Series 5 of Murder, Mystery and My Family will be broadcast on BBC One starting with the episode on Monday 28 June 2021.
The programme sees criminal barristers Sasha Wass and Jeremy Dein reinvestigate a number of murder cases from British history and interview the descendants of those involved. The modern-day lawyers apply the more rigorous standards of today and pose the question: was the right person convicted at the time?
This series of ten episodes will be broadcast over consecutive days at 11am each day. The episodes will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Anita Rani is the next celebrity to appear in the current BBC series of Who Do You Think You Are?
Countryfile presenter and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Anita Rani was born in Yorkshire to Indian parents. But it is her maternal grandfather's story in the turbulent period of Partition that takes Anita to the Punjab to see if she can find out more.
Ahita Rahi Nazran, better known as Anita Rani (born 25th October 1977) is an English radio and television broadcaster born in Bradford.
Her mother Lakhbir (Lucky) Kaur, works at the Bradford Royal Infirmary as a liaison officer and is of Sikh descent. Anita's father, on the other hand, is Balvinder Singh Nazran and he is a Hindu. Both her parents were born in India, although her father came to Britain when he was four, so Anita says he's a Yorkshireman through and through.
There is a featured article about Anita on the family history website TheGenealogist.
What did you think of the first episode of the new series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' featuring Julie Walters last night? With the series celebrating its tenth anniversary, the first episode got off to a strong start with a look at the Irish ancestors of Julie Walters and their struggles to get fairer rents and conditions for Irish tenant farmers, as part of the Irish National Land League, in what was known at the time as the 'Land War'. If you'd like to read a bit more, TheGenealogist.co.uk has put together a special feature looking further at Julie's ancestry.
To view the special feature, visit TheGenealogist website. Hopefully the rest of the series will be just as good!
A great first episode of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Julie Walters
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.
Julie Walters is first to appear on Who Do You Think You Are?
Tonight at 9pm sees the next episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC1. Comedienne and writer, Sarah Millican features in a tale that stretches far beyond her established South Shields immediate family.
The 38-year-old, who is currently preparing for a 138-date UK tour, doesn’t have to wait long for her ticket out of South Tyneside – heading from her parents’ house in South Shields to Whitstable in Kent to find out about her maternal, three-times great-grandfather, James Hoult. He was one of the very first divers in the 1800s and his dangerous profession took him down to inspect a number of shipwrecks in the North Sea.
Sarah also travels to Canada where she finds her four-times great-grandfather, John Malcolm, worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company, the oldest commercial corporation in North America . As part of his very tough job, he was sent to a remote outpost involved in the fur trade.
It promises to be another great episode. If you'd like a taster before the show, TheGenealogist has looked into the background family history on Sarah Millican at http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/wdytya2013_millican.php
Sarah Millican and her family tree on Who Do You Think You Are?
Last night's episode featuring Gary Lineker focused on just 2 main characters- Thomas Billingham and James Pratt and their paths through life which went in very different directions.
Whilst Tom received a 'lucky break' from his gardener father's wealthy employer, who paid for his education, James Pratt struggled throughout his life with no real change in his luck. With a big family to feed and employment very difficult to find, James had to turn to poaching to put food on the table.
The programme really highlighted the struggles of life in Victorian England and also the opportunities (particularly in London) that could open up if you had that bit of help!
What did you think of the programme?
The current series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' on BBC1 has been a fascinating one so far. For those family historians interested in their sport, tonight's celebrity is former England footballer and now popular TV presenter, Gary Lineker. A Leicester boy, born and bred, the majority of his roots are from that area. Gary knows very little about his family history apparently, so it's a major voyage of discovery for him.
The previews to the programme feature on two of Gary's distant ancestors who had very different lives. Both came from poor backgrounds but a lucky break happened to one to get him into a respectable profession but definitely didn't happen to the other ancestor!
It promises to be another great programme looking at the family of one of England's most famous recent iconic heroes. Will you be watching?
TheGenealogist.co.uk has looked into Gary's family history. If you'd like to know more in advance of the programme visit http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/wdytya2013_lineker.php
Gary Lineker featuring on tonight's Who Do You Think You Are?
The excellent series of 'Who Do You Think You Are? continues on BBC1 tonight, featuring Hollywood actress and singer songwriter, Minnie Driver. Born Amelia Fiona Driver in 1970, Minnie has had a successful film and TV career, appearing in a number of roles. Her family history also maps out like a script from a film with a number of unexpected events! Her father and grandfather both led double lives and her father also became a reluctant war hero after his exploits at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1939. It promises to be a very interesting programme.
TheGenealogist has done some initial research into Minnie's family history, so if you'd like a snapshot before the show please visit their website.
Minnie Driver features tonight on BBC Who Do You Think You Are?
Don't forget the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? starts tonight! It's at 9pm on BBC1 with what promises to be a great first episode on Una Stubbs. The link between Una and one of the founders of two new towns in Hertfordshire promises to be one of a number of interesting family history stories. Will you be watching?
