Welcome to the Family History Social

Today  we found out which celebreties are going to feature on our TV screens this summer.

The Press Release tells us that it includes stars from the world of music, comedy, sport, television and film.

The line up for the 15th series of the BAFTA-award winning genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? from Wall To Wall (a Warner Bros Television Production UK Ltd company) when it returns to BBC One this summer includes multi-awarding winning actor OLIVIA COLMAN, musician, DJ, fashion designer and British icon BOY GEORGE, Strictly Come Dancing’s Head Judge SHIRLEY BALLAS, comedian and Not Going Out actor LEE MACK, presenter and former JLS member MARVIN HUMES, barrister and television personality ROBERT ‘JUDGE’ RINDER, Our Girl star MICHELLE KEEGAN and gold medal winning Paralympian JONNIE PEACOCK all discover their families’ pasts in this year’s series.

Series fifteen reveals shocking discoveries, laughter and tears along the way, as our eight celebrities travel around the world to unearth the secrets of their ancestors.  Michelle Keegan uncovers some exceptional women on her family tree as she unearths a special connection to suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. Olivia Colman’s journey is one of equal contrasts as she voyages from her family home in Norfolk to India, discovering that her ancestry is more diverse than she had originally thought. While Lee Mack’s investigation brings to light a comedy connection to his great-grandfather who performed on the frontline during WW1.  From adultery to asylums, illicit drinking dens to revolutions, our celebrities travel round the world, from Gibraltar to Genoa, India, Jamaica, South Africa and Latvia, as they solve the mysteries in their family trees.

_{Michelle Keegan by Sarah Winterman (Flickr: Me & Michelle Keegan (Corronation Street)) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons}

The series will air on BBC One over the summer with Michelle Keegan’s episode launching the series in June as part of the ‘Hear Her’ Season on the BBC which marks the centenary of women getting the vote.

The BBC is set to showcase women's voices in a dedicated season of content across TV, radio and online to mark 100 years since suffrage and the centenary anniversary of women being able to vote in the UK.

Executive Producer for Wall to Wall, Colette Flight, says: “Britain’s best loved stars are once again delving into their family trees, uncovering hidden secrets and solving mysteries. The stories they unearth are revelatory, often unexpectedly humorous but always affecting.”

BBC Commissioning Editor Fatima Salaria says: “The enduring appeal of Who Do You Think You Are is set to continue as BBC One broadcasts a huge host of names in series 15 including Olivia Colman, Boy George, Marvin Humes and Judge Rinder, which are guaranteed to move and entertain audiences. We’re particularly honoured to launch the series with Michelle Keegan’s episode which uncovers her special connection to Emmeline Pankhurst, as part of the BBC’s ‘Hear Her’ season. This is must see TV at its best.”

Series 15 was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content and Tom McDonald, BBC Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. The Commissioning Editor is Fatima Salaria.

We are all looking forward to the very delayed (!) start of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? on the BBC. We had been expecting it to start, as usual in August...then we were told it would be after the Olympics. Well it certainly is after the Olympics as it is kicking off with the first programme on Thursday 24th November. This show promises to be a fascinating look at Cockney actor Danny Dyer and his connection to a man at the heart of the Tudor court of Henry VIII who lost his influence and his head when he fell out with the king. That is not where it ends as the publicity coming out from the BBC is that Danny Dyer is related to royalty! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083wt14 Looking forward to Thursday evening.

Photo By Hilton1949 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14309355

The latest episode of Who Do You Think You Are? continues tonight on BBC1 at 9pm with Martin Shaw,  star of The Professionals, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently. Martin’s family roots have strong Birmingham connections in the thriving brass industry of the 1800s. If you’d like to know more, TheGenealogist has looked into his family history in their 'Featured Article' section.     It promises to be an interesting episode tonight. There's a grandfather who suddenly disappears and also some of Martin's ancestors were involved in the gun manufacturing industry in the 1800s, a coincidence given the 'expert shot' that Martin Shaw played in his acting role in The Professionals, that of former Detective Constable Raymond Doyle! What are your thoughts on the series so far?

The ever-popular genealogy show 'Who Do You Think You Are?' which embarks upon its 10th series tomorrow night, has a special show tonight on BBC1 looking back at the high points from past series. In this special one-off show, the outstanding moments from the previous series are shown again, featuring the likes of Boris Johnson, Jeremy Paxman, showing humour and tragedy and even moments where celebrities find links to royalty. The series has produced so many remarkable moments, showing the surprises and shocks that can be discovered in the quest to find out more about your ancestors. The one-off special is on BBC1 tonight at 10.35pm. Will you be watching tonight?

 

The first programme date and time has been announced for the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? The first show features Julie Walters and will be screened on Thursday 7 August from 9pm to 10pm. Julie's roots take her back to County Mayo, Western Ireland ,where her great grandfather Anthony Clarke was one of the very first members of the Land League-  a revolutionary organisation formed in 1879, which campaigned for more than 40 years for impoverished tenant farmers to have the rights to own their own land.

This Wednesday sees the final episode of series 10 of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' on BBC1. It's the turn of BBC Foreign Affairs Editor, John Simpson or John Cody Fidler-Simpson to give him his full name. Born in Lancashire in 1944, John has spent all his working career at the BBC. The final episode of the Who Do You Think You Are? series  is usually the one with the most twist and turns and surprises and this one promises to be no exception. John discovers a poisoning in the 1800s and also investigates the truth behind his supposed family link to the pioneering aviator and wild west showman, Samuel Cody. There's also the family rift he experiences as a small child that damaged his relationship with his mother. The episode looks to feature as much drama in his own family history as there is on one of his usual BBC news reports! TheGenealogist has an article on John Simpson looking at his eventful family history. It can be found at http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/wdytya2013_simpson.php The John Simpson programme airs on BBC1 this Wednesday  25th September at 9pm.

The first family history TV comedy series 'Family Tree' finished this week on BBC2. It's had generally favourable reviews and improved as the series went on, finishing with a cliff-hanger of a storyline which sets it up for a second series. I've enjoyed the series, the style was new and it's not often we are given a comedy show dedicated to researching your family history. What did you think of the show?