Actor, comedian, talent show judge and children’s author David Walliams delves into his family history. First, he learns of his paternal great-grandfather’s prolonged and traumatic experiences on the battlefields of the First World War. The damage to his mental health condemned him to a lifetime in what was then known as a lunatic asylum. On his mother’s side, David uncovers the story of his great-great-grandfather, who was blind as the result of invasive eye surgery. David is amazed to find out that his ancestor became an entertainer - first a street musician and then a travelling showman, running fairground attractions with the help of his wife and children.
Source: BBC 1
Series 22: 7. Will Young
British pop icon, actor and activist Will Young goes in search of his family history. He’s concentrating on his father’s side of the family, as he never knew his gra ...
13-06-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 8. Diane Morgan
Actor, writer and comedian Diane Morgan – better known as the clueless historian Philomena Cunk – is unsettled to find herself having to genuinely go in search of th ...
10-06-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 6. Fred Sirieix
TV personality Fred Sirieix is the nation’s favourite Frenchman, but he’s spent more of his life living in Britain than in France. Now, he’s heading back to Fr ...
06-06-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 5. Aisling Bea
Award-winning actor, screenwriter and comedian Aisling Bea is heavily pregnant and keen to find out about previous generations before she gives birth to the next.\n\nWith a stro ...
30-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 4. Layton Williams
Actor and star of musical theatre Layton Williams is excited to be exploring his family history. He grew up in Bury with his mum and three of his siblings, but came to London ag ...
23-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 3. Ross Kemp
Actor Ross Kemp came to fame in the 1990s in EastEnders. More recently, he’s travelled to some of the most dangerous places in the world as an award-winning documentary pr ...
16-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 2. Mishal Husain
Mishal Husain, one of the country’s most respected journalists and broadcasters, is using her investigative skills to delve into her family history. Mishal has written a b ...
09-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 1. Andrew Garfield
Hollywood star Andrew Garfield grew up between London and LA. He knows that his dad’s family are Jewish and came from Poland, but he doesn’t know exactly where they ...
02-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 18: 6. Joe Sugg
YouTuber and actor Joe Sugg uncovers some incredible stories in his family tree, with a little help along the way from fellow social media star and big sister, Zoe. Joe, very ap ...
24-03-2025
BBC 1
Series 8: 1. June Brown
Celebrities trace their family trees to reveal the lives of their ancestors and explore major themes in British social history.\n\nNational treasure June Brown leads the way as ...
19-02-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 1. Andrew Garfield
Hollywood star Andrew Garfield grew up between London and LA. He knows that his dad’s family are Jewish and came from Poland, but he doesn’t know exactly where they ...
02-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 20: 9. Lesley Manville
Actor Lesley Manville never knew much about her grandparents but wants to get to the bottom of family rumours surrounding her mum’s side of the family. Despite living in a ...
01-08-2023
BBC 1
Series 19: 2. Richard Osman
Quiz show presenter and crime writer Richard Osman delves into his Brighton roots and is astonished to discover that one of his ancestors turned amateur sleuth and ended up enta ...
03-08-2023
BBC 1
Series 15: 2. Olivia Colman
Actress Olivia Colman claims to be 'the least adventurous person I know.' As for her ancestors, apart from a rumour that there was a Frenchwoman somewhere in her family tree, Ol ...
14-07-2021
BBC 1
Series 21: 2. Paddy Mcguinness
Presenter, actor and comedian Paddy McGuinness knows nothing about his family, except for the name of one of his grandparents. With a surname like McGuinness, he’s pretty ...
29-08-2024
BBC 1
Series 22: 4. Layton Williams
Actor and star of musical theatre Layton Williams is excited to be exploring his family history. He grew up in Bury with his mum and three of his siblings, but came to London ag ...
23-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 2. Mishal Husain
Mishal Husain, one of the country’s most respected journalists and broadcasters, is using her investigative skills to delve into her family history. Mishal has written a b ...
09-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 5. Aisling Bea
Award-winning actor, screenwriter and comedian Aisling Bea is heavily pregnant and keen to find out about previous generations before she gives birth to the next.\n\nWith a stro ...
30-05-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 6. Fred Sirieix
TV personality Fred Sirieix is the nation’s favourite Frenchman, but he’s spent more of his life living in Britain than in France. Now, he’s heading back to Fr ...
06-06-2025
BBC 1
Series 22: 7. Will Young
British pop icon, actor and activist Will Young goes in search of his family history. He’s concentrating on his father’s side of the family, as he never knew his gra ...
13-06-2025
BBC 1