The BBC has revealed the celebrity line-up for the new series of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?‘, with another eight familiar faces set to dig into their family histories when the long-running genealogy show returns this spring.
Back for its 23rd series on BBC One and iPlayer, ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ once again follows its celebrity participants as they trace their roots across the UK and beyond, uncovering stories of love, hardship, rebellion, tragedy and resilience along the way. This year’s line-up features Adeel Akhtar, Amy Dowden, Dame Harriet Walter, Joe Swash, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Ruth Madeley, Toby Jones and Zoe Ball.
Among the stories teased for the new run, Adeel Akhtar discovers a remarkable family secret as he explores his Indian-Kenyan heritage, tracing his ancestors back to a voyage from Gujarat and their role in the foundation of Nairobi. Amy Dowden steps away from the ballroom to investigate a family murder, following a trail that leads her to West Wales and an emotional story said to have powerful parallels with her own life.
Dame Harriet Walter uncovers a family member’s covert intelligence work during the Second World War, alongside the scandalous history of one of her aristocratic Italian ancestors. Joe Swash heads from London’s Little Italy to Southern Italy itself, where he finds a dramatic story involving crime and outlaws in his family tree.
Elsewhere, Katarina Johnson-Thompson explores her Bahamian roots in the Exuma Islands, tracing a family migration to Miami during an era marked by racial segregation and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Ruth Madeley investigates a long-buried mystery involving adoption, DNA testing and a lost ancestor.
Toby Jones follows a family rumour from Margate’s Theatre Royal to Meerut in North India, where his great-great-grandfather served with the British Army, leading to what the BBC describes as an astonishing discovery about his lineage. Zoe Ball, meanwhile, explores her Scottish and Cornish ancestry, uncovering a story of hardship, tragedy and survival.
Simon Young, BBC Head of Commissioning, History, said: “This series never fails to astonish and surprise. And in all of the hidden histories it uncovers, aided by the generosity and openness of a simply exceptional cast, we can find a sample of the incredible richness and diversity that makes up modern Britain. Who Do You Think You Are? is social history that brings us all together.”
Colette Flight, Executive Producer for Wall to Wall Media, added: “Who Do You Think You Are? returns with eight more of our best-loved celebrities investigating secrets and solving mysteries in their family trees. Travelling across the UK and the globe, we see their astonishment, delight, laughter and tears as they discover how the incredible stories of their ancestors have shaped their family, and them.”
‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ returns for Season 23 this spring on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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