MediaCanon

Season 1

E1 Bill Oddie 2004-10-12 · 60m
E2 Amanda Redman 2004-10-19 · 60m
E3 Sue Johnston 2004-10-26 · 60m
E4 Jeremy Clarkson 2004-11-02 · 60m
E5 Ian Hislop 2004-11-09 · 60m
E6 Moira Stuart 2004-11-16 · 60m
E7 David Baddiel 2004-11-23 · 60m
E8 Lesley Garrett 2004-11-30 · 60m
E9 Meera Syal 2004-12-07 · 60m
E10 Vic Reeves 2004-12-14 · 60m

Season 2

E1 Jeremy Paxman 2006-01-11 · 60m
E2 Sheila Hancock 2006-01-18 · 60m
E3 Stephen Fry 2006-01-25 · 60m
E4 Julian Clary 2006-02-01 · 60m
E5 Jane Horrocks 2006-02-08 · 60m
E6 Gurinder Chadha 2006-02-15 · 60m

Season 3

E1 Barbara Windsor 2006-09-06 · 60m
E2 Robert Lindsay 2006-09-13 · 60m
E3 Colin Jackson 2006-09-20 · 60m
E4 David Tennant 2006-09-27 · 60m
E5 David Dickinson 2006-10-04 · 60m
E6 Nigella Lawson 2006-10-11 · 60m
E7 Jeremy Irons 2006-10-18 · 60m
E8 Julia Sawalha 2006-10-25 · 60m

Season 4

E0 Nicky Campbell
E1 Natasha Kaplinsky 2007-09-06 · 60m
E2 John Hurt 2007-09-13 · 60m
E3 Griff Rhys Jones 2007-09-20 · 60m
E4 Carol Vorderman 2007-09-27 · 60m
E5 Alistair McGowan 2007-10-04 · 60m
E6 Graham Norton 2007-10-11 · 60m
E7 Matthew Pinsent 2007-10-18 · 60m

Season 5

E1 Patsy Kensit 2008-08-14 · 60m
E2 Boris Johnson 2008-08-21 · 60m
E3 Jerry Springer 2008-08-28 · 60m
E4 Esther Rantzen 2008-09-03 · 60m
E5 Ainsley Harriott 2008-09-10 · 60m
E6 David Suchet 2008-09-17 · 60m
E7 Jodie Kidd 2008-09-24 · 60m
E8 Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen 2008-10-01 · 60m

Season 6

E1 Rory Bremner 2009-02-02 · 60m
E2 Fiona Bruce 2009-02-09 · 60m
E3 Rick Stein 2009-02-16 · 60m
E4 Zoe Wanamaker 2009-02-23 · 60m
E5 Kevin Whately 2009-03-02 · 60m
E6 Davina McCall 2009-07-15 · 60m Davina McCall makes some intriguing and shocking discoveries as she delves into her family's past, hoping to learn more about her maternal French heritage.
E7 Chris Moyles 2009-07-22 · 60m Known for his outspoken views, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles finds himself getting unexpectedly emotional as he goes back to his Irish roots.
E8 Kate Humble 2009-07-29 · 60m TV presenter Kate Humble knows little about her family history. What she does know is that her paternal grandfather was a test pilot, and she believes her maternal grandfather ended up in Colditz. On the trail of her grandfather Bill Humble, who was a test pilot during the Second World War, Kate visits the RAF Museum. She is astonished to discover what a legend Bill was in flying circles, and is amazed to see his daredevil flying for herself in archive film held there.
E9 David Mitchell 2009-08-05 · 60m Actor and comedian David Mitchell goes in search of his Scottish roots.
E10 Kim Cattrall 2009-08-12 · 60m Liverpool-born Kim Cattrall sets out to solve a family mystery that has endured for more than seventy years, the disappearance of her grandfather.
E11 Martin Freeman 2009-08-19 · 60m With his dad having died when he was 10 and his parents having divorced some years before, Martin Freeman tries to find out the paternal side of his family history.

Season 7

E1 Bruce Forsyth 2010-07-19 · 60m 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.
E2 Rupert Everett 2010-07-26 · 60m Rupert Everett’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.
E3 Dervla Kirwan 2010-08-02 · 60m Irish actress Dervla Kirwan became a household name in the hit series Ballykissangel. But she has never spoken about her great-uncle Michael Collins, a national figure who changed Irish history and fought to establish 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.
E4 Monty Don 2010-08-09 · 60m Famous gardener Monty Don comes from a well-known dynasty of architects on his mother's side of the family, but knows little about his other relatives.
E5 Rupert Penry-Jones 2010-08-16 · 60m 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.
E6 Alexander Armstrong 2010-08-23 · 60m Comedian Alexander Armstrong always knew his family background was likely to be privileged, but he's keen to find out exactly how posh he is...
E7 Jason Donovan 2010-08-30 · 60m Jason comes from showbiz parents who divorced when he was five. His British born father won custody and brought him up alone, but its Jason's mother's family line that holds the key to Jason's Australian heritage - up to now a complete mystery to him.
E8 Hugh Quarshie 2010-09-06 · 60m Holby City actor Hugh Quarshie was born in Ghana, but moved to Britain with his parents as a child. He knows there is Dutch ancestry in his family, but doesn't know where the bloodline began. To find out, he visits his uncle in Ghana, where he discovers a new relative and learns some interesting facts about his mother. Finally, he travels to the Netherlands to unravel the truth.
E9 Alan Cumming 2010-09-13 · 60m Award-winning actor and Broadway star Alan Cumming made his name acting in films such as Goldeneye and X-Men, but grew up in a small Scottish town. He tries to solve the mystery of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Darling. A career soldier who spent most of his life away from home serving in the army, he died, aged just 35, in mysterious circumstances in Malaysia.

Season 8

E1 June Brown 2011-08-10 · 60m During her search to find out if she is a real EastEnder, June unravels her Jewish heritage, and discovers how momentous historical events shaped her family's destiny, forcing them to migrate across Europe.
E2 JK Rowling 2011-08-17 · 60m In a rare television appearance, best-selling Harry Potter author JK Rowling sets out to investigate her French roots.
E3 Sebastian Coe 2011-08-24 · 60m The former Olympic gold medal winner sets out to discover if there is any truth in his grandmother's claims that the family's origins were once quite grand.
E4 Larry Lamb 2011-08-31 · 60m Actor Larry Lamb sets out to learn about his biological grandparents.
E5 Emilia Fox 2011-09-07 · 60m Silent Witness star Emilia Fox tries to find out how far back her family's acting roots go.
E6 Alan Carr 2011-09-14 · 60m Alan Carr explores his family's football connection and his grandfather's brush with fame.
E7 Robin Gibb 2011-09-21 · 60m Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb discovers how his paternal great-grandfather rose from poverty to become a decorated soldier, and heads to Paisley, Renfrewshire, to investigate a mysterious family breakdown.
E8 Richard Madeley 2011-09-28 · 60m Richard Madeley sets out to learn more about the Canadian side of his family.
E9 Len Goodman 2011-10-05 · 60m Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman investigates his mother's family.
E10 Tracey Emin 2011-10-12 · 60m Tracey knows very little of her maternal line, and is keen to find out more about her East End roots

Season 9

E1 Samantha Womack 2012-08-15 · 60m Samantha Womack is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders. Sam's parents separated when she was young, and she grew up with only a fractured sense of her family history. Sam starts her journey by looking into the military career of her great grandfather, Alexander Cunningham Ryan.
E2 Gregg Wallace 2012-08-22 · 60m Gregg Wallace sets out to solve a long-standing family mystery: what happened to his great-grandfather, Henry Roland Springett, who abandoned his wife and children, including Gregg's grandfather, and was thought to have deserted the Navy?
E3 Patrick Stewart 2012-08-28 · 60m Sir Patrick Stewart's memory of his late father, Alfred Stewart, is scarred by recollections of domestic abuse. In this deeply personal and moving film, Patrick investigates his father's extraordinary war career, and discovers the shocking impact it had on his character.
E4 Annie Lennox 2012-09-05 · 60m Eurythmics singer and political activist Annie Lennox, whose grandmother's father died when she was only three, knows little about this branch of the family. Annie's episode uncovers an extraordinarily dark tale of tangled family relationships blighted by illegitimacy and poverty. On her journey, Annie also discovers the humiliation her unmarried great, great grandmother suffered before the Scottish church.
E5 Hugh Dennis 2012-09-12 · 60m Comedian and actor Hugh Dennis's grandfathers both fought in the First World War, but rarely spoke about what they went through. In this episode, Hugh uncovers their very different wartime experiences. For his paternal grandfather, Ronald Dennis, the war offered an opportunity to finally escape a life in the coalmines of Yorkshire. For Hugh's maternal grandfather, Godfrey Hinnels, it was a brutal and bloody experience, as he found himself in some of the Great War's most infamous battles.
E6 Alex Kingston 2012-09-19 · 60m Actress Alex Kingston knows that her great-grandfather, William Keevil, died during the First World War, leaving behind a wife and young family - including Alex's then 4-year-old grandmother. Alex sets out to investigate exactly what happened to William, and discovers how his pre-war career as a photographer put him in an unusual position. Alex has also heard rumours of Jewish ancestry in her family tree. Her quest to discover if this is true takes an unexpected turn, leading to a story involving her four-times great-grandmother, Elizabeth Braham, another widow with young children. As Alex delves further into Elizabeth's life, she is astonished to discover the unconventional enterprise Elizabeth undertook to avoid sliding into poverty.
E7 William Roache 2012-09-26 · 60m Actor William Roache has always known that his grandmother, Zillah Waddicor, ran a cafe in Alton Towers in the 1920s and 1930s, long before it became a theme park. But as Bill sets out to discover more about Zillah, whom he remembers as a kindly elderly lady, he is astonished to find out that the cafe was a far more ambitious enterprise and that, while overcoming a challenging personal life, Zillah was a trailblazing entrepreneur. Bill discovers that his great-grandfather James was also an innovative business person, dealing in some very unusual wares in late 19th century Blackpool.
E8 Celia Imrie 2012-10-10 · 60m Actress Celia Imrie knows that she comes from a long line of aristocrats on her mother's side, but has always resisted finding out any more about her illustrious heritage; her fear is that they will turn out to be privileged and boring, but she is quickly proved very wrong. In a film that ranges from political intrigue to impotence, Celia traces her family back to the 17th century. She discovers an ancestor who broke all the rules and ended up in the Tower of London, and investigates the extraordinary political legacy of another ancestor, who was accused of plotting to kill King Charles II.
E9 John Barnes 2012-10-17 · 60m Fifty years after Jamaica gained independence from Britain, former footballer and sports pundit John Barnes sets out to investigate the extraordinary role his grandfather, Frank Hill, played in the island's struggle for self-rule. John discovers how his grandfather became the subject of secret telegrams, and why he was interned by the British during World War Two. John also uncovers how, from being at the heart of Jamaican politics, Frank fell from grace among his political allies.
E10 John Bishop 2012-12-06 · 60m John Bishop finds out what happened to his great great grandfather, a POW in the Crimea.

Season 10

E1 Una Stubbs 2013-07-24 · 60m
E2 Nigel Havers 2013-07-31 · 60m
E3 Minnie Driver 2013-08-07 · 60m
E4 Lesley Sharp 2013-08-14 · 60m
E5 Gary Lineker 2013-08-21 · 60m
E6 Nick Hewer 2013-08-28 · 60m
E7 Nitin Ganatra 2013-09-04 · 60m
E8 Sarah Millican 2013-09-11 · 60m
E9 Marianne Faithfull 2013-09-18 · 60m
E10 John Simpson 2013-09-25 · 60m

Season 11

E1 Julie Walters 2014-08-07 · 60m
E2 Brian Blessed 2014-08-14 · 60m
E3 Tamzin Outhwaite 2014-08-21 · 60m
E4 Brendan O'Carroll 2014-08-28 · 60m
E5 Sheridan Smith 2014-09-04 · 60m
E6 Mary Berry 2014-09-11 · 60m
E7 Martin Shaw 2014-09-18 · 60m
E8 Reggie Yates 2014-09-25 · 60m
E9 Billy Connolly 2014-10-02 · 60m
E10 Twiggy 2014-10-09 · 60m

Season 12

E1 Paul Hollywood 2015-08-13 · 60m
E2 Jane Seymour 2015-08-20 · 60m
E3 Derek Jacobi 2015-08-27 · 60m
E4 Jerry Hall 2015-09-03 · 60m
E5 Gareth Malone 2015-09-10 · 60m
E6 Anne Reid 2015-09-17 · 60m
E7 Frank Gardner 2015-09-24 · 60m
E8 Anita Rani 2015-10-01 · 60m
E9 Mark Gatiss 2015-10-08 · 60m
E10 Frances De La Tour 2015-10-22 · 60m

Season 13

E1 Danny Dyer 2016-11-24 · 60m
E2 Amanda Holden 2016-12-01 · 60m
E3 Liz Bonnin 2016-12-08 · 60m
E4 Cheryl 2016-12-15 · 60m
E5 Ricky Tomlinson 2016-12-22 · 60m
E6 Sir Ian McKellen 2017-01-25 · 60m
E7 Greg Davies 2017-02-01 · 60m
E8 Warwick Davis 2017-02-15 · 60m
E9 Sunetra Sarker 2017-02-22 · 60m
E10 Sophie Raworth 2017-03-08 · 60m

Season 14

E1 Charles Dance 2017-07-06 · 60m
E2 Craig Revel Horwood 2017-07-13 · 60m
E3 Clare Balding 2017-07-20 · 60m
E4 Adil Ray 2017-07-27 · 60m
E5 Emma Willis 2017-08-03 · 60m
E6 Lulu 2017-08-17 · 60m
E7 Fearne Cotton 2017-08-24 · 60m
E8 Noel Clarke 2017-08-31 · 60m
E9 Lisa Hammond 2017-09-07 · 60m
E10 Ruby Wax 2017-10-04 · 60m

Season 15

E1 Michelle Keegan 2018-06-06 · 60m
E2 Olivia Colman 2018-07-09 · 60m
E3 Lee Mack 2018-07-16 · 60m
E4 Boy George 2018-07-25 · 60m
E5 Shirley Ballas 2018-07-30 · 60m
E6 Marvin Humes 2018-08-06 · 60m
E7 Robert Rinder 2018-08-13 · 60m
E8 Jonnie Peacock 2018-08-20 · 60m

Season 16

E1 Daniel Radcliffe 2019-07-22 · 60m
E2 Naomie Harris 2019-07-29 · 60m
E3 Jack and Michael Whitehall 2019-08-05 · 60m
E4 Kate Winslet 2019-08-12 · 60m
E5 Katherine Ryan 2019-08-19 · 60m
E6 Paul Merton 2019-08-28 · 60m
E7 Sharon Osbourne 2019-09-04 · 60m
E8 Mark Wright 2019-09-11 · 60m

Season 17

E1 Jodie Whittaker 2020-10-12 · 60m
E2 David Walliams 2020-10-19 · 60m
E3 Ruth Jones 2020-10-26 · 60m
E4 Liz Carr 2020-11-02 · 60m

Season 18

E1 Josh Widdicombe 2021-10-12 · 60m
E2 Judi Dench 2021-10-19 · 60m
E3 Alex Scott 2021-10-26 · 60m
E4 Joe Lycett 2021-11-02 · 60m Comedian and presenter Joe Lycett manages to find humour everywhere, but apart from his Edwardian great grandad – a member of the Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffaloes in Nottingham – Joe uncovers a darker family history. Joe finds out that his two-times-great grandfather Robert Wilkinson was a boy chimney sweep in the 1850s. Joining the Royal Marines, Robert travelled the world; but his involvement in razing villages in China following the Opium Wars leads to alcoholism and a breakdown.
E5 Pixie Lott 2021-11-09 · 60m Singer-songwriter and talent show judge Pixie Lott hopes to confirm a family story that she has Italian ancestry from Verona, but instead discovers ancestors battling poverty and hardship in London. On her dad’s side, Pixie learns of her great-grandfather’s harrowing and surprising experience in the First World War. And, wondering if she has any musical genes, Pixie is delighted to discover three generations of military musicians, whose legacy gives her an opportunity to sing with the band of the Household Cavalry.
E6 Joe Sugg 2021-11-23 · 60m YouTuber and actor Joe Sugg uncovers some incredible stories in his family tree, with a little help along the way from fellow social media star and big sister, Zoe. Joe, very aptly, discovers a great-great-great-grandfather who was involved in the earliest days of communications technology – in electrical telegraphs. Pushing further back, he finds seven-times-great-grandparents who fled religious persecution in France, and a goldsmith who survived the Great Fire of London.
E7 Ed Balls 2021-11-30 · 60m Ed Balls, former Labour politician, sequinned Strictly dancer and TV presenter, grew up in a family that wanted to make the world a better place. His mother Carolyn’s dementia means she can’t share their family history with him, so he sets out to discover what kind of characters his ancestors were. Rumours on his paternal side about a link to Nelson’s ship HMS Victory lead Ed to Portsmouth and the story of his great-great-great-grandfather William Dunbar, an assistant surgeon. But as he unravels Dunbar’s medical career, he unearths a dark history of abuse and horror at a Kent workhouse. On his mother Carolyn’s side, he feels a deep connection with Christopher Green, an agricultural labourer put on trial at Norwich Castle after he stood up to defend his livelihood and community.

Season 19

E1 Sue Perkins 2022-05-26 · 58m Sue Perkins delves into the German branch of her family, uncovering a harrowing tale of refugees fleeing back and forth across east European borders during the Second World War.
E2 Richard Osman 2022-06-09 · 58m Richard Osman delves into his Brighton roots and is astonished to learn that one of his ancestors turned amateur sleuth and ended up entangled in one of Brighton’s most notorious murder trials.
E3 Matt Lucas 2022-06-16 · 58m Matt Lucas learns what his late grandmother went through as a Jew in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, and what happened to the family she left behind. He also uncovers a connection to Anne Frank.
E4 Anna Maxwell Martin 2022-06-23 · 58m Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin travels to the small town in Northern Ireland where her father grew up, discovering the dark story of her grandfather's childhood.
E5 Ralf Little 2022-06-30 · 57m

Season 20

E1 Andrew Lloyd Webber 2023-06-01 · 58m
E2 Claire Foy 2023-06-08 · 58m
E3 Bear Grylls 2023-06-15 · 58m
E4 Kevin Clifton 2023-06-22 · 57m
E5 Chris and Xand van Tulleken 2023-06-29 · 58m
E6 Emily Atack 2023-07-06 · 58m Comedian and actor Emily Atack knows she is from a long line of larger-than-life entertainers. Her mum is singer, actor and comedian Kate Robbins and Paul McCartney is Emily’s grandmother’s cousin, making him Emily’s first cousin twice removed. Recalling fun days out with the McCartney family when she was little and how Grandad Mike turned every opportunity into a comedy show, Emily sets out to find out more about her showbiz genes.
E7 Dev Griffin 2023-07-13 · 58m Dev Griffin learns about his ancestry, including momentous stories from Ireland and some very personal details from his great-grandparents' lives in Jamaica.
E8 Chris Ramsey 2023-07-20 · 57m Chris Ramsey has always felt lucky, so he’s delighted to learn it runs in the family as he uncovers the stories of ancestors who survived a deadly WWI battle and won a lottery.
E9 Lesley Manville 2023-07-27 · 57m Lesley Manville is moved to discover a family story of enduring love and is delighted when an ancestor’s involvement in a riot reveals new relatives in Australia.