Entertainment

Charles Dance and Clare Balding to trace family histories

The family history search is back with 10 new celebrities.
The family history search is back with 10 new celebrities. The family history search is back with 10 new celebrities.

Charles Dance, Clare Balding and Ruby Wax are among the stars hoping to uncover their family secrets in the new series of Who Do You Think You Are?.

The popular genealogy show returns for a 14th series this summer with a varied line-up of famous faces hoping to discover all about the unexplored branches of their family trees.

Also on the look-out for fascinating histories are Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, Big Brother presenter Emma Willis, singer Lulu, radio and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, EastEnders actress Lisa Hammond, actor, director and producer Noel Clarke, and actor and writer Adil Ray.

Clare Balding
Clare Balding
Clare Balding will discover more about her ancestors (Niall Carson/PA)

Viewers should look out for Dance discovering the father he never knew, Revel Horwood tracing his family’s performing history in Australia, and Balding finding out more about her great-grandfather’s possibly romantic relationship with a male artist.

The programme will travel to places the series has never been before, including a remote Caribbean island and a kingdom in Uganda.

Tom McDonald, BBC head of commissioning for natural history and specialist factual, said: “Following its recent Bafta success, this new series of Who Do You Think You Are? promises fascinating revelations from some of the UK’s best-loved actors, performers and presenters.

Strictly Come Dancing Launch 2016 – Hertfordshire
Strictly Come Dancing Launch 2016 – Hertfordshire
Craig Revel Horwood will track his Australian roots (Ian West/P)

“The series continues to be our most-watched history series across the BBC – and I know viewers are in for a real treat.”

Recent episodes have seen EastEnder Danny Dyer discover that he was a direct descendant of Edward III, and singer Cheryl track her north-east family’s seafaring past.

:: Who Do You Think You Are? returns to BBC One on July 6 at 9pm.