Vicky McClure, Olly Murs and Rose Ayling-Ellis announced for Who Do You Think You Are? 20th anniversary series

Virgin Radio

11 Jun 2024, 09:25

The likes of Vicky McClure, Paddy McGuinness and Rose Ayling-Ellis will take a look at their family tree for the special 20th anniversary series of Who Do You Think You Are?

The BBC have confirmed they’ll be celebrating two decades of the ancestry series with “shocking discoveries and revelations” about the lineage of seven celebrities. 

The synopsis added: “Spanning centuries of history, this series will reveal an extraordinary array of stories from circus antics to embezzlement, a life-changing accident, the Cold War, and stirring tales of triumph against the odds. It will take viewers across the UK and around the world including Ireland, Taiwan, Jamaica and Latvia as the celebrities search for answers.”

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Line of Duty star Vicky McClure will learn about her great-grandfather’s experience as a Japanese Prisoner of War, while Top Gear’s Paddy McGuinness will learn about his own grandfather’s role during World War Two. 

Musician Olly Murs will head to Latvia to learn about his circus performing ancestors, while former Spice Girl Mel Chisholm (Mel C) will unearth the story of how her family survived the Great Famine in Ireland. 

Strictly Come Dancing winner and actress Rose Ayling-Ellis will uncover how close her time on EastEnders came to her real-life story, while reality TV queen Gemma Collins will discover her Essex roots got back further than she thought. 

Olympic gold medallist Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill will travel to Jamaica to learn about her relative's journey about being enslaved to owning his own land. 

Speaking in a statement about the upcoming 20th anniversary series, Simon Young, BBC Head of History, said: “This year we have a stellar line up to mark twenty years of the nation’s favourite social history series. 

“Time and again it proves the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction, while helping us all to understand the history of Britain and the world much better, so it’s clear why our audiences have taken this series to their hearts. I’m so grateful to all the celebrities who have shared their family histories, and to the incredible production team that pulls it all together.”

Who Do You Think You Are? has been home to some of the most surprising celebrity family history moments, spanning from Danny Dyer learning he’s related to royalty to Sir Ian McKellen learning his great-great grandfather Robert Lowes was partly responsible for the introduction of the weekend. 

The new series of Who Do You Think You Are? launches on BBC One and iPlayer this summer