Who Do You Think You Are? Episode Rating Graph
Oct 2004 - present
Oct 2004 - present
7.6
Browse episode ratings trends for Who Do You Think You Are?. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of Who Do You Think You Are?'s 177 episodes.
S5 Ep2
9.3
21st Aug 2008
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.
S9 Ep6
9.1
19th Sep 2012
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.
S6 Ep10
9.0
12th Aug 2009
Liverpool-born Kim Cattrall sets out to solve a family mystery that has endured for more than seventy years, the disappearance of her grandfather.
S6 Ep8
9.0
29th Jul 2009
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.
S6 Ep11
8.8
19th Aug 2009
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.
S5 Ep6
8.8
17th Sep 2008
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.
S16 Ep8
8.8
11th Sep 2019
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.
S8 Ep3
8.6
24th Aug 2011
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.
S3 Ep8
8.6
25th Oct 2006
Julia's journey takes her to France and Jordan.
S12 Ep7
8.6
24th Sep 2015
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.
S2 Ep3
8.5
25th Jan 2006
An emotional journey as Stephen investigates his European Jewish roots.
S19 Ep5
8.5
30th Jun 2022
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.
S16 Ep6
8.5
28th Aug 2019
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.
S8 Ep9
8.5
5th Oct 2011
Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman investigates his mother's family.
S8 Ep4
8.5
31st Aug 2011
Actor Larry Lamb sets out to learn about his biological grandparents.
S7 Ep8
8.5
6th Sep 2010
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.
S4 Ep5
8.5
4th Oct 2007
Alistair McGowan explores his heritage from his father's side, investigating what 'Anglo-Indian' means by a journey to India.
S12 Ep8
8.4
1st Oct 2015
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.
S3 Ep4
8.4
27th Sep 2006
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.
S8 Ep2
8.4
17th Aug 2011
In a rare television appearance, best-selling Harry Potter author JK Rowling sets out to investigate her French roots.
S10 Ep9
8.4
18th Sep 2013
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.
S16 Ep5
8.4
19th Aug 2019
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.
S12 Ep9
8.4
8th Oct 2015
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!
S8 Ep6
8.3
14th Sep 2011
Alan Carr explores his family's football connection and his grandfather's brush with fame.
S6 Ep5
8.3
2nd Mar 2009
Actor Kevin Whately discovers that his ancestors were amongst the richest and most powerful men of the 17th century.
S5 Ep5
8.3
10th Sep 2008
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.
S3 Ep6
8.3
11th Oct 2006
What will Nigella find in her family tree?
S17 Ep3
8.3
26th Oct 2020
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.
S5 Ep3
8.3
28th Aug 2008
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?
S9 Ep3
8.3
28th Aug 2012
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.
S18 Ep7
8.3
30th Nov 2021
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.
S6 Ep6
8.3
15th Jul 2009
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.
S18 Ep3
8.2
26th Oct 2021
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.
S9 Ep10
8.2
6th Dec 2012
John Bishop finds out what happened to his great great grandfather, a POW in the Crimea.
S18 Ep2
8.2
19th Oct 2021
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.
S14 Ep1
8.1
6th Jul 2017
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.
S10 Ep1
8.1
24th Jul 2013
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.
S19 Ep1
8.1
26th May 2022
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.
S5 Ep1
8.1
14th Aug 2008
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.
S17 Ep2
8.0
19th Oct 2020
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.
S11 Ep5
8.0
4th Sep 2014
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.
S11 Ep4
8.0
28th Aug 2014
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.
S10 Ep3
8.0
7th Aug 2013
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.
S9 Ep8
8.0
10th Oct 2012
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.
S7 Ep6
8.0
23rd Aug 2010
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...
S6 Ep7
8.0
22nd Jul 2009
Known for his outspoken views, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles finds himself getting unexpectedly emotional as he goes back to his Irish roots.
S6 Ep4
8.0
23rd Feb 2009
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.
S4 Ep4
8.0
27th Sep 2007
Carol explores her family tree.
S4 Ep1
8.0
6th Sep 2007
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.
S3 Ep3
8.0
20th Sep 2006
Colin's roots extend to Panama, Jamaica and Scotland.
S2 Ep6
8.0
15th Feb 2006
Gurinder investigates her roots in Kenya and India.
S2 Ep4
8.0
1st Feb 2006
Julian Clary investigates his roots through Europe.
S9 Ep9
5.3
17th Oct 2012
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.
S20 Ep6
6.2
6th Jul 2023
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.
S8 Ep1
6.5
10th Aug 2011
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.
S20 Ep7
6.6
13th Jul 2023
Dev Griffin learns about his ancestry, including momentous stories from Ireland and some very personal details from his great-grandparents' lives in Jamaica.
S20 Ep8
6.6
20th Jul 2023
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.
S9 Ep5
6.7
12th Sep 2012
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.
S8 Ep7
6.8
21st Sep 2011
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.
S21 Ep2
6.9
22nd Aug 2024
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.
S1 Ep1
6.9
12th Oct 2004
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.
S3 Ep7
7.0
18th Oct 2006
Does Jeremy have roots in Ireland?
S6 Ep2
7.0
9th Feb 2009
Fiona Bruce discovers the sad truth behind her great-grandfather's mysterious death, and returns to her family's ancestral home.
S15 Ep5
7.0
30th Jul 2018
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.
S18 Ep5
7.0
9th Nov 2021
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.
S20 Ep9
7.0
27th Jul 2023
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.
S21 Ep3
7.0
29th Aug 2024
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.
S21 Ep6
7.0
19th Sep 2024
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.
S11 Ep10
7.1
9th Oct 2014
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.
S14 Ep4
7.1
27th Jul 2017
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.
S7 Ep7
7.1
30th Aug 2010
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.
S7 Ep3
7.2
2nd Aug 2010
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.
S7 Ep9
7.2
13th Sep 2010
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.
S11 Ep6
7.2
11th Sep 2014
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.
S20 Ep4
7.2
22nd Jun 2023
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.
S20 Ep5
7.2
29th Jun 2023
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.
S19 Ep4
7.2
23rd Jun 2022
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.
S15 Ep6
7.2
6th Aug 2018
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.
S1 Ep4
7.2
2nd Nov 2004
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.
S16 Ep7
7.2
4th Sep 2019
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.
S14 Ep8
7.2
31st Aug 2017
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.
S5 Ep7
7.3
24th Sep 2008
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.
S7 Ep5
7.3
16th Aug 2010
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.
S20 Ep1
7.3
1st Jun 2023
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!
S13 Ep2
7.3
1st Dec 2016
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.
S12 Ep6
7.3
17th Sep 2015
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.
S11 Ep7
7.3
18th Sep 2014
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.
S1 Ep3
7.3
26th Oct 2004
Actress Sue Johnston explores her roots.
S15 Ep8
7.3
20th Aug 2018
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.
S15 Ep3
7.3
16th Jul 2018
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.
S11 Ep1
7.3
7th Aug 2014
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.
S2 Ep1
7.3
11th Jan 2006
The stern host of BBC2's Newsnight searches for his roots.
S2 Ep5
7.3
8th Feb 2006
Jane looks into her Lancashire roots.
S8 Ep10
7.3
12th Oct 2011
Tracey knows very little of her maternal line, and is keen to find out more about her East End roots
S11 Ep3
7.3
21st Aug 2014
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.
S19 Ep2
7.3
9th Jun 2022
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.
S15 Ep7
7.4
13th Aug 2018
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.
S14 Ep2
7.4
13th Jul 2017
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.
S9 Ep2
7.4
22nd Aug 2012
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?
S9 Ep1
7.4
15th Aug 2012
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.
S13 Ep3
7.4
8th Dec 2016
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.
S11 Ep8
7.5
25th Sep 2014
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.
S13 Ep5
7.5
22nd Dec 2016
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.
S14 Ep6
7.5
17th Aug 2017
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.
S1 Ep1
6.9
12th Oct 2004
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.
S1 Ep2
7.7
19th Oct 2004
Actress Amanda Redman explores her roots.
S1 Ep3
7.3
26th Oct 2004
Actress Sue Johnston explores her roots.
S1 Ep4
7.2
2nd Nov 2004
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.
S1 Ep5
7.6
9th Nov 2004
Ian finds out more about the part his grandfathers played in the wars of the 20th Century.
S1 Ep6
7.5
16th Nov 2004
Moira Stuart's family tree exploration takes from the Highlands of Scotland to the West Indies.
S1 Ep7
7.5
23rd Nov 2004
David explores his Jewish roots and discovers some Orthodox Jewish relatives in London.
S1 Ep8
7.9
30th Nov 2004
Lesley explores her family tree in Yorkshire.
S1 Ep9
7.6
7th Dec 2004
Meera's exploration takes her to the Punjab.
S1 Ep10
7.7
14th Dec 2004
Was Vic's father a bigamist?
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The first episode of Who Do You Think You Are? aired on October 12, 2004.
The last episode of Who Do You Think You Are? aired on September 26, 2024.
There are 177 episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?.
There are 21 seasons of Who Do You Think You Are?.
Yes.
Who Do You Think You Are? is set to return for future episodes.