‘WDYTYA’ TV celebrity line-up named for new autumn series

The 13th series of genealogy show ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ is set to return to our screens this autumn, promising stars from the world of stage, screen and music.

Celebrities discovering their family history in this year’s UK series include ‘EastEnders’ actor Danny Dyer, ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge Amanda Holden, star of film and stage Sir Ian McKellen, news presenter Sophie Raworth, ‘The Royle Family’ actor Ricky Tomlinson, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Harry Potter’ actor Warwick Davis, presenter Liz Bonnin, actor and comedian Greg Davies, actor and ‘Strictly 2014’ star Sunetra Sarker and pop singer Cheryl Fernandez-Versini. The 10 stars embark on journeys deep into their families’ past, spanning almost 1,000 years of history and unearthing a cast of remarkable ancestors – from freedom fighters and criminals, to war heroes and bigamists. 

Viewers are due to see extraordinary firsts in this series, again produced by Wall To Wall, as the show travels to new territories, exploring how the celebrities’ ancestors were caught up in slavery-era Martinique and the birth of Bangladesh. As in previous series, they’ll be unearthing untold stories, from the invention of the weekend to the first pineapples in Britain; from Welsh royalty to the perils of life in working-class Liverpool.

Danny Dyer’s remarkable journey will see him trace his family from poverty and crime in the East End back through the centuries to an incredible connection to royalty. Meanwhile, Cheryl discovers the story of her great-grandfather, a WW1 Tommy; Amanda’s search brings to light a Napoleonic-era cross-channel romance and the forgotten tragedy of Britain’s worst maritime disaster.

Colette Flight, executive producer for Wall to Wall, said: ‘“Who Do You Think You Are?” is back with another brilliant line-up of much-loved stars, uncovering hidden history by bringing their ancestors to life. As we follow our celebrities on their personal journey into their family trees, an extraordinary range of incredible stories are revealed.’

Tom McDonald, BBC head of natural history and specialist factual commissioning, added: ‘This year’s series spans centuries of history and crosses continents to unearth extraordinary genealogical revelations.’

No transmission dates have yet been announced.

• The sixth series of ITV’s tear-jerking reunion show ‘Long Lost Family’ has already returned to our screens. Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell present the documentary series, also produced by Wall to Wall, which helps to reunite relatives after years of separation. Catch up on missed episodes of the show, which is aired at 9pm on Wednesdays, at www.itv.com/hub/long-lost-family.

Grab your September issue of Family Tree for more family history news!