Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 has an incredible line-up of stars as the show celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Vicky McClure, Paddy McGuinness, Olly Murs, Melanie Chisholm (Mel C), Rose Ayling-Ellis, Gemma Collins and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill are the magnificent seven taking part.
Simon Young, BBC Head of History, says: "This year we have a stellar line-up to mark twenty years of the nation’s favorite 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."
Here's everything we know including the full line-up...
Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 release date
Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 returned to BBC One on Thursday, August 15 at 9 pm. The first episode of the series was TV star Vicky McClure and the second episode
aired on Thursday, August 22 and featured presenter, actor and comedian Paddy McGuinnes.
The third episode of the series, featuring Melanie Chisholm - aka Sporty Spice - aired on BBC One on Thursday, August 29 at 9 pm. The fourth episode, featuring Rose Ayling-Ellis, airs on BBC One on Thursday, September 5 at 9 pm.
The first three episodes can be watched on iPlayer.
Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 full line-up and their stories
Vicky McClure
Vicky McClure is the first star in the new series. She admits being wary about what she might find saying: "I don't like the unknown, so I was like, 'What have I done?’ You don't know what anyone's going to tell you."
Vicky was always close to her beloved late paternal grandmother, "Nonna Jean", and she headed to Jean's birthplace in Grimsby, Lincolnshire as she was keen to find out why Jean was given up as a baby and raised by foster parents who were cruel to her.
She also found out the harrowing story of her great-grandfather's experience as a Japanese Prisoner of War. This also helped her gain a fresh perspective on the challenges faced by her grandmother Iris.
Paddy McGuinness
Paddy meets up with genealogist and historian Michala Hulme to see if she can help him discover more about his family background. He uncovers one grandfather's vital work in World War Two and the other's involvement in the Boer War. Plus, he learns about his family's journey from Ireland to Bolton.
Melanie Chisholm - aka Sporty Spice
Both sides of Melanie's family come from Liverpool and the singer is fascinated to discover that her great-grandmother was a moneylender, while her fourth great-grandfather was a campaigner seeking to improve working men's lives and rights. Melanie is keen to explore a family rumour about an Irish connection, and before long learns that some of her ancestors fled the famine in Ireland.
Rose Ayling-Ellis
Actress and deaf rights campaigner Rose Ayling-Ellis goes in search of her family history, investigating a rumor of Italian ancestry on her father's side with genealogist Lucy Browne helping her trace the Lyons line back through three generations. Rose then visits her mother, who has an intriguing picture of the actress's three-times great-grandmother, leading her to Birmingham to meet local historian Simon Briercliff.
Later in the series...
Olly Murs — The pop star finds that entertainment really does run in his blood when he heads to Lativa and discovers his circus-performing ancestors.
Gemma Collins — The reality star meets a family member she never knew she had and delves way back into her Essex roots.
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill — The Olympic gold medallist heads to Jamaica where she learns about her relative's journey from being enslaved to owning his own land.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, here's some clips from the series...
