Each celebrity travels to discover their relatives past and is taken back in time and around the world as they learn how their ancestor's lives have shaped the world they live in today.
This series....
Alexander Armstrong – (Comedian, Actor, Presenter) Alexander Armstrong always knew his family background was likely to be privileged but he’s keen to find out exactly how posh he is.
Alan Cumming – (Actor) Award winning actor and Broadway star, Alan Cumming made his name playing super villains in films such as Goldeneye and X-men. But his childhood was spent far from the glamour of Manhattan where he now lives.
Monty Don – (Gardener, Presenter) Famous gardener, Monty Don, comes from a well-known dynasty of architects on his mother’s side of the family but know little about his other relatives. Monty starts his investigation with a visit to his older brother, David. Amongst the family memorabilia they find a photograph of their great grandmother, Charlotte Wyatt, whose maiden name was Hodge. Monty is intrigued as no-one in the family has spoken much of the Hodges. Charlotte’s father was a vicar, the Rev. Charles Hodge, who had a parish in Nottinghamshire in the 1840s.
Jason Donovan – (Actor, Singer, Presenter) Jason Donovan was born in Australia and catapulted to fame in the soap opera Neighbours. Jason comes from showbiz parents who divorced when he was five. His British born father won custody and brought him up alone. But it's Jason’s mothers family line that holds the key to Jason’s Australian heritage, up to now, a complete mystery to him.
Rupert Everett – (Actor) Rupert Everett summarises himself in four words: "English; actor; toff; poof…" Rupert’s varied acting career has involved starring in Hollywood films as diverse as My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shrek 2 and The Importance of Being Earnest. Rupert has a rigidly conservative background, and feels that much of his own life has been a reaction against it. Following the recent death of his father six months ago, he wants to investigate the paternal side of his family.
Bruce Forsyth – (Presenter) Bruce Forsyth receives a letter from America from a woman who claims to be related to Bruce through Bruce’s great-grandfather, Joseph Forsyth Johnson. The letter suggests that Joseph Forsyth Johnson was married to two women at the same time and that he died at sea. Bruce is determined to investigate these claims and discover the truth for himself.
Dervla Kirwan – (Actress) Irish actress Dervla Kirwan became a household name in the hit series Ballykissangel. But she has never spoken about her great-uncle is Michael Collins, a national figure who changed Irish history and fought to established the Irish Free State. Dervla wants to find out how her grandfather Finian, Michael’s nephew, fits into the events shaped by his famous uncle.
Rupert Penry-Jones – (Actor) Actor Rupert Penry-Jones has made his name playing dashing, quintessentially English heroes. But his family background is very different. His mother, actress Angela Thorne, was born in Karachi, when it was part of British India.
Hugh Quarshie – (Actor) Holby City actor Hugh Quarshie was born in Accra, Ghana but moved to Britain with his parents as a small child. Hugh knows there is Dutch ancestry in his family, a reflection of centuries of Dutch influence on Ghana’s Gold Coast but doesn’t know where that bloodline began.
