Who Do You Think You Are?

Television SBS
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Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13

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From Tuesday 21 June 07:30 PM

Eight prominent Australian personalities delve into the mystery of their ancestral pasts when Who Do You Think You Are? returns to SBS on Tuesday, 21 June at 7.30pm. Joining the all-star cast of season 13 is Hollywood actor and director Simon Baker, radio, and television broadcaster Myf Warhurst, NRL legend Justin Hodges, popular vet and television personality Dr Chris Brown, actress and philanthropist Paula Duncan, chef and restauranteur Matt Moran, 10 News First presenter Sandra Sully and netball champion Liz Ellis.

In this deeply personal experience, we see participants embark on a whirlwind journey from capital cities to the most rural parts of the Australian landscape. From discoveries of brutality and heartbreak to perseverance and strength, we catch a glimpse into the lives of our most loved celebrities as they reflect on the stories at the core of their family tree.

Simon Baker said: “When I started this journey, I looked back at my immediate family as this sort of mess. But the truth is, families have many different forms and I think if you can look at your own past and the past of your ancestors with compassion, you can carry that forward with you with a little bit more wisdom.”

In this season, viewers will see one participant uncover the truth surrounding the identity of her dad’s father, while another discovers his great grandfather walked from Sydney to Bathurst at just six years old, leaving behind a life of crime and turmoil. One participant discovers his three times great grandfather was an Irish orphan who, against all odds, became a pioneering eye surgeon, leaving behind an incredible legacy to this nation.

Sandra Sully said: “I think this experience is one of the greatest gifts myself and my family could ever have. It’s given a greater understanding of why my parents are the way they are.”

While exploring his Indigenous roots, one participant discovers spirits, heroes, and long lost family, finding a sense of spirituality he never knew existed. With multiple links to the gold rush, one participant searches for the origin of a pure gold brooch owned by her great grandmother, while another is determined to learn the truth about a ‘handshake adoption’. These intimate and often surprising journeys reflect the diversity of Australia and the natural human desire to belong.

Bernadine Lim, SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries said: “Who Do You Think You Are? is one of SBS’s most loved series. Through the personal stories of some of Australia’s biggest names, the program explores the universal desire of wanting to understand our past and where we came from. A fascinating journey that is often described as lifechanging for those involved, Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 promises to captivate and entertain. From Australia’s major cities to rural communities, stories of passion, hardship and triumph colour the history of these Australian families, provoking cause for discussion and reflection on our diverse origins”

Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS. The series airs at 7:30pm Tuesdays on SBS and SBS On Demand starting 21 June.

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 will be subtitled in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean on SBS On Demand.

Simon Baker, Sandra Sully and Dr Chris Brown join Justin Hodges, Liz Ellis, Myf Warhurst, Matt Moran and Paula Duncan in emotive new season of Who Do You Think You Are?

Episode 1: Simon Baker preview

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Just a coincidence, I’d say. I know somebody that works on these back stories. He mentioned that sometimes they’ll be working on it for a few years, gathering the info and finding the time free in the person’s schedule to film it. Also, sometimes they will drop a person from the show even if they did plenty of background work because they didn’t find anything particularly interesting in their ancestry.

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Myf Warhurst was on Nova 100’s Chrissie, Sam and Browny this morning to talk about her episode, which would air at the end of June*. Myf said she filmed her stories mid 2021, during the COVID lockdown in Melbourne, and she required special permission to travel out of Melbourne. She visited Bendigo, the Goldfields and Swan Hill. She said it was a raw and emotional experience but it was worthwhile.

*the season premiere (Simon Baker) airs on June 21 so Myf’s episode should be on June 28.

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Episode 2- Myf Warhurst Tuesday 28 June

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Episode 3 with Justin Hodges will be on Tuesday 5 July.

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Also coming up

Dr Chris Brown

Tue, 12 July 07:30 PM

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Paula Duncan

Tue, 19 July 07:30 PM

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Matt Moran

Tue, 26 July 07:30 PM

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Liz Ellis

Tue, 02 Aug 07:30 PM

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That means Sandra Sully’s episode will air last, on Tuesday August 9.

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Derryn Hinch, Barry Humphries and Rhonda Burchmore are the first three personalities confirmed for the 2023 season.

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Hopefully some of these ancestries will take them further afield than Australia next year.

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Barry Humphries, Jenny Brockie, Derryn Hinch and Rhonda Burchmore join Stephen Page, Peter Helliar, Kerry Armstrong and John Waters in brand new season of Who Do You Think You Are?

Premieres Tuesday May 2 at 7.30pm

  • Barry Humphries: “My mother used to say, in mixed company, ‘We don’t know where Barry came from’… Well, I began to think, where did I come from?”
  • Rhonda Burchmore: “It’s like the most wonderful gift – and an unexpected gift, finding out so much more about the history of your family.”
  • Jenny Brockie: “The irony of my profession is not lost on me in this situation, and I don’t think it’s coincidence at all. It (my profession) was probably also a way of avoiding my own story.’

Join eight prominent Australians as they trek across the globe on an expansive journey that ultimately leads them back home, and to a better understanding of themselves, in the brand new season of Who Do You Think You Are?.

In episode one, international superstar Barry Humphries investigates a royal scandal in his father’s ancestry and unravels the great mystery of his maternal family history. Confident he’s the most interesting person in his family tree, Barry is on a quest to be proven wrong.

In episode two, one of Australia’s most experienced and respected journalists, Jenny Brockie, uncovers surprising secrets hidden in her mother’s family tree, and embarks on an emotional journey to solve the mystery of her father’s ancestry.

Jenny Brockie said: “I was always questioning and wanting to know things, which is unsurprising, but my mum wasn’t very yielding on a lot of things, and she particularly wasn’t yielding on my father, and details about my father.”

Journalist, commentator, author, and former Senator Derryn Hinch takes a deep dive into his family’s roots in episode three, revealing the truth surrounding the identity of his mother’s father, and uncovering a surprising war survival story on his father’s side.

Derryn Hinch said: “I’ve found this journey to be a rollercoaster. Things I thought were real weren’t… It has been taxing, but it’s been wonderfully taxing. It’s torn at the heartstrings. And I’ve discovered things that have been quite a revelation.”

In episode four, multi-talented entertainer and show business veteran Rhonda Burchmore discovers the truth about the maternal grandfather she never knew. And on her father’s side, she uncovers the story of a fascinating entrepreneur who left an amazing legacy to the people of Sydney.

World-renowned choreographer and artistic director Stephen Page has long been curious about his mother Doreen’s ancestry. Born to a white father, Doreen supressed her indigenous identity to survive racism in 1950s Australia. In episode five, Stephen takes part in an emotional and unexpected journey, making a series of surprising and moving revelations along the way.

Stand-up comedian, writer, presenter and producer Peter Helliar discovers his family past in episode six, 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.

Peter Hellier said: “I really love AFL. It’s my happy place and I often thank my dad for passing that onto me. My whole family are Collingwood. We literally go to the football every week, and we love it. Footy to me means many things, but if I was really to get to the heart of it, it’s about family”.

In episode seven renowned film, television, and stage actor Kerry Armstrong searches for clues to her own character and is amazed to discover a line of rebellious and free-spirited women who weren’t afraid to stand up for their rights. She also explores the mystery behind her strong connection to the sea. During the filming of this episode, Kerry faces an unexpected and deeply moving personal loss.

In the final episode of the season, respected and celebrated actor and musician John Waters explores his family’s history, embracing working class radicals in his father’s family, and discovering a maternal ancestor at the heart of colonial Caribbean history.

John Waters said: “One of the disappointing things about the family tree done by my uncle that I had researched is that it was a fairly misogynistic thing, and only followed the male line backwards, and women just pop in, have children, and then disappear again. I’m interested in all the women that form an equal part of who I am, about whom just a name has been written on a piece of paper before now.”

Bernadine Lim, SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries said: “We are completely thrilled the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? will return to SBS from May 2, and with such a brilliant line-up of guests. Prepare to be delighted by Barry Humphries’ quest to prove he’s the most interesting person in his family, captivated by Jenny Brockie’s deeply emotional journey as she searches for the familial connections she has yearned for all her life, and moved as Derryn Hinch finally uncovers the long-suppressed identity of his mother’s father. And that’s just the first three episodes! With this new season Who Do You Think You Are? continues to fascinate, amuse and enthral Australian audiences, resonating with our universal desire to discover our origins, in all their diversity.”

Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS. The series airs at 7.30pm Tuesdays on SBS and SBS On Demand, starting 2 May.

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Peter mentioned that in his exit interview on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here last night. He said he found out that his great-grandfather was a World War I veteran, which was the reason he chose Legacy as his charity.

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The episode was filmed in July last year just as Britain was being hit by a heatwave.

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I missed the beginning of the show tonight, but did they “dedicate” the show to Barry Humphries?

I watched the end of the show and nothing was mentioned, so i assume it was done in the opener?

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Yes, there was a still at the start of tonight’s show with the words

In Memoriam

John Barry Humphries

1934-2023

The words were on the bottom left of this photo
Untitled1

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Quite an interesting episode with Stephen Page who discovered he had greatgrandfathers from the Cook Islands and the Philippines.

A lot more interesting than so many celebrities featured who all just have the standard British heritage. Would like to see more people featured with different backgrounds.

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Regardless it’s a great show I enjoy the history that we are given when the celebrity goes to dig their family history .

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2024 upfronts

Who Do You Think You Are?
8 x 1hr

In 2024, SBS will see the return of Who Do You Think You Are?, the popular genealogy series where celebrities play detective returns for its record 15th season. The well-loved Australians tracing their family tree in this season include Miranda Otto, Pat Rafter and Wayne Blair. Who Do You Think You Are? is a Warner Bros. production for SBS.

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Excellent I just watched a few on dvd. The one with Ron Barassi was interesting.

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Manu Feildel, Miranda Otto and Pat Rafter join life-changing new season of Who Do You Think You Are?

New Season Premieres Tuesday May 7 at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand

Manu Feildel, Miranda Otto, Pat Rafter, Kathy Lette, Wayne Blair, Melissa Doyle, Stephen Curry and Heather Ewart join a life-changing new season of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, premiering Tuesday 7 May.

  • Manu Feildel: *“*The fact that I’ve got that line of 175 years in the food industry, I can only be proud. It’s something that I would be happy to tell everyone about, it’s something I cherish.
  • Miranda Otto: “This journey has definitely changed my perception of my family. I learnt some things that kind of consolidated things I already thought, and there were other things that were shocks to me and certainly there were more secrets in my family than I thought.”
  • Pat Rafter *: “*On both sides of my family, I found surprises. On my mother’s side they made their way to Gympie and had a real go in the town. And then on my father’s side seeing a real character, a hot-headed Irishman who came to a hot and brutal part of Australia. Vanilla on one side, chaos on the other side.

Eight new prominent Australian personalities trek across the globe to delve into the mystery of their ancestral pasts in a brand-new season of ***Who Do You Think You Are?***which returns to SBS and SBS on Demand on Tuesday, 7 May at 7.30pm.

In the newest season, Manu Feildel, Miranda Otto and Pat Rafter join the cast of the much-loved genealogy series, following in the footsteps of their ancestors, to understand the global and personal events that shaped their family history. They are joined by Kathy Lette, Wayne Blair, Melissa Doyle, Stephen Curry and Heather Ewart.

Trekking to isolated parts of Australia, Norway, the United Kingdom, the USA, New Zealand, and France, they unearth secrets and stories that profoundly change their understanding of their own family, and ultimately their sense of self. Our celebrities delve into a history that is deeply personal yet has universal reverberations.

In the heart-wrenching first episode of the new season, acclaimed chef and TV personality Manu Feildel travels back to France to discover generations of culinary excellence in his mother’s family and reconnects with his father in an emotional reunion.

“The fact that I’ve got that line of 175 years in the food industry, I can only be proud. It’s something that I would be happy to tell everyone about, it’s something I cherish,” he says.

Manu Feildel – Chalonnes-sur-Loire, France.jpg
Manu Feildel at Chalonnes-sur-Loire, France. Credit: SBS

In episode two, internationally renowned actor, Miranda Otto, from one of Australia’s most celebrated acting dynasties, uncovers a life-changing secret about her dad, Barry Otto. "This journey has definitely changed my perception of my family. I learnt some things that kind of consolidated things I already thought, and there were other things that were shocks to me and certainly there were more secrets in my family than I thought.”

Fierce feminist author, Kathy Lette, sets out on a global quest from Norway to USA to find like-minded formidable female mavericks in her family tree in episode three.

A smiling woman in a sleevless patterned dress and a man in a dark shirt and braces sit on either side of a wooden table. He is pointing to piece of paper on the table, as if explaining something.
Kathy Lette with historian Todd Braisted, in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. Credit: SBS

She says of the experience, “What surprised me the most was how complicated and interesting my ancestors were. You don’t tend to think of them as living, breathing people but they were dealing with all the same personal issues we deal with. Love, loss, lust and so to put the flesh on their bones as a writer particularly I found absolutely intriguing and compelling.”

In episode four, actor and director Wayne Blair uncovers the little-known story of his Woppaburra ancestors from Queensland’s Keppel Islands and discovers an extraordinary twist in his paternal ancestry. Wayne said, “I think this journey has made my perception evolve about my family and it has become more layered and that’s what I’ve loved the most.”

A man in a pale blue shirt stands on a beach, with the sea and coastline behind him.

Wayne Blair explores his family history in ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ Credit: Ryan McCurdy

Former World Number One tennis champion Pat Rafter looks to find some rapscallion ancestors in his family tree in episode five. Encountering a fiery troublemaker, he also confronts a violent past.

“On both sides of my family, I found surprises. On my mother’s side they made their way to Gympie and had a real go in the town. And then on my father’s side seeing a real character, a hot-headed Irishman who came to a hot and brutal part of Australia. Vanilla on one side, chaos on the other side,” Rafter says.

In episode six, 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. “It’s taken them (my ancestors) from being names in history and on the family tree to actual once upon a time living, breathing, working humans who were doing everything for their family. It’s just brought them to life; it’s definitely taken them from black and white to colour,” she says.

Actor Stephen Curry shakes down his maternal family tree, in episode seven, only to uncover more than he bargained for including a courageous, whistle-blowing goldrush banker. “I appreciate now having answers that I never even knew I was looking for,” he says of the experience.

A man and a woman sit at a table in a library. They are looking at a dicusment that sits in front of them.
Stephen Curry with historian Dr Liz Rushen, at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Credit: Ryan McCurdy

In the final episode of the season, award-winning journalist and popular host of the ABC’s Back Roads , Heather Ewart, takes a deep dive into her family’s roots and discovers a religious extremist and a shameful family secret.

Bernadine Lim, SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries says of the on-goingly loved series: “Who Do You Think You Are? is one of SBS’s most beloved and successful series. Through the deeply personal stories of some of Australia’s biggest stars, the program explores the universal desire of wanting to understand our past and where we came from. A fascinating and colourful journey that is often described as life-changing for those involved, the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? promises to captivate and entertain.”

Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS.

The brand-new series airs at 7.30pm Tuesdays on SBS and SBS On Demand, starting 7 May. All eight episodes of Season 15 of Who Do You Think You Are? will be available to stream on SBS On Demand with subtitles in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. All episodes will also be available with audio description.

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Manu features in the weekend magazines in News Corp papers today (link to paywall article below). The article reveals that his father Patrick – a chef – left his mother Evelyne when Manu was a boy of four and his sister a toddler of two. Patrick then remarried and had another family. When Manu was 15 he worked for his father for a year.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/vweekend/celebrity-chef-manu-feildel-reunites-with-his-father-after-seven-years/news-story/02a3a26a339193d3f3c907a774a7f17d