Who Do You Think You Are?

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.

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.

Kevin Clifton investigates the rumour of an ancestor from Canada’s First Nations, taking him on an extraordinary journey to the country’s remote 18th-century trading posts.

As actress Claire Foy delves into her family tree, the personal testimony she uncovers reveals stories of tragedy and an accusation of murder that bring communities together.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Shakespearean actor, movie star and national treasure Dame Judi Dench's journey begins with her father Reginald Dench, who never spoke of his experiences during the First World War, as she tries to find out how he won his gallantry medals. Judi’s investigations then take a truly epic turn, leading her to 16th-century Denmark and nobility. Judi also discovers, to her delight, some incredible Shakespearean links.

Actor Ruth Jones - Nessa from Gavin and Stacey - uncovers her grandfather's role in the Medical Aid Societies of south Wales, which provided a model for the NHS.

Doctor Who actor Jodie Whittaker finds out how her great-great-grandfather worked his way up from child labourer in a Yorkshire coal mine to mine owner.

Sharon Osbourne uncovers the difficult circumstances of her mother’s and grandmother’s lives, and is stunned to learn that her great-grandmother was born in the US.

Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan’s investigation of her family history leads her to a Methodist minister and his family in colonial Nova Scotia, cod traders in Newfoundland, and eventually to her English roots in Dorset.

In a first for the series, father-and-son comedy double-act Jack and Michael Whitehall join forces to investigate their family tree.

'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe discovers that the Hatton Garden robbery of his great-grandfather’s jewellery business was far more dark and dramatic than he ever imagined, while an unseen cache of his great-great-uncle’s letters reveals a heart-wrenching First World War love story.

Robert 'Judge' Rinder follows the story of his grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, hearing first-hand testimony of the horror of Nazi forced labour camps as well as of the hope offered by a new life in Lake Windermere. Investigating the dark mystery surrounding his great-grandfather leads Robert to a small town in Latvia, where he uncovers a story of mental illness and trauma which will ultimately, he hopes, lay some ghosts to rest.

Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas investigates a family story that her maternal great-grandmother abandoned her husband and children for a more exciting life in America. What Shirley discovers casts her great-grandmother in a completely new light. On her father's side, Shirley pursues a rumour that she has black ancestors - a trail which leads her to colonial Cape Town and the era of slave trafficking to South Africa via the Indian Ocean.

Comedian Lee Mack was born Lee McKillop in the north of England, just like his McKillop great-grandfather, who was also a comedian, known as Billy Mac. Lee has a few playbills from Billy Mac's variety hall performances, but knows little more about him. Not long into his journey, Lee discovers that his great-grandfather was passionate about more than making people laugh. Billy Mac joined the first ever pals battalion in Liverpool at the start of the First World War and honed his act at the front lines in the Battle of the Somme. Lee is also curious about his maternal grandad Joe's upbringing - deserted by his unwed mother and raised by his grandparents in County Mayo at the time of the Irish Civil War.

Our Girl actress Michelle Keegan uncovers some exceptional women on her family tree. On her mother's side Michelle discovers that her Gibraltarian great-grandmother Leonor had to up sticks when all women and children and the elderly were evacuated from harm's way in Gibraltar to the apparent safety of London during the Second World War, a month before the start of the Blitz.Further back, Michelle discovers her great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Kirwan living in poverty in Manchester at the start of the 20th century. Michelle unearths a special connection to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and her great-great-grandmother's commitment to the cause that put her name on the electoral roll - voting for the very first time in 1918.

Best known as market trader Donna Yates in EastEnders, actress Lisa Hammond wants to get to the bottom of why her paternal grandfather Harry Hammond never spoke about his experiences in World War II. She uncovers the moving story of the trauma he endured and his efforts to overcome it. On her mother's side of the family, Lisa is reassured to discover many generations of London stock as she finds the countryside unsettling. But her relief is short lived as, going further back, her investigations plunge her deep into rural Wales.

Fearne Cotton is intrigued by her Welsh great-grandfather Evan Meredith who, despite working down a coal mine from the age of 13, ended up as a chemist in the home counties. Evan never talked about what he did during World War I, and Fearne decides to investigate. She is shocked to discover that Evan risked both his freedom and his reputation by following his conscience, caught up in a catch-22 situation with the authorities which was only broken when Evan took dramatic action. On her mother's side, Fearne finds an ancestor whose extraordinary professional ambition led to an encounter with Queen Victoria but ended in career disaster.

Presenter Emma Willis grew up in Birmingham and loves the city and her fellow Brummies. She wants to find out how deep her roots are there. Further afield, an interfaith marriage in Ireland leads Emma down two very different paths. Violent events force her to confront disturbing truths about one ancestor, while the hard graft and determination of another lead Emma to draw parallels with her own life.

Sports presenter and broadcaster Clare Balding has always been curious about her maternal great-grandfather and the 'thing that has been sort of whispered in the family - could he have been gay?' Getting to the truth of the matter is a challenge when all the evidence comes from a time when homosexuality was illegal. Digging into her father's side of the family takes Clare to New Jersey and New York, where she uncovers an extraordinary dynasty and American roots stretching back generations.

Actor Charles Dance has made his name playing aristocrats, including Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones. But the upstairs world Charles inhabits on screen is nothing like his own background as his mum was an under house parlour maid. Charles wants to know if he comes from a long line of servants or if he can uncover some grander origins. He is also determined to learn about his dad, who died when Charles was four. Charles knows hardly anything about him, not even when he was born. Charles's search for information takes him to the other side of the world to meet close relatives he never knew he had.

Actor Sunetra Sarker sets out to explore her Bengali heritage.

Greg Davies uncovers the deepest Welsh roots anyone could wish for.

Celebrity genealogy series. Ricky Tomlinson is well-known for playing the archetypal Scouser and it turns out that his Liverpool roots run deep. Ricky discovers that he comes from generations of carters, who transported goods on Liverpool's docks when the city was the British Empire's busiest port. Ricky's rage and sorrow build as he discovers how dangerous conditions were for his ancestors, eerily echoing his own fight for workers' rights in the 1970s.

Wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin describes herself as 'a mongrel' - the result of her parents' lineages on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Martinique. In Trinidad, she goes in search of the first of her maternal ancestors to arrive on the island from India. Liz then heads to Martinique where her paternal ancestors are said to have owned plantation - and slaves. What she discovers is more complicated than she could have ever imagined.

EastEnders actor Danny Dyer hopes that he will 'freak a few people out' with his family history. Danny sets out to discover the history of his tough working-class family in the East End of London, but in the process he unearths an extraordinary lineage stretching back to the Norman conquest.

Actor and writer Mark Gatiss has always had a love of storytelling and a passion for the ghastly and ghoulish but has always wondered where it comes from. So when he discovers that his mother's side of the family goes back five generations to the wilds of Northern Ireland, his imagination is awakened. Mark travels to Ireland, where he untangles a tale of rags to riches and finds out that his family were storytellers and (allegedly) vampire slayers!

Journalist Frank Gardner was very close to his late mother and is keen to know more about her side of the family. Frank's mother always told him that the family arrived in Britain with the Normans. Frank sets off to discover if there is any truth in the rumour. Along the way, he traces his family tree back to his ten times great-grandfather Sir Michael Stanhope - a knight of the Tudor court - who was accused of treason. But Frank's journey doesn't end there, and he is astonished to discover that his mother's suspicions are closer to the truth than he could ever have imagined.

Gareth Malone wants to know how far back his musical gene goes and he attempts to find out more. His investigations into his mother's side of the family take him to London's West End, where he learns that his great-great-grandfather was a star of musical comedy and performed in front of George V.

Actor Derek Jacobi discovers that he is descended from a Huguenot fleeing persecution.

Paul Hollywood looks into his family's past this week. His journey takes him first to North Africa where his grandfather had only just completed his training when he found himself in Tunisia as part of the Light Anti-Aircraft division tasked with protecting infantry from enemy air attack during a major Allied offensive to take Tunis from the Germans. He then makes his way to Italy where he learns his grandfather was part of the landing force that became surrounded by German forces and trapped on the beaches at Anzio for four months.

Scottish comedian and actor Billy Connolly has always considered himself Scottish through and through but as he travels to India in the footsteps of his army ancestors, he makes an extraordinary discovery. Not only was his great-great-great-grandfather present at a pivotal point in Indian history, through him Billy's connection to India runs deeper than he had ever imagined.

Actor Martin Shaw never knew his grandfather, Edwin Shaw, who walked out on his family when Martin's father was just a boy. Martin sets off to find out what happened to this elusive character with his only clue a photograph of Edwin as a young man. From a shotgun wedding to the Birmingham Blitz, Martin tries to sort fact from family fiction to discover who Edwin was.

Actress Sheridan Smith has grown up surrounded by a musical family, singing with her country and western duo parents since she was a child. Sheridan is keen to know where her musical talent comes from and is soon hot on the trail of her great-great-grandfather Benjamin Doubleday. She's shocked to discover the dramatic fall in fortunes of this self-styled musical impresario and famous banjoist.

New Tricks star Tamzin Outhwaite has always been intrigued by her Italian ancestry. Although she remembers her grandfather Remo, she knows very little about his family. Tamzin's journey into her Italian past uncovers the rags-to-riches tale of her great-grandfather, Adelmo and takes her on an unexpected trip.

Bafta-winning actress, Julie Walters of Educating Rita, Mamma Mia! and Harry Potter fame, traces her roots back to County Mayo in western Ireland, where her great-grandfather, Anthony Clark was one of the first members of the Land League. The organisation was formed in 1879 and campaigned for more than 40 years for the rights of tenant farmers to own their own land.

Singer and '60s pop icon Marianne Faithfull had a difficult relationship with her mother, Eva. In this film Marianne investigates Eva's earlier life, as a dancer in 1920s Berlin- the era immortalised in the film Cabaret. Marianne also discovers her half-Jewish mother's precarious existence in Vienna during World War Two and investigates whether there is any truth in the rumour that the family was involved with the Austrian Resistance.

EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra moved to England from Kenya when he was just three years old. Now Nitin has questions about his identity and wants to investigate why his family left Kenya, and why they immigrated to Africa from India in the first place. The trail leads Nitin to Gujurat and his family's ancestral home. Along the way, Nitin makes an emotional and shocking discovery about his mother's family.

Sports presenter and former footballer Gary Lineker follows the trail of his great, great great grandfather James Pratt, and discovers that James was a poacher in Victorian England and served time in Leicester Prison. Gary wants to know why James ended up becoming a repeat offender. Gary also wants to get to the bottom of how his four times great grandfather Thomas Billingham, who was born to an illiterate gardener, ended up becoming a highly-skilled legal clerk.

Hollywood actress Minnie Driver is on a mission to find out more about her late father, Ronnie, and his family's background. Minnie's parents were not married, and Minnie only discovered when she was older that her father had a wife and another family all the time Minnie's parents were together. Minnie knows her father was awarded a medal for his role in the battle of Heligoland Bight during World War Two, but is shocked to discover that he apparently threw it away. She sets out to investigate why her father would relinquish such an honour. The trail leads Minnie to relatives she never knew existed, and she discovers a kindred spirit in the family.

Una Stubbs never got the chance to meet her paternal grandparents and learns that they didn't die until she was in her 20s. She manages to uncover a story of illegitimacy and poverty.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman investigates his mother's family.

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.

Silent Witness star Emilia Fox tries to find out how far back her family's acting roots go.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

Liverpool-born Kim Cattrall sets out to solve a family mystery that has endured for more than seventy years, the disappearance of her grandfather.

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.

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.

Actress Zoe Wanamaker traces the roots of her family back to the Ukraine via America and the anti-communist witch-hunt that caused her father Sam to flee to the UK.

Fiona Bruce discovers the sad truth behind her great-grandfather's mysterious death, and returns to her family's ancestral home.

Jodie has often wondered why none of her family ever talked about her mother's grandfather, Sir Rowland Hodge. Although she grew up with many stories about her other great-grandfather Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Rowland's past remains a mystery. Investigations in Newcastle and London soon reveal why, as Jodie uncovers a tale of scandal and political corruption. An exploration of Beaverbrook's ancestors takes her across the Atlantic to Colonial America and a connection to some of the first Puritan settlers.

Ainsley Harriott heads to the West Indies and discovers that Caribbean history isn't quite as 'black and white' as he'd imagined. In addition to harrowing stories of slavery, Ainsley discovers his ancestors include a soldier, a policemen, wealthy 'free blacks' and even white plantation owners.

Jerry knows that if his parents had not fled Germany before the start of the Second World War he would almost certainly not be alive today. As Jewish refugees, they settled in London before moving to the United States. Tragically, Jerry’s grandmothers were not so lucky. Unable to escape from the Nazis, both died in the Holocaust. Jerry sets out on an emotional journey to discover what happened to them. How far back can he trace the Springer family in Germany and did any of them survive the war?

Patsy's late father was a villain. Jimmy Kensit was deeply involved with the most notorious gangsters of 1960s London: the Krays and the Richardsons. Reggie Kray was even godfather to Patsy's brother. Apprehensively, Patsy embarked on an investigation into her father's murky past, to understand the roots of his criminality and to discover how far back 'the family trade' goes. Patsy met up with a criminologist who had unearthed a copy of her father’s criminal record, revealing the true extent of his crimes. She was then shocked to uncover documents in the National Archives that show her grandfather was also a prolific criminal. After more research, Patsy was at last relieved to discover that her great-grandfather, though impoverished, was an honest walking stick maker. Tracing her roots even further back, an amazing document in Goldsmith's Hall revealed how the Kensit family, once affluent artisans, first fell into terrible poverty. Ultimately Patsy made the emotional discovery that rather than descending from a long line of villains, one of her ancestors was a remarkable vicar who dedicated his life to helping the poor.

Carol explores her family tree.

John looks into his great grandmother's parentage.

Does Jeremy have roots in Ireland?

David's roots are in Armenia.

Colin's roots extend to Panama, Jamaica and Scotland.

Barbara roots extend through East London and Suffolk.

Jane looks into her Lancashire roots.

An emotional journey as Stephen investigates his European Jewish roots.

The stern host of BBC2's Newsnight searches for his roots.

Meera's exploration takes her to the Punjab.

David explores his Jewish roots and discovers some Orthodox Jewish relatives in London.

Ian finds out more about the part his grandfathers played in the wars of the 20th Century.

Actress Sue Johnston explores her roots.

Bill Oddie is the first celebrity to undergo the family tree search, as he endeavours to find out more about his mother, who was institutionalised when he was a child.