred Stewart, is scarred by recollections of domestic abuse. In this deeply personal and moving film, Patrick investigates his father's extraordinary war career, and discovers the shocking impact it had on his character.

  9. E2

    2. Gregg Wallace

    Gregg Wallace sets out to solve a long-standing family mystery: what happened to his great-grandfather, Henry Roland Springett, who abandoned his wife and children, including Gregg's grandfather, and was thought to have deserted the Navy?

  10. E1

    1. Samantha Womack

    Samantha Womack is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders. Sam's parents separated when she was young, and she grew up with only a fractured sense of her family history. Sam starts her journey by looking into the military career of her great grandfather, Alexander Cunningham Ryan.

Season 10

2013 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 13 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 10 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S10 E10 still E10

    10. John Simpson

    Finale

    Veteran BBC news reporter and world affairs editor John Simpson always thought his great grandfather was Samuel F Cody, famous for being the first person to fly in Britain and a Wild West entertainer. It was only later that John discovered that his great grandmother, Lela King, had run off with Cody, taking her children with her. John follows the trail of his adventurous great grandmother and her life with Cody, the cowboy turned aviator. He also investigates what happened to the husband Lela left behind, John's real great grandfather, and makes a shocking discovery.

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    9. Marianne Faithfull

    Singer and '60s pop icon Marianne Faithfull had a difficult relationship with her mother, Eva. In this film Marianne investigates Eva's earlier life, as a dancer in 1920s Berlin- the era immortalised in the film Cabaret. Marianne also discovers her half-Jewish mother's precarious existence in Vienna during World War Two and investigates whether there is any truth in the rumour that the family was involved with the Austrian Resistance.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S10 E8 still E8

    8. Sarah Millican

    Comedian Sarah Millican is astonished to discover that her three times great grandfather was one of the first ever divers in the world. Sarah also follows the trail of her four times great grandfather, John Malcolm, to Canada where he worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. John was sent to a remote outpost involved in the fur trade. As Sarah follows in his footsteps, she makes a truly shocking discovery.

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    7. Nitin Ganatra

    EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra moved to England from Kenya when he was just three years old. Now Nitin has questions about his identity and wants to investigate why his family left Kenya, and why they immigrated to Africa from India in the first place. The trail leads Nitin to Gujurat and his family's ancestral home. Along the way, Nitin makes an emotional and shocking discovery about his mother's family.

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    6. Nick Hewer

    TV personality Nick Hewer has fond memories of his maternal Irish grandfather but has always been intrigued about how a Catholic managed to reach the prestigious office of high sheriff in Protestant-dominated 1920s Belfast. On his father's side, Nick goes further back - to his nine times great grandfather - and discovers how his family's fortunes were shaped by the English Civil War.

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    5. Gary Lineker

    Sports presenter and former footballer Gary Lineker follows the trail of his great, great great grandfather James Pratt, and discovers that James was a poacher in Victorian England and served time in Leicester Prison. Gary wants to know why James ended up becoming a repeat offender. Gary also wants to get to the bottom of how his four times great grandfather Thomas Billingham, who was born to an illiterate gardener, ended up becoming a highly-skilled legal clerk.

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    4. Lesley Sharp

    Actress Lesley Sharp was adopted when she was just five weeks old. She traced her birth mother over twenty years ago and discovered that she was the result of her mother's affair with a married man. Now, knowing that her biological father has passed away, Lesley is ready to find out more about him. She traces her half siblings and follows her paternal line back to discover that her great great grandfather fostered Barnardo's children. Lesley follows the trail of one of them, George Maybury, to Canada to meet George's grandson and to find out what kind of home her great great grandfather provided.

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    3. Minnie Driver

    Hollywood actress Minnie Driver is on a mission to find out more about her late father, Ronnie, and his family's background. Minnie's parents were not married, and Minnie only discovered when she was older that her father had a wife and another family all the time Minnie's parents were together. Minnie knows her father was awarded a medal for his role in the battle of Heligoland Bight during World War Two, but is shocked to discover that he apparently threw it away. She sets out to investigate why her father would relinquish such an honour. The trail leads Minnie to relatives she never knew existed, and she discovers a kindred spirit in the family.

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    2. Nigel Havers

    Nigel Havers takes a look at his mother's line and travels to Cornwall to learn about a tale of illegitimacy worthy of a period drama. On his father's side, he ends up in Colchester where he learns a tale of the Victorian equivalent of an Essex taxi driver made good, who ends up losing everything though.

  10. Who Do You Think You Are? S10 E1 still E1

    1. Una Stubbs

    Una Stubbs never got the chance to meet her paternal grandparents and learns that they didn't die until she was in her 20s. She manages to uncover a story of illegitimacy and poverty.

Season 11

2014 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 12 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 11 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S11 E10 still E10

    10. Twiggy

    Finale

    Twiggy grew up in London but her parents told her nothing at all about her family. She finds out about a history of strong women as well as a hint of crime.

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    9. Billy Connolly

    Scottish comedian and actor Billy Connolly has always considered himself Scottish through and through but as he travels to India in the footsteps of his army ancestors, he makes an extraordinary discovery. Not only was his great-great-great-grandfather present at a pivotal point in Indian history, through him Billy's connection to India runs deeper than he had ever imagined.

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    8. Reggie Yates

    Presenter and DJ Reggie Yates grew up knowing very little about his father's side of the family. Reggie sets out on the trail of his grandfather, Harry Philip Yates. His journey takes him to Ghana, where he unravels a complex family history where Ghanaian culture and British colonialism collide.

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    7. Martin Shaw

    Actor Martin Shaw never knew his grandfather, Edwin Shaw, who walked out on his family when Martin's father was just a boy. Martin sets off to find out what happened to this elusive character with his only clue a photograph of Edwin as a young man. From a shotgun wedding to the Birmingham Blitz, Martin tries to sort fact from family fiction to discover who Edwin was.

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    6. Mary Berry

    Bake Off star Mary Berry, still going strong at 79, believes she inherits her energy and drive from her father and sets off on a journey to find out more about his family. Along the way she discovers illegitimacy, bankruptcy, and even more astonishingly, a baker.

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    5. Sheridan Smith

    Actress Sheridan Smith has grown up surrounded by a musical family, singing with her country and western duo parents since she was a child. Sheridan is keen to know where her musical talent comes from and is soon hot on the trail of her great-great-grandfather Benjamin Doubleday. She's shocked to discover the dramatic fall in fortunes of this self-styled musical impresario and famous banjoist.

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    4. Brendan O'Carroll

    Brendan O'Carroll ditches his alter ego, Mrs Brown to turn detective, as he attempts to track down the men who murdered his grandfather at the height of the Irish War of Independence. Brendan never knew his grandfather, who was shot dead before he was born, and the only clues he has to go on are from a newspaper article of the time.

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    3. Tamzin Outhwaite

    New Tricks star Tamzin Outhwaite has always been intrigued by her Italian ancestry. Although she remembers her grandfather Remo, she knows very little about his family. Tamzin's journey into her Italian past uncovers the rags-to-riches tale of her great-grandfather, Adelmo and takes her on an unexpected trip.

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    2. Brian Blessed

    Actor Brian Blessed has always loved his unusual name but has no idea where his Blessed ancestors came from. Born in Yorkshire, he'd always assumed his family were northerners but, digging deeper, Brian discovers that his roots lie down south. Here he uncovers the story of his great-great-grandfather, Jabez Blessed - a tale of hardship, struggle and survival worthy of Oliver Twist.

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    1. Julie Walters

    Bafta-winning actress, Julie Walters of Educating Rita, Mamma Mia! and Harry Potter fame, traces her roots back to County Mayo in western Ireland, where her great-grandfather, Anthony Clark was one of the first members of the Land League. The organisation was formed in 1879 and campaigned for more than 40 years for the rights of tenant farmers to own their own land.

Season 12

2015 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 11 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 12 release dates →
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    10. Frances de la Tour

    Finale

    Frances de la Tour's family tree holds a tantalising clue which hints at aristocratic ancestors. Hot on the trail of her three times great grandmother Frances uncovers a story of a secret lover, an illegitimate child and a landmark divorce case. But the scandal doesn't stop there. Tracing back another generation Frances uncovers the tragic story of Sophia Delaval - and traces her roots back to Seaton Delaval, the historic family residence.

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    9. Mark Gatiss

    Actor and writer Mark Gatiss has always had a love of storytelling and a passion for the ghastly and ghoulish but has always wondered where it comes from. So when he discovers that his mother's side of the family goes back five generations to the wilds of Northern Ireland, his imagination is awakened. Mark travels to Ireland, where he untangles a tale of rags to riches and finds out that his family were storytellers and (allegedly) vampire slayers!

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    8. Anita Rani

    Journalist Anita Rani never met her maternal grandfather Sant Singh - all she has been told is that he suffered terrible tragedy at the time of India's Partition. Anita's mother also tells her that Sant had another wife and family before marrying Anita's grandmother. Armed with this knowledge, Anita travels to India to see if she can find out more about her grandfather's first family - and discover what happened to them during Partition. It's an extraordinary and harrowing journey for Anita.

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    7. Frank Gardner

    Journalist Frank Gardner was very close to his late mother and is keen to know more about her side of the family. Frank's mother always told him that the family arrived in Britain with the Normans. Frank sets off to discover if there is any truth in the rumour. Along the way, he traces his family tree back to his ten times great-grandfather Sir Michael Stanhope - a knight of the Tudor court - who was accused of treason. But Frank's journey doesn't end there, and he is astonished to discover that his mother's suspicions are closer to the truth than he could ever have imagined.

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    6. Anne Reid

    Actress Anne Reid was close to her father but knows very little about his family. She only has a couple of clues to go on - the name of a house in Scotland and a family story that her father's side were ministers in the church. These clues soon put her on the trail of her great-great-grandfather John Reid - not a minister at all, but a schoolteacher in Fife with a sideline in forgery. When John's forgeries land him in the dock his life takes an unexpected turn - to Tasmania, on a convict ship.

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    5. Gareth Malone

    Gareth Malone wants to know how far back his musical gene goes and he attempts to find out more. His investigations into his mother's side of the family take him to London's West End, where he learns that his great-great-grandfather was a star of musical comedy and performed in front of George V.

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    4. Jerry Hall

    Jerry Hall knows her father’s family originally came from Oldham, but wants to discover how they ended up in America.

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    3. Derek Jacobi

    Actor Derek Jacobi discovers that he is descended from a Huguenot fleeing persecution.

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    2. Jane Seymour

    Jane Seymour was born Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg and knows that there is Jewish ancestry on her father’s side of the family. She wants to find out about her Jewish great aunts Michaela and Jadwiga and their lives under Nazi occupation.

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    1. Paul Hollywood

    Paul Hollywood looks into his family's past this week. His journey takes him first to North Africa where his grandfather had only just completed his training when he found himself in Tunisia as part of the Light Anti-Aircraft division tasked with protecting infantry from enemy air attack during a major Allied offensive to take Tunis from the Germans. He then makes his way to Italy where he learns his grandfather was part of the landing force that became surrounded by German forces and trapped on the beaches at Anzio for four months.

Season 13

2016 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 9 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 release dates →
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    10. Sophie Raworth

    Finale

    BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth investigates her father's side of the family, and discovers a tragic but inspiring tale of ancestors who risked everything to move to America in search of religious freedom. Closer to home, she explores a family rumour that her great grandfather worked at Kew Gardens, and is astonished to uncover a horticultural heritage stretching back to the 1700s and pineapples.

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    9. Sunetra Sarker

    The actress sets out to explore her Bengali heritage. Starting in Kolkata she learns of her great-grandfather's activism in colonial Bengal. She also learns of her family's involvement in Bangladesh's war of independence.

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    8. Warwick Davis

    Actor Warwick Davis owes his big break aged 11 to his paternal grandmother Edith, who heard a radio ad 'looking for short people to appear in Return of the Jedi'. Warwick takes a non-judgemental approach as he researches the family line stretching back from Edith, finding humanity and humour in some uncomfortable stories. On his maternal side, Warwick is equally open-minded when he finds out about his three-times-great-grandfather - a postman who lived a double life.

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    7. Greg Davies

    The comedian investigates his Welsh roots and gets more than he bargained for when he identifies a wayward great-grandfather. His journey uncovers everything from illegitimate children to royal connections.

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    6. Ian McKellen

    As the 'last of the McKellens', Sir Ian admits to a degree of melancholy as he delves into his family history. But the results pay off richly for one of Britain's greatest actors and civil rights champions. Ian's journey uncovers a theatrical ancestor, a Victorian political activist and a link to an ancient Druidical landmark in the Lake District.

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    5. Ricky Tomlinson

    Celebrity genealogy series. Ricky Tomlinson is well-known for playing the archetypal Scouser and it turns out that his Liverpool roots run deep. Ricky discovers that he comes from generations of carters, who transported goods on Liverpool's docks when the city was the British Empire's busiest port. Ricky's rage and sorrow build as he discovers how dangerous conditions were for his ancestors, eerily echoing his own fight for workers' rights in the 1970s.

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    4. Cheryl

    Singer Cheryl traces her roots and discovers a sea-faring ancestor and a family tragedy.

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    3. Liz Bonnin

    Wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin describes herself as 'a mongrel' - the result of her parents' lineages on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Martinique. In Trinidad, she goes in search of the first of her maternal ancestors to arrive on the island from India. Liz then heads to Martinique where her paternal ancestors are said to have owned plantation - and slaves. What she discovers is more complicated than she could have ever imagined.

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    2. Amanda Holden

    Amanda Holden has always heard stories about a rumoured French ancestry on her mum's side, and her investigation uncovers an extraordinary Napoleonic-era cross-channel romance. On her dad's side, Amanda's grandfather's suicide has always loomed large. But when his story takes Amanda to France once again, she is moved to discover how he helped others through a harrowing tragedy.

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    1. Danny Dyer

    EastEnders actor Danny Dyer hopes that he will 'freak a few people out' with his family history. Danny sets out to discover the history of his tough working-class family in the East End of London, but in the process he unearths an extraordinary lineage stretching back to the Norman conquest.

Season 14

2017 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 9 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 14 release dates →
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    10. Ruby Wax

    Finale

    Ruby Wax's Jewish parents fled Vienna and the Nazis for America in 1938. 'They took the war with them and brought it to our kitchen,' says the comedian and mental-health campaigner at the start of this remarkable episode. They raised their only daughter in a dramatically dysfunctional household - Ruby's father was volatile and her mother 'hysterical... screaming in the street.' Ruby wonders if her own mental illness had its origins in her upbringing and the trauma her parents went through, or whether it is in her family's genes. Ruby journeys to central Europe, where she learns about her parents' flight and the distressing fate of family who remained in Vienna during the war, and she makes a startling discovery about her great-aunt and great-grandmother, which is both harrowing and surprisingly affirming.

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    9. Lisa Hammond

    Best known as market trader Donna Yates in EastEnders, actress Lisa Hammond wants to get to the bottom of why her paternal grandfather Harry Hammond never spoke about his experiences in World War II. She uncovers the moving story of the trauma he endured and his efforts to overcome it. On her mother's side of the family, Lisa is reassured to discover many generations of London stock as she finds the countryside unsettling. But her relief is short lived as, going further back, her investigations plunge her deep into rural Wales.

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    8. Noel Clarke

    Actor and film-maker Noel Clarke grew up in west London with his single-parent mum, and this left one side of his family tree a mystery to him. His search starts in Trinidad, where both his parents are from, but soon takes him on a trail to other islands, ending on one of the smallest and most beautiful in the Caribbean. There he learns of an extraordinary great-great-great-great-grandfather called Glasgow Bedeau, who was born into slavery. The music Glasgow's enslaved parents and grandparents passed down reveals the part of Africa from which Noel's ancestors were taken.

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    7. Fearne Cotton

    Fearne Cotton is intrigued by her Welsh great-grandfather Evan Meredith who, despite working down a coal mine from the age of 13, ended up as a chemist in the home counties. Evan never talked about what he did during World War I, and Fearne decides to investigate. She is shocked to discover that Evan risked both his freedom and his reputation by following his conscience, caught up in a catch-22 situation with the authorities which was only broken when Evan took dramatic action. On her mother's side, Fearne finds an ancestor whose extraordinary professional ambition led to an encounter with Queen Victoria but ended in career disaster.

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    6. Lulu

    Pop star Lulu has always wanted to get to the bottom of a family mystery. She knows that her mum, the middle child of seven, was the only one to be given up by her birth parents and raised by another family, but she has no idea why. Lulu travels home to Glasgow, where she uncovers the real-life Romeo and Juliet story of her Catholic grandfather and Protestant grandmother's love affair across the city's strict sectarian divide. Digging deeper, she discovers some dark secrets about her grandfather's past which force her to reassess what she thought she knew about her mum's story.

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    5. Emma Willis

    Presenter Emma Willis grew up in Birmingham and loves the city and her fellow Brummies. She wants to find out how deep her roots are there. Further afield, an interfaith marriage in Ireland leads Emma down two very different paths. Violent events force her to confront disturbing truths about one ancestor, while the hard graft and determination of another lead Emma to draw parallels with her own life.

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    4. Adil Ray

    Citizen Khan star Adil Ray identifies as Brummie, British, Muslim, Pakistani and African - his mum came to England from newly independent Kenya with her family in 1967. Heading back to east Africa, Adil traces his mixed Asian and African ancestry across Kenya to Uganda. On the trail of rumours of a link to African royalty, Adil meets African relatives for the first time in the traditional kingdom of Buganda and is amazed to discover the truth about his lineage.

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    3. Clare Balding

    Sports presenter and broadcaster Clare Balding has always been curious about her maternal great-grandfather and the 'thing that has been sort of whispered in the family - could he have been gay?' Getting to the truth of the matter is a challenge when all the evidence comes from a time when homosexuality was illegal. Digging into her father's side of the family takes Clare to New Jersey and New York, where she uncovers an extraordinary dynasty and American roots stretching back generations.

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    2. Craig Revel Horwood

    Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood reveals his softer side. Heading to his home town of Ballarat in Australia, Craig investigates what happened to his great-great-great-grandfather who risked everything in the Australian Gold Rush. A visit to his beloved 100-year-old grandmother sends Craig in pursuit of another maverick ancestor. Craig's great-great-grandfather Harry turns out to have been the life of the party and, better still, a fabulous dancer.

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    1. Charles Dance

    Actor Charles Dance has made his name playing aristocrats, including Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones. But the upstairs world Charles inhabits on screen is nothing like his own background as his mum was an under house parlour maid. Charles wants to know if he comes from a long line of servants or if he can uncover some grander origins. He is also determined to learn about his dad, who died when Charles was four. Charles knows hardly anything about him, not even when he was born. Charles's search for information takes him to the other side of the world to meet close relatives he never knew he had.

Season 15

2018 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 8 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 15 release dates →
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    8. Jonnie Peacock

    Finale

    Paralympic gold medal winner Jonnie Peacock was named for his maternal grandad, who died the year before he was born. Like Jonnie, his grandad was a sportsman - an excellent amateur footballer scouted by a professional team, only to be thwarted by parental pressure to take a 'proper job' as a painter/decorator. Pushing back down the generations, Jonnie uncovers the legacy of poverty and unexpected disease that led the family to value job security over the beautiful game. On his father's side, Jonnie is captivated by his four-times-great-grandmother, branded a 'bad character' in 1841 by a local village policeman. But Jonnie's further research reveals a strong woman prepared to stand up in court and testify against the men who had wronged her.

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    7. Robert Rinder

    Robert 'Judge' Rinder follows the story of his grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, hearing first-hand testimony of the horror of Nazi forced labour camps as well as of the hope offered by a new life in Lake Windermere. Investigating the dark mystery surrounding his great-grandfather leads Robert to a small town in Latvia, where he uncovers a story of mental illness and trauma which will ultimately, he hopes, lay some ghosts to rest.

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    6. Marvin Humes

    DJ, presenter and former member of boy band JLS, Marvin Humes delves into his Jamaican and his English heritage, and finds exceptional stories on both sides of the family. Deep in the Jamaican countryside, Marvin's discoveries about the lives of his black ancestors during the time of slavery turn his expectations upside down. In England, Marvin's follows the trail of his great-grandfather about whom he knows almost nothing. But Marvin's research reveals a hero, who overcame a traumatic childhood to play a part in one of the most dramatic events of the Second World War.

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    5. Shirley Ballas

    Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas investigates a family story that her maternal great-grandmother abandoned her husband and children for a more exciting life in America. What Shirley discovers casts her great-grandmother in a completely new light. On her father's side, Shirley pursues a rumour that she has black ancestors - a trail which leads her to colonial Cape Town and the era of slave trafficking to South Africa via the Indian Ocean.

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    4. Boy George

    Iconic pop star Boy George grew up in south London in an Irish family. George expects to find a lot of sadness in his family tree. He knows that his maternal grandmother was found wandering the streets of Dublin as a small child and put in a children's home and wants to find out how she came to be in such a dire situation. He's also heard that another ancestor was hanged in Dublin's Mountjoy Gaol and is somehow connected to Kevin Barry who was commemorated in a well-known Irish rebel song. As George uncovers the grim details of what really happened to his grandmother and his great uncle, he also delights in a new sense of his family being truly part of Irish history.

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    3. Lee Mack

    Comedian Lee Mack was born Lee McKillop in the north of England, just like his McKillop great-grandfather, who was also a comedian, known as Billy Mac. Lee has a few playbills from Billy Mac's variety hall performances, but knows little more about him. Not long into his journey, Lee discovers that his great-grandfather was passionate about more than making people laugh. Billy Mac joined the first ever pals battalion in Liverpool at the start of the First World War and honed his act at the front lines in the Battle of the Somme. Lee is also curious about his maternal grandad Joe's upbringing - deserted by his unwed mother and raised by his grandparents in County Mayo at the time of the Irish Civil War.

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    2. Olivia Colman

    Actress Olivia Colman claims to be 'the least adventurous person I know.' As for her ancestors, apart from a rumour that there was a Frenchwoman somewhere in her family tree, Olivia thinks they are largely from Norfolk, so she is astonished to discover that she needs to travel to India to find out more about her great-great-great-grandmother Harriot. Olivia finds records that reveal Harriot was an orphan in 1811 on a ship bound for England from (then) Calcutta. Harriot's father was an Englishman, but the identity of her mother, who gave birth to her in a remote Indian village, is a mystery Olivia delights in solving.

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    1. Michelle Keegan

    Our Girl actress Michelle Keegan uncovers some exceptional women on her family tree. On her mother's side Michelle discovers that her Gibraltarian great-grandmother Leonor had to up sticks when all women and children and the elderly were evacuated from harm's way in Gibraltar to the apparent safety of London during the Second World War, a month before the start of the Blitz.Further back, Michelle discovers her great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Kirwan living in poverty in Manchester at the start of the 20th century. Michelle unearths a special connection to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and her great-great-grandmother's commitment to the cause that put her name on the electoral roll - voting for the very first time in 1918.

Season 16

2019 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 7 years ago

Sixteenth series of the BAFTA-winning series

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 16 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S16 E8 still E8

    8. Mark Wright

    Finale

    Former TOWIE star Mark Wright discovers that his ancestors included an Andalucian master swordsman and a Spaniard who was burned at the stake during the Inquisition.

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    7. Sharon Osbourne

    Sharon Osbourne uncovers the difficult circumstances of her mother’s and grandmother’s lives, and is stunned to learn that her great-grandmother was born in the US.

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    6. Paul Merton

    Paul Merton traces the life of his maternal grandfather and discovers that he was involved in some of the key events that led to Irish independence in the 1920s.

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    5. Katherine Ryan

    Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan’s investigation of her family history leads her to a Methodist minister and his family in colonial Nova Scotia, cod traders in Newfoundland, and eventually to her English roots in Dorset.

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    4. Kate Winslet

    Oscar-winning actor Kate Winslet follows a rumour of Scandinavian ancestry on her mother's side of the family and is delighted to find that she has Swedish heritage.

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    3. Jack and Michael Whitehall

    In a first for the series, father-and-son comedy double-act Jack and Michael Whitehall join forces to investigate their family tree.

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    2. Naomie Harris

    Actor Naomie Harris’s dramatic discoveries in this episode inspire her to anger, sadness and tears of joy. On a journey from Trinidad to Grenada to Jamaica, Naomie exposes her four-times-great grandfather’s involvement in the exploitation of so-called 'liberated Africans' shortly after the abolition of slavery, is delighted to discover the identify of her African five-times-great grandmother, and, in nearer generations, uncovers a family story of tragic poverty in Jamaica’s capital, Kingston.

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    1. Daniel Radcliffe

    'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe discovers that the Hatton Garden robbery of his great-grandfather’s jewellery business was far more dark and dramatic than he ever imagined, while an unseen cache of his great-great-uncle’s letters reveals a heart-wrenching First World War love story.

Season 17

2020 · 4 episodes · Last episode: 6 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 17 release dates →
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    4. Liz Carr

    Finale

    Silent Witness actor Liz Carr gets forensic about her family history, discovering that her great-great-great-grandfather was involved in an attempted murder in rural Northern Ireland in the 1850s.

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    3. Ruth Jones

    Actor Ruth Jones - Nessa from Gavin and Stacey - uncovers her grandfather's role in the Medical Aid Societies of south Wales, which provided a model for the NHS.

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    2. David Walliams

    David Walliams learns of his great-grandfather’s traumatic experiences during the First World War, which condemned him to a lifetime in what was then called a lunatic asylum.

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    1. Jodie Whittaker

    Doctor Who actor Jodie Whittaker finds out how her great-great-grandfather worked his way up from child labourer in a Yorkshire coal mine to mine owner.

Season 18

2021 · 7 episodes · Last episode: 4 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 18 release dates →
  1. E7

    7. Ed Balls

    Finale

    Ed Balls, former Labour politician, sequinned Strictly dancer and TV presenter, grew up in a family that wanted to make the world a better place. His mother Carolyn’s dementia means she can’t share their family history with him, so he sets out to discover what kind of characters his ancestors were. Rumours on his paternal side about a link to Nelson’s ship HMS Victory lead Ed to Portsmouth and the story of his great-great-great-grandfather William Dunbar, an assistant surgeon. But as he unravels Dunbar’s medical career, he unearths a dark history of abuse and horror at a Kent workhouse. On his mother Carolyn’s side, he feels a deep connection with Christopher Green, an agricultural labourer put on trial at Norwich Castle after he stood up to defend his livelihood and community.

  2. E6

    6. Joe Sugg

    YouTuber and actor Joe Sugg uncovers some incredible stories in his family tree, with a little help along the way from fellow social media star and big sister, Zoe. Joe, very aptly, discovers a great-great-great-grandfather who was involved in the earliest days of communications technology – in electrical telegraphs. Pushing further back, he finds seven-times-great-grandparents who fled religious persecution in France, and a goldsmith who survived the Great Fire of London.

  3. E5

    5. Pixie Lott

    Singer-songwriter and talent show judge Pixie Lott hopes to confirm a family story that she has Italian ancestry from Verona, but instead discovers ancestors battling poverty and hardship in London. On her dad’s side, Pixie learns of her great-grandfather’s harrowing and surprising experience in the First World War. And, wondering if she has any musical genes, Pixie is delighted to discover three generations of military musicians, whose legacy gives her an opportunity to sing with the band of the Household Cavalry.

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    4. Joe Lycett

    Comedian and presenter Joe Lycett manages to find humour everywhere, but apart from his Edwardian great grandad – a member of the Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffaloes in Nottingham – Joe uncovers a darker family history. Joe finds out that his two-times-great grandfather Robert Wilkinson was a boy chimney sweep in the 1850s. Joining the Royal Marines, Robert travelled the world; but his involvement in razing villages in China following the Opium Wars leads to alcoholism and a breakdown.

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    3. Alex Scott

    Presenter and former footballer Alex Scott learns about her Jewish ancestry and travels to Jamaica for the first time in her life to find out about her great-great-grandmother.

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    2. Dame Judi Dench

    Shakespearean actor, movie star and national treasure Dame Judi Dench's journey begins with her father Reginald Dench, who never spoke of his experiences during the First World War, as she tries to find out how he won his gallantry medals. Judi’s investigations then take a truly epic turn, leading her to 16th-century Denmark and nobility. Judi also discovers, to her delight, some incredible Shakespearean links.

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    1. Josh Widdicombe

    Comedian Josh Widdicombe embarks on a rollercoaster ride through his extraordinary family history. After a less than promising start with an ancestor who was cut out of the family fortune, Josh is delighted to discover a courtier with very personal access to King Charles I. From there it’s a dizzying journey back to Elizabethan and Tudor nobility by way of a royal love triangle, through an incredible ancestral line that prompts Josh to ask the expert he meets, 'Be honest. As a historian, are you really jealous?' English

Series 19

2022 · 5 episodes · Last episode: 4 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Series 19 release dates →
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    5. Ralf Little

    Finale

    Ralf Little heads to Orkney to investigate his grandfather Arthur’s role in one of the most important battles of the Second World War. He also finds an international footballer in the family.

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    4. Anna Maxwell Martin

    Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin travels to the small town in Northern Ireland where her father grew up, discovering the dark story of her grandfather's childhood.

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    3. Matt Lucas

    Matt Lucas learns what his late grandmother went through as a Jew in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, and what happened to the family she left behind. He also uncovers a connection to Anne Frank.

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    2. Richard Osman

    Richard Osman delves into his Brighton roots and is astonished to learn that one of his ancestors turned amateur sleuth and ended up entangled in one of Brighton’s most notorious murder trials.

  5. E1

    1. Sue Perkins

    Sue Perkins delves into the German branch of her family, uncovering a harrowing tale of refugees fleeing back and forth across east European borders during the Second World War.

Series 20

2023 · 9 episodes · Last episode: 3 years ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Series 20 release dates →
  1. E9

    9. Lesley Manville

    Finale

    Lesley Manville is moved to discover a family story of enduring love and is delighted when an ancestor’s involvement in a riot reveals new relatives in Australia.

  2. E8

    8. Chris Ramsey

    Chris Ramsey has always felt lucky, so he’s delighted to learn it runs in the family as he uncovers the stories of ancestors who survived a deadly WWI battle and won a lottery.

  3. E7

    7. Dev Griffin

    Dev Griffin learns about his ancestry, including momentous stories from Ireland and some very personal details from his great-grandparents' lives in Jamaica.

  4. E6

    6. Emily Atack

    Comedian and actor Emily Atack knows she is from a long line of larger-than-life entertainers. Her mum is singer, actor and comedian Kate Robbins and Paul McCartney is Emily’s grandmother’s cousin, making him Emily’s first cousin twice removed. Recalling fun days out with the McCartney family when she was little and how Grandad Mike turned every opportunity into a comedy show, Emily sets out to find out more about her showbiz genes.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S20 E5 still E5

    5. Chris and Xand van Tulleken

    Chris and Xand van Tulleken discover more about their Dutch heritage. Their research uncovers stories of ambition and true love but also a connection to a shameful part of history.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S20 E4 still E4

    4. Kevin Clifton

    Kevin Clifton investigates the rumour of an ancestor from Canada’s First Nations, taking him on an extraordinary journey to the country’s remote 18th-century trading posts.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S20 E3 still E3

    3. Bear Grylls

    Adventurer Bear Grylls discovers the stories behind the top secret documents hidden in his grandfather’s wartime trunk and is delighted by a Scottish royal connection.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S20 E2 still E2

    2. Claire Foy

    As actress Claire Foy delves into her family tree, the personal testimony she uncovers reveals stories of tragedy and an accusation of murder that bring communities together.

  9. Who Do You Think You Are? S20 E1 still E1

    1. Andrew Lloyd Webber

    Andrew Lloyd Webber is astonished to uncover stories from his family’s history that uncannily parallel his own life, including an ancestor with a famous cello-playing brother!

Series 21

2024 · 7 episodes · Last episode: 2 years ago

Stars delve into their family history to find moving, funny and extraordinary stories.

Who Do You Think You Are? Series 21 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E7 still E7

    7. Gemma Collins

    Finale

    Gemma Collins goes on an emotional journey discovering why her mother was fostered; connecting with a long-lost cousin; and finding out her Essex roots go back over 200 years.

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E6 still E6

    6. Olly Murs

    Olly Murs explores his grandfather’s Latvian roots, discovers his great-grandparents were circus performers, and how a wartime decision led to a tragic family estrangement.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E5 still E5

    5. Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill

    Jessica Ennis-Hill discovers the truth behind a family mystery and finds out about her Jamaican four-time great-grandfather’s journey from enslavement to land ownership.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E4 still E4

    4. Rose Ayling-Ellis

    Actor, presenter and deaf rights campaigner Rose Ayling-Ellis goes in search of her family history. She encounters a pub landlady and hunts for a rumoured Italian connection.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E3 still E3

    3. Melanie Chisholm

    Melanie Chisholm is fascinated to discover that her ancestors include a moneylender, a campaigner for social reform and a family fleeing the famine in Ireland.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E2 still E2

    2. Paddy McGuinness

    Paddy McGuinness uncovers his grandfather’s vital work in World War Two, how his other grandfather was involved in the Boer War and the family’s journey from Ireland to Bolton.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S21 E1 still E1

    1. Vicky McClure

    Vicky McClure goes on an emotional journey to Taiwan to find out what happened when her great-grandfather was captured as a prisoner of war in World War Two.

Series 22

2025 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 1 year ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Series 22 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E8 still E8

    8. Diane Morgan

    Finale

    Setting aside her clueless historian persona Philomena Cunk, Diane Morgan is unsettled and amused by having to genuinely go in search of the truth to reveal her family history.

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E7 still E7

    7. Will Young

    Will Young learns about his grandfather’s time as a prisoner of war in World War II. Delving further back, Will finds a connection to one of medieval history’s biggest villains, and a king.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E6 still E6

    6. Fred Sirieix

    From the French battlefields of the First World War to a romance worthy of First Dates, maître d’ and presenter Fred Sirieix goes to France to explore his family tree.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E5 still E5

    5. Aisling Bea

    Comedian Aisling Bea finds moments of genuine connection in her family tree, with stories of female resilience and a relative who fought for Irish independence and culture.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E4 still E4

    4. Layton Williams

    Actor Layton Williams finds generations of Londoners in his family and is delighted to find they walked the same streets as him. In Jamaica, he makes some distressing discoveries.

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E3 still E3

    3. Ross Kemp

    Ross Kemp's ancestral detective hunt leads to a marine drummer boy from the Napoleonic era and his great-grandfather’s experiences in the merchant navy during two world wars.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E2 still E2

    2. Mishal Husain

    In an unexpected twist, Mishal Husain’s journey into her family tree takes her from India to the east coast of the USA, where she discovers some revolutionary ancestors.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S22 E1 still E1

    1. Andrew Garfield

    Worthy of a film plot line, Andrew Garfield’s family history takes him from Nazi-occupied Poland to early Hollywood glamour as he uncovers stories which veer from tragedy to hope.

Series 23

2026 · 8 episodes · Last episode: 3 months ago

Who Do You Think You Are? Series 23 release dates →
  1. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E8 still E8

    8. Katarina Johnson-Thompson

    Finale

    Katarina Johnson-Thompson travels to The Bahamas and Miami in search of her ancestry. She discovers tales of resilience and courage during a period of shocking racial segregation.

  2. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E7 still E7

    7. Dame Harriet Walter

    In a journey from Whitehall to Italy and Australia, Harriet Walter discovers a colourful cast of ancestors, taking her from the debtor’s court to the opera house via Italian nobility.

  3. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E6 still E6

    6. Adeel Akhtar

    Adeel Akhtar wants to know how his ancestors came from India to Kenya and makes a surprising discovery that his roots in the country run deeper than he ever imagined.

  4. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E5 still E5

    5. Toby Jones

    Toby Jones explores an extraordinary acting dynasty on his mum’s side, and he is determined to discover whether his dad’s stories of a connection to India are fact or fiction.

  5. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E4 still E4

    4. Ruth Madeley

    Ruth Madeley unearths a long-buried family secret about an adoption, and a mystery that requires DNA testing and meticulous genealogical detective work to uncover a lost ancestor. Show more

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E3 still E3

    3. Joe Swash

    Joe Swash goes in search of his Italian roots. Along the way, he finds stories of murder, banditry, an inspiring political activist and a family bar in southern Italy.

  7. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E2 still E2

    2. Amy Dowden

    Strictly dancer Amy Dowden turns amateur sleuth, travelling to west Wales to see if she can discover the truth behind a rumour of murder in her family history.

  8. Who Do You Think You Are? S23 E1 still E1

    1. Zoë Ball

    Zoe Ball follows in her ancestors’ footstep in a journey that takes her from Scotland to Cornwall as she uncovers stories of resilience and the importance of family over place.

Cast & crew

  • David Baddiel

    David Baddiel

    Self

  • Amanda Redman

    Amanda Redman

    Self

  • Robert Lindsay

    Robert Lindsay

    Self

  • David Dickinson

    David Dickinson

    Self

  • Ian Hislop

    Ian Hislop

    Self

  • Jeremy Clarkson

    Jeremy Clarkson

    Self

  • Vic Reeves

    Vic Reeves

    Self

  • David Tennant

    David Tennant

    Self

  • Lesley Garrett

    Lesley Garrett

    Self

  • Bill Oddie

    Bill Oddie

    Self

  • Moira Stuart

    Moira Stuart

    Self

  • Sue Johnston

    Sue Johnston

    Self

  • Barbara Windsor

    Barbara Windsor

    Self

  • Meera Syal

    Meera Syal

    Self

  • Julian Clary

    Julian Clary

    Self

  • Nigella Lawson

    Nigella Lawson

    Self

Who Do You Think You Are? FAQ

When is the next episode of Who Do You Think You Are??

A date for the next episode of Who Do You Think You Are? hasn't been announced yet. Follow Who Do You Think You Are? in the Streambay app and you'll be notified as soon as a new episode airs.

When did the latest episode of Who Do You Think You Are? come out?

The most recent episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, Season 23 Episode 8 "Katarina Johnson-Thompson", aired on August 6, 2026.

How many seasons of Who Do You Think You Are? are there?

Who Do You Think You Are? has 23 seasons with 193 episodes in total.

When did Who Do You Think You Are? first air?

Who Do You Think You Are? first aired on BBC One on October 12, 2004.

How do I get notified when new episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? are released?

Download the Streambay app, follow Who Do You Think You Are?, and you'll get a push notification the moment each new episode is released.

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