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Private Notes
Who Do You Think You Are? Australia is a candid one hour retrospective special which features 40 of Australia's most loved celebrities. The program brings together the best moments of this award winning genealogical series combined with revealing insights on what it was like to take part in the show, from Adam Hills, Magda Szubanski, Adam Goodes, Richard Roxburgh, Kerry O'Brien, Tina Arena, Maggie Beer and Vince Colosimo. The retrospective shines a light on Australia's cultural and historical past, and gives a real sense of how profound the journey has been for many of the Australians who have taken part.
Jack Thompson looms large in the Australian imagination from such iconic films as Breaker Morant and The Man from Snowy River. Born John Hadley Pain in Sydney in 1940, he knows very little about the history of his biological family. When his mother died, Jack was sent to a local boarding school as their father Harold was unable to look after them. Eventually Jack was adopted by the Thompson family and he took their name. For the first time, Jack Thompson, legend of the Australian screen, discovers the history of his biological relations and the importance of us knowing our own stories.
Kate Ceberano made her name as a pop princess in the 1980s. She has sustained her singing career since then, touring for the past 20 years. Recently she has plunged back into the national limelight as winner of the 2007 series Dancing with the Stars. Turning 40 years old has become a watershed in her life. Kate wants to stop her hectic schedule and look back for a moment and find out more about her family’s past. Whilst looking Asian - her Hawaiian born father is third-generation Filipina - Kate has always felt Anglo and yet knows little about this side of her heritage. She starts to understand why she is who she is, and answer many mysteries that she’s been longing to find an answer for.
Geoffrey Robertson is one of Australia’s best-known expatriates. The UK-based human rights advocate and occasional Hypotheticals presenter has been mixing with the famous and infamous ever since he exploded onto the swinging sixties scene to help defend the Oz magazine obscenity case. "People often come up to me and say 'Oh you Australians are so refreshing.' What they mean is 'Rack-off you loud-mouthed colonial.'" He is the consummate self-made man and his razor-sharp legal mind gives short-shrift to the nature-nurture debate. Genes don’t fit his world view. But when he starts looking into his family tree in Who Do You Think You Are?® he finds some remarkable parallels in the expatriate lives of his forebears. Is Geoffrey Robertson the descendant of a right royal bastard or a very wiley entrepreneur? The jury is still out.
Catherine Freeman represented her people and her country as an athlete and, on the most memorable night in Australian sporting history, won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In her own words, she “runned fast”. Earlier, she’d lit the Olympic Flame in the Opening Ceremony, making her the first person to light the Olympic flame and win a gold medal at the same games. Catherine believes that your make-up is a product of the past, so it’s natural for her to want to find out about her ancestors. She’s interested in finding out from where she inherited her athletic ability. Catherine also believes you inherit your emotions and psychology from your ancestors and she’s extremely curious to discover what aspects of her innate nature are also inherited. She hopes that learning about her ancestors will make her feel more at ease with who she is, and stronger going into the future.
Dennis Cometti is the best known and most authoritative Australian Rules football commentator in Australia. Millions of football fans around the nation admire and respect his droll, quirky commentary. He knows everything there is to know about the genealogy of the AFL, confidently recalling any player’s pedigree, background and performance statistics – he spends hours researching the history of the game. But ask the ‘footy statistic guru’ about his own family and it is an entirely different story. He claims he has never had time to look into his own history. Dennis wants to reconnect with his Italian identity. Everyone else identifies with him being Italian and he’s bemused because he doesn’t - he can’t even speak the language. Who Do You Think You Are?® takes Dennis on a journey to explore his rich Italian heritage.
Ita Buttrose is a trail-blazer – the first female editor of a major newspaper in Australia, a publisher, broadcaster and campaigner of equal opportunity for women. She’s promoted health issues, the needs of family and Australia’s ageing population. She’s always had a passionate interest in her family’s history, particularly in trying to unravel why her family changed their name from Butters to Buttrose, but has never had the time to investigate. Driven by the fact that many of her immediate family have creative and “nomadic” lives, she’s curious to find out whether these are ancestral traits. Ita was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988.
Footy legend and latter day ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ Ron Barassi has always believed that actions speak louder than words. He embarks on a journey into his ancestry tracing the Barassi family line back to the Victorian Gold Rush and discovers a heart-rending tale of violence, tragedy and redemption.
Australian film and TV industry luminary, actress Sigrid Thornton has cornered the market in feisty leading roles. Tonight she embarks on a journey into her ancestry uncovering a genetic tendency to get into trouble with the law.
Bad boy larrikin actor Ben Mendelsohn embarks on a journey into his ancestry to find out if he really is related to the famous composer of the Wedding March - Felix Mendelssohn. He traces the Mendelsohn family line back to the heart of Europe and discovers a thread of musical heritage in surprising quarters as well as a heart-rending tale of success, failure and heartbreak of Dickensian proportions.
Singer Christine Anu's ancestry is from the Torres Straits Islands. She’d like to understand why music is so important in her life. Her journey takes her not only to the Torres Straits but to England where she discovers a heritage of music and culture, beyond her wildest dreams.
Celebrity “Country Cook" Maggie Beer is probably best known for being half of the TV duo The Cook and The Chef, as well as for her famous Pheasant Farm Pate. Tonight she embarks on a journey into her ancestry discovering a convict bigamist with a penchant for very tall tales.
Rock star and activist John Butler is searching for his heritage hoping to find poets, musicians and revolutionaries. In his WDYTYA journey John traces the Butler name back through generations of hardship to a matriarch who sang for her survival. Then he follows his Bulgarian ancestry to the mountain town of Koprivshtitsa and to an ancestor caught up in a violent revolt, central to the birth of a nation.
Magda Szubanski is the actor behind many of Australia’s most loved comic characters. Magda has always been a fearless performer. But where is that courage from? To better understand how world events have shaped her family, Magda will trace the lives of two ancestors. Both were forced to make grim choices and both were forced to confront with the brutality of war.
Cricketer Rod Marsh trawls the records, to overturn long-held secrets and piece together the dramatic circumstances that led to his father’s adoption. For the first time he discovers who his biological grandparents are and why their children were given up for adoption.
Singer Tina Arena has always wanted to find out more about where her Italian-born parents came from, a subject that has never really been talked about in her family. She is driven to find out the truth behind some family secrets and heads off to Sicily to explore her Italian roots and the tough reality of her grandparents’ childhoods.
Actor and comedian is probably best known for his roles in City Homicide and Thank God You’re Here. In this series he investigates a pattern of absent fathers and discovers a man with grand but fraudulent designs.
Actor, dancer and TV chef Paul Mercurio is probably best known for his role in Strictly Ballroom. In this series he embarks on a journey into his ancestry to investigate rumours of a mafia connection and discovers a political kingmaker leading a double life.
Georgie Parker has created some of the most memorable women in Australian television. The women in her own family are all big personalities and this is the puzzle she sets out to solve: where does that female strength come from?
Comedian Shaun Micallef unravels his father’s childhood war-time story in Malta, and discovers other ancestors who were players in some of the most extraordinary moments in modern history.
Television journalist Kerry O’Brien embarks on a journey to uncover his Irish roots. He discovers a couple of convicts taking desperate measures in search of a better life.
Actress Melissa George uncovers the heartbreaking truth behind a story of child migrants and investigates the case of an ancestor suspected of abusing a prisoner in a colonial gaol.
Actor Vince Colosimo unravels the truth about his grandfather’s extraordinary war experience and tries to find out who his mysterious grandmother was.
Actor John Wood discovers the secrets behind his father’s tragic capture and imprisonment in World War II.
Aboriginal footballer Michael O’Loughlin traces the bloodlines of his family, discovering an ancestor who fought to save his culture.
Comedian Adam Hills retraces the desperate journeys of his migrant ancestors, torn apart by war and prejudice as they search for a new life.
Actress Asher Keddie sets out to find the origins of her creative passions, discovering a story from the past with eerie parallels to her own life.
On the trail of his ancestors, actor Don Hany journeys to the heart of Europe to investigate his controversial Hungarian grandfather, who was caught up in a Cold War flashpoint.
By retracing his history, iconic actor Michael Caton will uncover a family tragedy and an ancestor’s involvement in one of Australia’s greatest crime sprees.
On the trail of his ancestors, actor Lex Marinos journeys into Australia’s colonial past to investigate an ancestor accused of a terrible crime.
Actor Susie Porter's family story charts dramatic advances in the field of mental health treatment in Australia.
Entertainer Rove McManus discovers his Great Grandfather’s role in the violent Kimberley frontier, and the astonishing source of his own creative gifts.
Actor John Howard follows his Grandfather’s trail through the horrors of the Great War, finding a promising military career ruined by a single regrettable act.
Broadcaster Andrew Denton is perhaps best known for his in-depth interview series ‘Enough Rope’ but how closely has he interrogated his own story? Andrew knows that his father Kit, famed for his book ‘The Breaker’ about Breaker Morant, was actually born Arnold Ditkofsky and that his parents were Jewish. But while Andrew grew up in a secular household and his father was a proud atheist, the ancestral trail resonates with clashes of faith and family. Could the key be an heirloom kept in the family treasure trove? Andrew’s journey takes him to London and a great grandfather taking a stand against anti-Semitic street thugs and to Poland into the dark heart of the Holocaust. Finally in Israel he uncovers an enticing possible genetic link to one of the best known stories in the Bible.
Actor Rebecca Gibney searches for the reasons behind her family’s troubled past – bringing a dark secret to light, to heal a long-standing family wound. She also discovers an ancestor who played a role in New Zealand’s forgotten tragedy.
Ever since Actress Jacki Weaver became a grandmother, she has had a burning ambition to find out about her beloved father’s biological mother. Her dad was a ward of the state who was brought up by a foster family and while Jacki knows his mother’s name was Grace she doesn’t even know the name of her biological grandfather. Jacki’s search uncovers a family secret that has been buried in shame. Her grandmother and great grandmother were both stigmatized by the society of the day. And her grandfather, despite being brilliant and a talented musician, badly blackened his copybook and was imprisoned. Despite these heart wrenching and shocking discoveries, Jacki comes to know and love her father’s clan and has the pleasure of meeting those who remember them. She also discovers the truth behind her father’s role as a bomb aimer in the Bombing of Dresden, one of the most controversial events of World War II.
Actor Richard Roxburgh discovers his family’s footprints in an unexpected corner of the world, finding two ancestors on opposite sides of the fierce struggle over slavery. In a cruel and unjust world, he finds a courageous figure giving hope and guidance to the oppressed.
Amanda Keller discovers her bloodline has survived against all odds; finding an ancestor who faced hell on earth in Australia’s most brutal prison and a mother fighting to save her family in the face of tragedy.
Australian of the Year Adam Goodes’s hunger to uncover his Aboriginal heritage is fuelled by a tragic family event. His mother, Lisa Sansbury was placed in state care as a young child and never returned to her parents. She grew up with no knowledge of her Aboriginal ancestry and has very little family history to pass on to Adam. Now, he wants to fill that void and finally find a way of connecting to the traditional culture that his ancestors once lived and breathed. His quest will see him unearth a royal bloodline, find a mysterious millionaire mining magnate in his family tree and see him journey deep into the remote Flinders Ranges of South Australia.
Actor Lisa McCune’s career has flourished both on screen and stage. But the McCune family name she’s made famous does not feature in her biological family tree. Lisa has learned that the man she grew up knowing as her grandfather is not actually her paternal grandfather. Her own Dad was fostered out as a very young child and his brothers were placed in an orphanage. But why? Lisa’s Dad knows little about his father beyond a name – George Bloomer. So who was this man? On the trail of one George Bloomer, Lisa discovers two. A great grandfather caught up in a gruesome and sensational Gold Rush murder, and a grandfather struggling with mental illness and the pressures of war – with tragic consequences for his young family.
Entertainer Paul McDermott found fame with the musical comedy group The Doug Anthony All-Stars and established a career as a TV host on shows such as Good News Week. In more recent years he has stepped out of the limelight to pursue his passion for art. But his own family history remains something of a blank canvas. Paul does know that his mum, Betty, was adopted and raised by relatives and that her parents both died while she was still a toddler. Paul follows the trail back to his birth place in Adelaide, to the early 20th century and a family torn apart by poverty and a decimating epidemic. He also uncovers a tale of hard times and great expectations in colonial Adelaide.
Internationally celebrated actor Geoffrey Rush believes he hails from a long line of farmers but an exploration of his heritage sees him discover an ancestor fighting for justice in the face of corruption and another desperate to succeed in a golden age of creativity.
Actor Toni Collette delves into the enigma of her grandparents and uncovers a tale of abandonment and tragedy, a secret wartime affair, and an unexpected ancestor. A DNA test serves only to deepen the mystery.
Successful Chef and Restaurateur, Luke Nguyen discovers his Grandfather had a wife and child in China, who he left behind, when he migrated to Vietnam and began a second family. Luke searches a remote corner of China to bring this long lost family back into the fold. He then travels to Vietnam and looks into the troubled history of his parents’ homeland, searching for clues to explain his own painful past.
Actor David Wenham rose to fame as ‘Diver Dan’ in the long-running TV series SeaChange. He has inhabited countless characters in a 30-year career spanning theatre, TV and film but the characters in David’s own bloodline remain largely unknown to him.
Sporting legend Dawn Fraser is a hands-on grandmother who wants to know more about her own grandparents. This Aussie icon discovers she has South American heritage.
Comedian Peter Rowsthorn turns his humour on his first Australian family – finding ancestors with a knack for stealing. Then a long held family secret is revealed with Peter investigating his grandfather’s mysterious death. The new connection to a grandfather he never met sees Peter pondering whether to change his surname to better reflect his real heritage.
Iconic entertainer Greig Pickhaver, known for his comedic alter ego HG Nelson, investigates the leading characters in his family history. His search uncovers a great-grandfather, Samuel Rinder, who in the late 19th century, made his fortune as a sheep trader during Bendigo’s boom years. As a wealthy man about town, Rinder spent much of his time and money down at the racetrack, but when economic recession loomed, he turned to crime. Greig also investigates a family secret that lies much closer to home. His childhood was dominated by his parents’ troubled marriage. For the first time, Greig wants to look behind that relationship and investigate the events that shaped his mother’s life.
Television Journalist A lifetime spent in journalism has seen Ray Martin witness some of the defining moments of his time. Looking into his own history he finds his forbears too were on the frontline of nation shaping events. Discovering an ancestor at the scene of Australia's greatest armed rebellion. On his maternal side he investigates his recently discovered Aboriginal heritage - walking in the footsteps of his indigenous great great grandmother. And he follows his convict trail back to Ireland to find a notorious bandit with a rebel heart.
Award-winning stand-up comedian and host of 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' Julia Morris finds her great grandfather in controversial Labor Premier J.T. Lang's intimate inner circle, and she investigates whether her grandfather was involved in the Irish Republican Army.
In one of Sydney's great convict buildings, Peter Garrett discovers an ancestor at the forefront of social welfare in the colony. He'll also unearth the secret life of his grandmother who worked in a forgotten area of first Contact - the Lock Hospitals in Western Australia. More than a century later, Peter follows his grandmother to remote Bernier Island, where Indigenous Australians suspected of having venereal disease were taken by force.
Singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem has searched for the creative connection in her ancestry - some link that would explain her own abilities. Her infectious curiosity is rewarded by the intricate adventures of her great grandmother, an enigmatic woman whose life took some unexpected twists and turns. As family secrets are revealed, Delta unveils her spirited great grandmother's passions in marvellous Melbourne.
Mal Meninga goes on a deeply personal quest to discover if he's descended from an indentured labourer in a culture replete with racism, kidnapping and slavery.
Actor Rachel Griffiths's journey into the past takes her back to the re-emergence of Judaism in 17th century England. She discovered that her eight-time grandfather was one of the best known Jewish capitalists in London - associated with the Royal Exchange, the Bank of England, and the British East India Company. But his business interests extended further afield, and Rachel learns he was engaged in the international slave trade.
Shane Jacobson's father, Ron, was born into a family of carnival workers and lived in a tent until he was 21. They know nothing of their ancestry, but Shane's convinced they come from Viking stock. His crusade will take him to Finland where Shane's great grandfather took drastic steps that echo down the Jacobson line. His journey will take Shane to a medieval church where his ancestor was forced to sit on a shaming stool to atone for her sexual crimes. His search for the truth behind his Viking roots is answered, and in a farmhouse Shane finds his extended Finnish family.
Best known for her alter ego Kath Day-Knight from the hugely popular Kath and Kim series, Jane Turner is an icon of Australian comedy. Her paternal line takes Jane back to her three-times-great grandfather, who was one of Western Australia's pioneering British settlers. Jane will uncover the desire that drove her wealthy ancestor to endure incessant misfortune. Then, uncovering her father's actions as a fighter pilot in the Korean War takes Jane inside the Demilitarised Zone on the border of North Korea.
John Newcombe's search will propel him back to a pivotal time in NSW when the penal colony was transforming into a democracy. John's paternal ancestor played an important role in the fight for freedom of the press. But behind the facade of middle-class respectability, John will discover his two-times-great grandmother was hiding her convict past. Then, exploring his maternal line, John follows his three-times great grandfather's footsteps to the Loyalty Islands, now part of New Caledonia. John's forebear was hoping to trade sandalwood, but the expedition was a disaster. At the site of a bloody ambush John learns of the cannibalistic tribe his ancestor encountered.
Veteran performer, Noni Hazlehurst, goes in search of the secrets her parents held so tightly. This journey will be a revelation to Noni. She’ll come to understand the impact of war on her immediate family, and why she knows so little about her world-renowned performing ancestors.
Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Charlie Teo has extended countless lives performing risky brain surgery on patients who have often been turned away by other doctors. In doing so, he's been ostracised by parts of the medical establishment. Searching out his family's past, Charlie Teo will find an ancestor who left an enduring landmark, another life extinguished too soon, and looking for his warrior blood, he'll come to see himself in a brand new light.
Entertainer Natalie Imbruglia only knows the characters from her father's Italian heritage. She knows very little about her mother's Australian ancestors. On a quest for answers, Natalie Imbruglia unearths the hidden truths behind her Australian roots. She finds a tale of mystery and violence. And in her search for strong women.....discovers the men who left them behind.
Actor John Jarratt rose to fame playing quintessential Aussie characters, from his portrayal of Ned Kelly in the last outlaw, to the sinister Mick Taylor in Wolf Creek. While John's comfortable playing both factual and fictional characters onscreen, he's yet to sort fact from fiction in his own life. In search of the truth, John Jarratt finds himself on a rollercoaster ride through his family history. He discovers a family tragically torn apart. And the family feud that rocks him to his core.
Justine Clarke has been a regular on our screens since she was a child. Many would recognise her from years on Play School, and a commitment to her own distinct brand of children's television. Delving into her history Justine Clarke will discover an ancestor with a shady past: a forced marriage of dire necessity, and a long lost relative in a far off land.
Perth born entertainer and performer Todd McKenney is keen to know where the McKenney name comes from and is on a quest to uncover traits passed down to him by his father’s forebears. On his maternal side, there is no doubt that Todd gets his dancing talent from his mother, Peta and his maternal grandmother. However, Todd is keen to discover an ancestor with a colourful past. Will Todd find what he’s looking for?
All his life, Ernie Dingo has been estranged from his father’s family, on account of feeling abandoned by his own father, Tom Pepper. Ernie is brought face to face with his father’s ancestors, including an English convict. Will his journey force Ernie to re-evaluate his perceptions about the past - and his relationships in the present? Meanwhile, Ernie’s relationship with his mother’s side of the family, has been completely different: he grew up wrapped in love and warmth from his mother Bessie and grandmother Ulie. But his grandfather Jimmy Dingo remained a mystery, and Ernie sets out to discover more about this enigmatic character.
Patti Newton is one of Australia’s most recognisable faces. She’s been performing since the age of four and has always wondered where her love of performing has come from. These days Patti’s greatest joy in life is her four grandchildren. However, she knows very little regarding her paternal grandmother and is determined to find out why she was never spoken of.
TV personality Scott Cam reveals his paternal family changed their surname from Caminiti to Cam during World War Two. But, beyond this historical detail, Scott knows little about his Italian ancestors, including what compelled them to leave their homeland for a ‘sunburnt country’.
Traumatised by the scandal of her parents’ public divorce, investigative journalist, Jennifer Byrne, has avoided examining her family history until now, when both her parents have passed away. Although Jennifer loved her maternal grandfather, Victoria’s longest serving Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, the privilege that came with his appointment was a source of embarrassment. But Jennifer soon discovers the scandal and privilege she grew up with was nothing compared to what lies in her mother’s ancestry.
Actress Marta Dusseldorp has become a household name on Australian television screens, playing strong female characters in Janet King, A Place To Call Home, and Jack Irish. Now, Marta wants to explore the characters in her own ancestral past. The daughter of a Dutch migrant, Marta always identified with the European roots on her father’s side, more so because she knew so little about her mother’s family. Marta embarks on a journey to find the origins of her beloved maternal grandparents, paediatric surgeon Sandy Robertson and his wife Gwenda.
Australia’s favourite scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, is a qualified medical doctor, engineer, and physicist whose media career began in 1981. His weekly talkback hour has become a national institution, and he’s authored more than 40 books. Karl was two years old when he came to Australia with his family as refugees in 1950. He knows very little about his parents’ life before this, only that they met in a refugee camp in Sweden after World War Two. While Karl’s father told him many elaborate stories, his mother was very secretive.
Singer Casey Donovan shot to fame at the tender age of 16 when she won ‘Australian Idol’. But her sudden rise to stardom raised complicated questions about Casey’s Aboriginal heritage. Now, at age 30, Casey is keen to learn about her Indigenous roots - but will she find a sense of belonging?
Four-time Paralympian Kurt Fearnley wants to find out if the fighting spirit that propelled him to sporting stardom was inherited from his ancestors. In his father’s family, Kurt seeks to sort fact from fiction about his larger than life grandfather Harry, who left England at the tender age of 17. Kurt begins his investigation with his great grandfather Charles’ World War One medals, which lead him to discover Charles suffered a gunshot wound to the face during the disastrous Battle of the Somme.
Daytime TV host Kerri-Anne Kennerley’s upbeat personality, can-do attitude, and general optimism has made her resilient, both in the fickle world of television, and in the face of the tragic accident that left her husband a quadriplegic. But where did Kerri-Anne get those traits that have served her career and her personal life so well? With her curiosity sparked, Kerri-Anne sets off to find out if her ancestors carried the survivor gene that has carried her through her tumultuous life.
Actor Rodger Corser rose to fame for his roles in the award-winning crime series Underbelly and the critically-acclaimed Glitch, and for the series lead on Doctor, Doctor. But while Rodger is comfortable donning the mask of a character, exploring his own identity is a little more daunting.
Journalist and television personality, Lisa Wilkinson, is on a deeply personal quest to unearth the truth about her maternal ancestors. Lisa’s mother, Beryl, was born illegitimately, and right up until her recent death, had many unanswered questions about her identity. Lisa encounters her Irish three-times great grandmother, Eliza O’Brien, whose complex, troubled life has uncanny parallels with her own mother’s story. On her father’s side, Lisa travels to colourful India, where she discovers her two-times great grandmother, Ann Beech, whose life shifts from poverty to privilege and back again.
Veteran entertainer Bert Newton discovers the father he never knew was a true patriot who devoted his life to his country. His maternal grandmother Alice leaves a lasting impression of a woman of great fortitude who fought for women’s rights and was surrounded by the love of her children, despite the criminal neglect of her husband.
Long intrigued by the origins of his surname, actor Cameron Daddo travels across the globe to the Channel Islands and discovers a thousand years of noble ancestors. Meanwhile, his mother’s lineage, though devoid of noble origins, reveals a surprising parallel to his father’s. Cameron will discover both sides of his family feature love stories of staggering proportions.
When swimmer Lisa Curry delves into her maternal family past, she finds hard working German immigrants who risked everything to become the masters of their own destiny in Queensland. Lisa’s distant relationship with her late father had a profound effect on her life. But by tracing his life and her paternal ancestors in war-torn Ireland, Lisa comes to terms with who her father was, and finally gets to farewell him in her own way.
Comedian Denise Scott’s search to find the truth about a dark family secret brings surprising results, while her Dad’s family tree produces a highly unconventional ancestor. On her maternal side, she uncovers dark secrets, and closes a chapter on a long-standing family cover-up.
Kat Stewart’s stable and loving upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of ethics, and it’s with this belief that she goes on her ancestral journey, seeking characters who were both principled and just a little bit colourful. She’ll soon discover a strong Irish woman who experienced her fair share of tragedy, and an Englishman who had a pioneering role during a contentious time in Colonial Australia.
Australia’s first female Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, has always had a love for the world, and she’s now on a mission to discover where she inherited her globetrotting, adventurous spirit from.
On a quest to to find his ancestral homeland, country music icon Troy Cassar Daley will finally bridge the gap between his two cultural worlds.
When Celia Pacquola digs into her beloved mum’s family, she finds her three times Scottish great grandfather, John Rae, was Sydney’s first Town Clerk, and his talent as a landscape painter was of historic significance. She learns of the romance and tragedy of John Rae’s life in Sydney, and how that spurs him on to create a lasting legacy for future generations of Australians.
When Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull opens the book on his family history, curiosity turns to fascination when he discovers a mysterious unclaimed fortune. His family tree becomes an intriguing puzzle as he goes on a mission to answer the burning question, who got the money? Curious about unexplored family lines Malcolm delves into the history of his paternal great-grandmother’s life. Here he unearths a convict tale of survival and resilience. But uncovers a dark family secret that challenges his view on his own existence.
Denise Drysdale takes a DNA test, and it’s no surprise to find her family hails from Scotland. But it is a shock to discover she also has DNA links to Northern Ireland. Denise finds her maternal 3 times great grandparents, John and Mary Fanning, left Northern Ireland with their children, and miraculously survived an horrific voyage to Australia. On her father's side, Denise uncovers the humour she’s looking for, in her great grandmother Betsy Drysdale, but the flip side of Betsy’s life is one of a sad struggle with alcoholism and despair.
Jeff Fatt, famous as the Purple Wiggle, knows his Chinese roots go back four generations into Australia’s history, but he wants details of why those ancestors came to Australia and what their lives were like.
Actor, former self-described 'serial pest', and member of the Stolen Generation, Uncle Jack Charles has never known the love of a parent. He will uncover details of the father he never knew, and make connections that will complete the jigsaw of his paternal family. His mother’s ancestral journey will take Jack to Tasmania, where he will discover a dark history and maternal ancestors whose resilience resonates with his own fighting spirit.
While looking into his father’s side of the family, television presenter Grant Denyer finds his three times great grandfather, Charles Kennard Ward, at the centre of a shocking secret buried deep in his family’s past. Exploring further on the paternal line, Grant traces roots to the Scottish Highlands where he finds his three times great grandmother, Ann Ross, at the centre of one the most brutal incidents of the Highland Clearances. Driven off their ancestral property, Grant’s ancestors settle in Victoria’s Western District before risking everything for the dream of owning their own land.
Setting out to discover if a mysterious Spanish governess actually existed in her Mum’s family, Chris Bath finds instead an adventurer with an entrepreneurial spirit who wasn’t afraid to tread his own path. Chris ventures into country New South Wales and is shocked to discover she has German ancestry. Uncovering the life of her German ancestors, Chris finds solidarity in their mutual love of the land and is deeply moved by the tragic fate of her three times great grandfather.
Singer and actor Natalie Bassingthwaighte says members of her maternal family always hold their cards close to their chest. As a result, Natalie knows little of her family history and has heard only whispers of the uncertain lineage of her beloved Grandmother Gwen. Investigating the truth behind Gwen’s ancestry, Natalie discovers a wellspring of half-truths and heartache. Searching for other secrets in her family’s past, she uncovers tales of murder, suicide and the enduring strength of a mother’s love, while, on her paternal side, Natalie investigates a rumour that an ancestor played piano for Dame Nellie Melba.
Exploring his Australian ancestry, actor and director Simon Baker discovers his 3x great grandfather on his mother's side was an Irish orphan who became a pioneering eye surgeon and left an incredible legacy to this nation. On his father's side, Simon traces his ancestry to South Australia's earliest settlers and learns of the epic journey made by his 3x great grandmother as she follows her heart to forge a new future for herself and her children.
Radio and television broadcaster Myf Warhurst is determined to learn the truth about a 'handshake adoption' in her paternal line. Myf is humbled and proud to learn that although her ancestor's early life was characterised by institutions and, later in life, separation from her own children, she was finally able to find some contentment and security. Myf then delves into her mother's family to discover two bold, adventurous ancestors - her 3x great grandfather who was a vocalist and entertainer during the gold rush, and his daughter, a pioneering entrepreneur who outsmarted her greedy second husband.
On this episode of Who Do You Think You Are? legendary rugby league footballer, Justin Hodges is on a mission to learn more about his indigenous family history. On his mother's side, Justin traces the story of his mysterious great grandmother, from profound dislocation to an astounding family legacy. Following his father's family, Justin journeys to the Torres Strait Islands where he discovers a pioneering and heroic great uncle.
Popular vet and TV personality Dr Chris Brown solves a longstanding family mystery and, in the process, discovers a determined and gutsy character in the form of his maternal 3 x great grandmother, Dolean Gilmore. On the other side of his maternal family tree, Chris unearths his charismatic 3 x great grandfather, William Sedgley, whose life was a series of great highs and tremendous lows, culminating in an uplifting conclusion.
Actress and philanthropist Paula Duncan investigates an unexplored line of her paternal ancestry and is confronted by the brutal history of colonial Australia. Delving into her maternal history, Paula's investigation leads her to a mysterious family heirloom. Searching for the origin of the pure gold brooch owned by her great grandmother Margaret O'Brien reveals the moment a life of hardship is turned around by a defining period in Australian history - the Gold Rush.
Chef Matt Moran uncovers a convict lineage hailing from Ireland and a disturbing criminal heritage that is broken by one heroic hard working ancestor. On his mother's side of the family, Matt delves into the memory of a 100 year old woman he met as a child. He soon comes to realise this woman was his 2x great grandmother and she lived a life veiled in secrets and lies.
Netball champion Liz Ellis has long dreamed of finding the true identity of her dad's father. Was it the artist Ralph Malcolm Warner, as is rumoured in the family, or was it someone else? Determined to find out, Liz submits to a DNA test with surprising consequences. On her mother's side, Liz traces her great grandmother, Mary Jane Rigney, to an Irish convict who raised his family up from humble beginnings to become pioneers of wheat farming in western New South Wales.
Journalist and newsreader Sandra Sully seeks to understand her family's reverence for war service, and incredibly discovers her maternal grandfather had a previously unknown war experience. On her paternal side, Sandra is curious to find out where her father's strong working-class traits come from. She discovers generations of paternal ancestors whose lives were coloured by poverty and petty crime, but who managed to survive through grit, determination and the love of family.
On this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', comedian Barry Humphries journeys back to 18th Century England and discovers how a royal scandal intersects with his ancestor, a humble, rural grocer. On his maternal side, Barry has long been curious as to why his mother's family history was never discussed. His investigations unearth characters and events that help Barry better understand his mother's difficult character.
In this episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, journalist Jenny Brockie digs into her mother's family history and discovers her 3x great grandparents were a gang member and brothel owner from Ireland. Their story becomes one of crime, resilience, and ultimately making the most of opportunities in colonial Australia. Turning to her paternal line, Jenny embarks on an emotional journey to solve the mystery of her father's ancestry. She uncovers great tales of history and hardship, and ultimately finds a connection she has yearned for her entire life.
Veteran journalist Derryn Hinch has long been curious about the identity of his mother's father. His one clue, a childhood portrait of his mother Betty, leads Derryn to suspect her father was an English sailor. But on this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', Derryn submits to a DNA test with heart-rending results. On his paternal side, Derryn discovers a shared bond with an intrepid matriarch, and the surprising war-survival story of an uncle he'd previously dismissed as merely a larrikin.
In this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', entertainer, Rhonda Burchmore, investigates her mysterious maternal grandfather who abandoned her mother as a child. In the process, she's thrilled to discover a performer in her family. On her father's side, Rhonda finds an intriguing guardian angel, who came to the rescue of her widowed great grandmother and her 11 children. As she unravels the mystery, Rhonda discovers a fascinating entrepreneur who amassed a fortune and left an amazing legacy to the people of Sydney.
In this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', artistic director and choreographer Stephen Page investigates his mother's maternal history and is surprised to discover his 2x great grandfather was a charismatic sailor and fisherman from the Philippines who left an extraordinary family legacy. Searching for his mysterious great grandfather, who he thinks is Maori, leads Stephen to a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, and an emotional meeting with family he never knew he had.
Comedian, author, presenter and producer Peter Helliar values his close family connections and is determined to remedy his lack of knowledge about his ancestry. In this episode of Who Do You Think You Are? Peter discovers his family past, uncovering the story of a maternal ancestor deeply traumatised by his experience at Gallipoli, and on his father’s side, embracing an Irish rogue and a thrilling link to an AFL pioneer.
In this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' actor Kerry Armstrong is amazed to discover a line of rebellious and free-spirited women in her family’s history, who weren't afraid to stand up for their rights. In her father's paternal line, Kerry finds an ancestor with whom she shares a remarkable connection. She travels to Tasmania to retrace her relative's movements and uncovers a fascinating story along the way. Kerry also deals with a traumatic event in her own life when her mother passes away suddenly during filming. But, after consulting her family, Kerry decides to complete the exploration of her ancestry, in honour of her late mother. Kerry also explores the mystery behind her strong connection to the sea and discovers an intriguing explanation for her free-spiritedness and her life-long fascination with the ocean and sailing.
Veteran actor and musician, John Waters, was born in the UK and came to Australia at the age of 19. On this episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, John returns to his homeland to investigate his paternal Scottish working-class roots. Despite being close to his father, John knows little about his family background. He's particularly interested to find out more about the tragic, accidental death of his father's 13-year-old brother. On his mother's side, John journeys to the Caribbean and discovers the significant role his family played at a pivotal time in the region's colonial history.
On this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', popular chef Manu Feildel discovers generations of culinary excellence in his mother's family and reconnects with his father in an emotional reunion.
Actor, Miranda Otto has long been curious to know if her dad Barry Otto's unique and eccentric character was inherited. On this episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', with little knowledge of Barry's family history, Miranda takes a DNA test which produces life-changing results.
Chasing maverick characters across the globe, feminist author, Kathy Lette is thrilled to discover formidable females in Norway, and a resilient First Fleet convict who fought in one of the bloodiest battles of the American War of Independence.
Actor and director, Wayne Blair discovers his maternal Great Grandfather was one of the last survivors of the Woppaburra people from Queensland's Keppel Islands. And while searching for his paternal Great Grandfather, Wayne uncovers an extraordinary twist.
Former world number one tennis champion, Pat Rafter, looks into a story of scandal on his mother's side and uncovers a surprising family fortune. Fearing something contentious is buried in his paternal ancestry, Pat is confronted by his two times Great Grandfather's violent past.
Journalist, Melissa Doyle, sees her family tree come to life as she discovers the first of her paternal ancestors to cross the ocean to Australia, and on her maternal side, to travel to New Zealand.
Actor, Stephen Curry discovers a paternal family connection to treasures from Bronze Age Britain and, on his mother's side, a courageous, whistle-blowing goldrush banker.
