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Who Do You Think You Are? 2019 UK TV series celebs revealed

So the news is out!

The makers of the UK series of Who Do You Think You Are? have release the star studded line up for the 16th series and it looks exciting with some really big names.

 

The eight programmes set to air in 2019 will include the following personalities:

Kate Winslet, Daniel Radcliffe, Sharon Osbourne, Naomie Harris, Paul Merton, Mark Wright, Katherine Ryan and Jack Whitehall who will all be tracing their families’ histories and entertaining us along the way.

There is a run down of each  celebrity on this page here courtesy of TheGenealogist: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/who-do-you-think-you-are/who-do-you-think-you-are-series-16-1113/

Image: Somewhere In Toronto [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

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Too complex for Who Do you Think You Are? Ronnie Wood is!

While we still don't know who is in the 2019 UK series of Who Do You Think You Are? it was reported over the weekend by The Sun newspaper that one celebrity's family was just far too complex to have made it into the 16th series.

That person is Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones fame and it seems that he is descended from a huge family of gypsies, most of whom lived on canal barges. The programme researchers are not ruling out that they may be able to do something for another year, but at the moment they have been defeated getting it all into a one hour show!

The Sun says that a TV insider had told them:

“With Ronnie’s colourful relatives – who can be traced back over 300 years – there was too much to be able to work through in time for this year’s series.

“They’re still determined to see if they can bring together what they need to make a show all about the Wood clan. But if it happens it will have to be next year now.”

 

 

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Who Do You Think You Are? 2018 UK TV series celebs revealed

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.

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

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.

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Who Do You Think You Are?

The BBC's much loved genealogy programme has  returned to our screens with some fascinating new programmes for this season. Split into two batches, the first half has started with some great stories from Charles DanceCraig Revel Horwood, Clare Balding, Adil Ray, and Emma Willis to air next Thursday. If you have missed the programmes they are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer for a short period of time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t575

Who Do You Think You Are? special

Who Do You Think You Are? on the BBC

 
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Green fingers run in the family for the presenter of the Chelsea Flower Show

Well that, sadly, was the last in the series of the UK edition of Who Do You Think You Are? In Wednesday's show we saw Sophie Raworth discover that green fingers ran in her family. There was also a very interesting insight into the Priestly riots against Nonconformists in Birmingham in 1791. Sadly it had a bearing on her ancestors as they migrated to New York in search of a better life. something that was not to be. Read this article here to find out more: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2017/who-do-you-think-you-are/sophie-raworth-471/
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Are you looking forward to Who Do You Think You Are? resuming?

Now that the Christmas break is out of the way, the BBC are bringing back the 13th series of Who Do You Think You Are? on Wednesday 25th January.

Who Do You Think You Are? special

In this second half of the series, that has been split into two for the first time, we kick off with the world famous British actor: Sir Ian Mckellen. Read this article on Sir Ian's roots  - but beware that it contains spoilers, if you read this before it is broadcast or you haven't seen the programme: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2017/who-do-you-think-you-are/sir-ian-mckellen-420/ Sir Ian's edition of Who Do You Think You Are? is broadcast on BBC 1 Wednesday 25th January at 8 pm.

Sir Ian McKellen

By Gage Skidmore (Ian McKellen) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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A great opening to the Who Do You Think You Are? 13th series (UK)

Well that was a great first programme in the UK series of Who Do You Think You Are?

wdytya2016_dyer

East Ender Danny Dyer, who plays the landlord of the Queen Vic in the BBC's Eastenders , discovered he was descended from Thomas Cromwell and Royalty including Edward III and there up to William the Conqueror. From the early research, into his more recent ancestors, it was not looking very positive with tales of relatives in and out of the workhouse and other hardships. Then suddenly, with the discovery of a gateway ancestor, the actor found himself related to nobility and finally the ultimate top of the social pile - the King of England! This article on TheGenealogist got it right. See: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2016/who-do-you-think-you-are/danny-dyers-cockney-and-royal-roots-371/

Who Do You Think You Are? special

Who Do You Think You Are? on the BBC

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Who Do You Think You Are? UK series 13 starts on Thursday 24th November 2016

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.

Danny Dyer

Photo By Hilton1949 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14309355
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Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2016 show reports

 
https://blog.eogn.com/2016/04/11/a-report-and-pictures-from-who-do-you-think-you-are-live-in-birmingham-england/ And check out some of the pictures The Nosey Genealogist has posted, along with a number of interesting video interviews from the show on the blog: Help Me With My Family Tree.  

The Nosey Genealogist interviews Discover Your Ancestors' editor Andrew Chapman

The Nosey Genealogist interviews Discover Your Ancestors' editor Andrew Chapman

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Anita Rani: Celebrity at the Who Do You Think You Are? Live Show 2016

  Who Do You Think You Are? Live will run at the NEC from 7 to 9 April. Anita Rani is due to appear on Saturday April 9 at 10.15 to 11:00 and 12.15 to 13:00. To book tickets go to here. The 38 year-old Countryfile presenter, who is of Punjabi descent but raised in Bradford, was reduced to tears on the WDYTYA? TV programme earlier this year when she heard about the horrific circumstances in which her maternal grandfather, Sant Singh lost his first wife and children during the Partition of India.
TheGenelogist, seen here at a previous year's show.

Talks at Who Do You Think You Are?

Mark Bayley of TheGenealogist delivers one of his popular talks

The Society of Genealogists will also be running an extensive programme of talks by leading genealogists over the course of the three day show and they promise that there will be a choice of many different talks to attend covering a vast array of subjects from: Different Research Techniques, How to Record your Findings and Using Parish Registers to My Ancestor was an "Alien," The Luck of the Irish and My Ancestor's made Hats. Will you be going?  
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