Tuesday 29 July 2014

Who Do You Think You Are? TV show returns, 7 August

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t575
The show is produced by Wall To Wall
The 11th series of the celebrity-led genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? will open with an Irish themed story at 9pm on 7 August on BBC1.

The show's researchers will dig into the roots of actress Julie Walters to uncover the trail of her great grandfather, Anthony Clarke. He was one of the early members of the Land League, a revolutionary organisation which fought for the right for tenant farmers to own the land they worked.

Walters and the genealogy team visit County Mayo and unearth a tale of poverty, tyranny and triumph, set in a tumultuous time in Irish history.

Three weeks later the show will return to Ireland with Brendan O'Carroll. This episode revolves around Ireland's War of Independence and tells the story of O'Carroll's paternal grandfather, Peter, who was shot by British troops in an execution-style killing in 1920. Brendan's father, a lad of just nine years old, was also deliberately shot, but survived.

Here's the running order of the new 10-part series: Julie Walters, Brian Blessed, Tamzin Outhwaite, Brendan O'Carroll, Sheridan Smith, Mary Berry, Martin Shaw, Reggie Yates, Twiggy, Billy Connolly (the 100th episode).

The night before the new series kicks off – on 6 August, 10.35pm, to be precise – the BBC will celebrate the programme's 10-year anniversary and its upcoming 100th episode.