Who do you think you are?

[kittya]

I like Dervla and I really enjoy this show. Do you reckon they have an idea of what they are going to find?

wow in ulysses and the Michael Collins thing

its all recent history too, none of this clutching at straws stuff

I found it fascinating. I dont know what Jason Donavans will be like!

They only do people with an "interesting" past

Apparnetly one celeb they traced his family - nothing jucie at all - so they didn't film the show on him

I wonder who got approached first Dervla or Rupert. Can you imagine 'I'm going on WDYTYA ner nerdy ner ner'
'thats not fair I'm phoning my agent'

The bit about Michael Collins is on wiki though (Was checking how old she was...) The judges comments re her Jewish ggrandad were shocking though

I used to wonder how she pulled him. Awful I know. I like her more now but, when she was in Ballykissangel god, that was crap!!! I still love the Kim Catteral one, I think that was my favourite.

I liked the Alastair Magowan one best. Was fascinating the way his father's family stuck like glue to the notion that 'Anglo-Indian' did not mean they were in any way Indian, when in fact the further back he looked at photos the more obviously they were Indian. And he was trying to gently point this out to his elderly uncle who was just like 'really? Hmm, never noticed actually' etc.

Plus all the fantastic distant Indian relatives he met with names like PG Wodehouse characters - Cyril, Bertie, Algernon etc. It was just so interesting. And people having to beat the ground in case of snakes when he went to visit a grave.

The Kim C one was excellent too though in a totally different way.

The Rupert Everett one last week though - I couldn't concentrate because his weirdly frozen central face zone was so distracting. He looks sort of normal until he smiles and then it's just so incredibly odd...

yes, in a modern way and she came accross so well. I love the fact she genuinely is from scouse roots and I always thought she just played on that. The SJP one was dull by comparison, although she seemed perfectly normal and down to earth. The Patsy Kensit one was good as well. Ive enjoyed them all.

Alistair McGowan was a great one - the fact that he had absolutely no idea he was Anglo Indian.

Dervla's was great - although I found it a bit hard to believe she didn't know anything about her grandparents on either side. And she'd never looked up the Collins connection.

Obviously they only pick people with an interesting history - I think it was Michael Parkinson they turned down because there wasn't anything interesting in it.

Do you thing the slebs already know whats around the corner. Dervla mustve learnt all about her history on both sides in school so it mustve been strange to think she was that connected to it.

I love watching this programme. Not because they are celebs but it's so interestering. I thought the Jerry Springer and Jeremy Paxman ones were so moving.

I don't think I saw Jeremey Paxman but agree Jerry Springer's was incredible. Oh and Colin Jackson's when he found out about the slave connection.

I think the celebs must be prepped in some way that something is going to happen. Some of the scenes in the archives and libraries are a bit contrived. Can you imagine if Dervla turned up to the Jewish library to be told 'nope, never heard of him'! I got the impression that the Jewish history on her father's side was all new to her, but she must have known more about Collins than she was letting on.

Of course she mustve, she probably has kept it all in whilst she has been working here because she wouldnt have known how people would react. Now the history has been shown Im sure she must be glad. You couldnt have someone so important in your family and not know, could you? Yes, it has to be organised, I just wondered how much the film makers tell them. Oh, and the other thing, the families always have really old photographs dont they? some people are just good at keeping things, I guess.

Ainsley Harriot (sp) was another really good one I just remembered and BoJo too . The Spriger and Kaplinsky ones were so well done but so hard to watch I remember crying loads thru N Kaplinsky's.

They must know more as they ask pertinent questions when speaking to historians and librarians. Ordinary unprepared oiks might just say "Oh, right".

Didn't see the Alistait McGowan one - sounds good. Yes, it's the social history I enjoy. Hence why Paxo's was good (he wept a bit). David Dickinson's was also good.

Dervla would certainly have knowm more about the Collins stuff but I can understand why she might not tell many people. I know someone closely related to a prominent character from that period and he keeps it quite hush hush. But certainly knows the history in detail.

The Alistair McGowan one is my all time favourite too; the conversation with his uncle was priceless.

I also like the David Baddiel one too and Stephen Fry, which was very emotional.

Does anyone remember Moira Stuart's? It was so good. The bit where she was reading the salve register and there were no surnames and she said 'They are all my family.'

I think the Collins bit was more of a history lesson to her to find out specifically where he had been and what he had done during the uprising and civil war. I have read that she left Ireland as she felt uncomfortable with her connection to the IRA. Sadly I fell asleep during the Jewish discovery.

Remember the Martin Freeman one? It was gripping but horrifying - many people in his family in the 19th c had been blind (and a lot of the dcs died very young) as a result of syphilis. An awful story, but quite fascinating.

Have to laugh, though, at Dervla Kirwan's 'I know absolutely NOTHING about your family, Dad!' And you think....didn't they ever just talk with their parents and grandparents? Mine did - I knew loads about my family before I started researching more seriously, simply because my Mum and Dad had always told us stories about them.

yy Moira Stuart -- Dominica and Scotland, good stuff.

I really love most eps but there have been one or two in which the sleb just makes it all about them and their ego, which realy is offputting. Jane Horrocks springs to mind, constantly saying 'that must be why I am such a strong woman' at every discovery. While wearing cutesy toddleresque hairclips, despite being an adult of 40 or so.

Think I have missed only one or two ... Def missed Lawrence Latterday-Byron and Zoe Wanamaker, were they good?

Great idea for a series isn't it - but I couldn't work out if that was the real Kim Catrall and SJP we saw or they were acting their way through the programme - they both seemed very quiet and almost nervous.
I have seen KC on chat shows and she is very self assured and much more like her character in SATC.
Dervla is lovely but I found it all a bit dull tbh.

I think KC was very genuine. And her family were lovely. I still cant get over how SJP's mum was very normal and lived in a very moderate house, like down Wisteria Lane, I think that tells alot about SJP and her roots. Talking of roots, she doesnt give a toss that her regrowth shows does she? I like that!!

The saddest stories I think are those of folks discovering the hidden past of their parents. Rory Bremner springs to mind. I was shocked by Colin Jackson's reaction, it was like he was telling his family a bit of juicy gossip (the slavery part I mean).