The second episode of the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? continues tonight with actor and director, Brian Blessed. Brian was born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, the son of a socialist miner.
However, the programme traces his roots back to Jabez Blessed in the early 1800s. Born in London and orphaned at an early age, then separated from his siblings, Jabez earns money begging and performing acrobatic tricks around Covent Garden. He appears to have a confident and determined personality as he works his way up to become a fairly successful glass and china salesman.
There's more details and a preview of the programme on TheGenealogist website.
It promises to be another interesting episode, looking at the ups and downs of a Victorian family. The programme is on tonight on BBC1 at 9pm. Will you be watching?
Brian Blessed features tonight on Who Do You Think You Are?
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 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?
Who Do You Think You Are? special celebrating 10 years is on BBC1 tonight at 10.35pm
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?
The running order for series 11 of Who Do You Think You Are? has been released by the BBC. There's no date on the when the first programme is (we presume a mid August start) but the first programme will feature Julie Walters. The final episode, featuring Billy Connolly, will mark the 100th episode of the programme. It should be a great series.
The full running order is as follows:
1. Julie Walters
2. Brian Blessed
3. Tamzin Outhwaite
4. Brendan O'Carroll
5. Sheridan Smith
6. Mary Berry
7. Martin Shaw
8. Reggie Yates
9. Twiggy
10. Billy Connolly
Julie Walters is first to appear on Who Do You Think You Are?
The BBC have now released the names of the celebrities taking part in the forthcoming 10th TV series of Who Do You Think You Are?
Much anticipated by family historians, the programme has no schedule date as yet but this is expected to be announced shortly. In the meantime, the celebrities to be featured include Mary Berry, Brian Blessed, Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Martin Shaw, Tamzin Outhwaite, Twiggy, Reggie Yates, Brendan O'Carroll and Sheridan Smith.
It promises to be another great series and shows that even after a decade, the programme is still as popular as ever with us family historians. Will you be watching this summer and which celebrity are you most looking forward to seeing?
Mary Berry will be one of the celebrities featured on Who Do You Think You Are? this summer
The latest news from the organisers at Who Do You Think You Are? Live is that due to work commitments, John Simpson has unfortunately had to cancel his scheduled appearance as a celebrity guest speaker and has been replaced by newsreader and TV personality, Natasha Kaplinsky, who appeared in the Who Do You Think You Are? series in 2007.
Whilst a disappointment at the withdrawal of John Simpson with his links to the flamboyant showman and early aircraft pioneer Samuel Cody, Natasha's family history story was just as fascinating and very tragic in parts. Natasha Kaplinsky will be celebrity guest speaker on Thursday 20th February at 10.15 and 11.15am at London Olympia.
Another celebrity appearing is former athlete and now sports commentator, Colin Jackson CBE. Colin appeared in a previous series of Who Do You Think You Are? with an international tale of family originating from Jamaica and Panama. Colin will be celebrity guest speaker on Saturday 22nd February. If you'd like more information, visit http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com
Natasha Kaplinsky to appear at Who Do You Think You Are? Live this year.
The final episode of the Who Do You Think You Are? series concluded last night and it was a good episode full of dramatic events and surprises. Although focusing on just a few members of John Simpson's family, it highlighted the surprises and difficulties in family history research.
The programme helped John Simpson discover more about his great grandmother leaving her husband to run off with American wildwest showman and aviation pioneer, Samuel Cody and the fabrication of details they used to disguise the fact they weren't legally married. The 1911 census document illustrated in great detail that our ancestors did not always tell the truth!
The episode had its fair share of tragedies including the death of Cody and the poisoning of his great great grandfather and also highlighted the often complicated nature of family life. As the finale of the series, it certainly had its share of twists and turns. What did you think of the programme?
John Simpson's episode on Who Do You Think You Are? was full of drama with a family history that often made the newspapers!
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.phpThe John Simpson programme airs on BBC1 this Wednesday 25th September at 9pm.
John Simpson in the final episode of the series of Who Do You Think You Are?
Last night's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? was full of twists and turns as Sarah Millican's ancestors experienced hazards and dangers from off the coast of Kent to the Hudson Bay in Canada before settling down in South Shields in the North East.
Sarah experienced a taste of the life her ancestors went through, wearing snow boots in Canada to trying on a diver's suit similar to the one her 3x Great Grandfather James Hoult used in his working life. It was an eventful and emotional episode, particularly the near death experience and gruesome injuries of her ancestor, John Malcolm. What did you think? If you missed it, the programme is available on the BBC iPlayer.
Sarah Millican's episode on Who Do You Think You Are? took her on a wide journey far from South Shields
