Who Do You Think You Are?

[anotheoldgit]

https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/katherine-ryan-on-who-do-you-think-you-are-comedian-uncovers-secrets-a4216716.html

I watched last night's episode on Katherine Ryan's family tree, and it got me thinking how come these celebrities all seem to have a long and interesting family tree?

Every venue they visit seem to keep a long and ancient documented history of their families.

Can it all be for real or is it specially put together for our entertainment?

[Calibax]

I think they research lots of celebities and if they do';t find anything interesting, they don't make the prgramme for that person.

[ummmm]

Yep - some are too boring to make a programme out of.

[Calibax]

E.g. Parky..
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/21/michael-parkinson-who-do-you-think-you-are

[anotheoldgit]

They must do one hell of a research then.

[Old_Geezer]

Well for a few generations all you really need is to sit at a PC and check the BMD certificates. Back further is more of a pain, but if you find a relative who has already done research that can speed things up. Probably not a massive amount of investigation before zeroing in on likely programme celebs to check further back.

[douglas9401]

I suppose if they can connect Danny Dyer to royalty there's hope for us all.

[craft1948]

The best one ever was the Whitehalls...

[naomi24]

I haven't seen many of these programmes, but the long and ancient documented history doesn't apply to all by any means. Lulu's background was far from illustrious, as was Ruby Wax's and Robert Rinder's. Fascinating nonetheless.

[Mamyalynne]

I should imagine many don't make it to air.

Thoroughly enjoy this programme and yes Craft. the Whitehalls were great.

[craft1948]

I watched it again on iplayer mamya, I just kept sniggering....

[Mamyalynne]

:-)

[Peter Pedant]

they get an offool lot of info and it is honed down
if the celeb wont play, they do the - what-it-was-like-to-live-in-his-street bit
Lawrence Lleellelybn Bowen said no thanks ( and shook his pretty curls)[ nay - tossed his coiffed long locks] when they had done a lot on Aunt Kittys lost inheritance. look! here now and bloop! gone!

had she lost it, had it been plucked from her bazoom, or had she sold it ?

whilst the arteest was tossing his curls there was a quick frame on the case so I looked it up ( Chancery 1853). Kitty had a jointure which the husband said was his and tried to sell ! ( it was gonna be a will-be jointure - she stood in line to inherit)

the chancery court said no it isnt yours to sell
and hubby said "yes it is, all hers is mine, by current victorian property law so sell I will !" The requisist chancery rule is given.

it goes to someone else - and Kitty spends the next 60 y regretting the loss of her fortune - hers! - it was hers and no someone elses!

[Peter Pedant]

Una Stubbs looked at a line of entries including her gran

and said in wonder as tho it is the first time she has heard of this: all dese babies have no daddies ! how dey do dat? ( as an RC - they cant ALL be virgin births)

and the voice over says - they are illegitimate ....that is why they are in a work house

[Zacs-Master]

Although it takes a bit of research, it's cheap-to-make TV. As others have said, the celebs who don't have anything interesting in their ancestry don't get a prog made.

[Mozz71]

David Baddiel's WDYTYA always stuck with me. So many family lines ended at Austchwitz for him. So sad.

[zebo]

I usually watch this programme, being a bit of an amateur genealogist, but any programme with that grating-voiced, utterly irritating woman on gets tuned straight off!

[brainiac]

This is the best one:

[Arksided]

Douglas @ 1707... I suppose if they can connect Danny Dyer to royalty there's hope for us all.

So funny but true I actually like him... but mines an intergalactic past and too scared to find out.

[jno]

I don't know, douglas - what it means is that *i* don't want to be related to royalty, for fear of finding Danny Dyer on my tree.

But all you Europeans are probably descended from Charlemagne

https://www.theguardian.com/science/commentisfree/2015/may/24/business-genetic-ancestry-charlemagne-adam-rutherford