".. explores the family histories of its subjects with class and humour. Verdict: A Hit." - Michael Idato, SMH, 31/12/07.

"..its the most engaging detective series in years"- Doug Anderson, SMH, 11/1/08

"..surprising, extraordinary and often moving" Sunday Telegraph

Well-known Australians play detective as they go in search of their family history, revealing secrets from the past. Taking us to all corners of Australia and the globe are six stories of individuals seeking to find the definitive answer to where they came from. Along the way secrets are uncovered and histories are revealed—with each individual discovering that their ancestors form an integral part of not only their own identity, but that of the nation. Combining emotional and personal journeys with big-picture history, these inspiring and sometimes challenging stories remind us how Australians have come to be the people that we are today.

Based on the smash hit BBC series Who Do You Think You Are?, each episode will profile an Australian celebrity tracing their family tree.

The original UK series was created and produced by Wall to Wall Media.

Kate Ceberano         

Singer and performer  

Broadcast Date: Sunday 20th January 2008

Kate Ceberano is convinced she descended from ‘pirates and bums’ but as she delves into her family tree she uncovers links to an artistic past. Kate’s expectation of pirates and bums is squashed when she learns that one early ancestor, an entrepreneurial Swede, sunk arterial wells in the Mallee region of Australia. On the trail of a mysterious Spanish sea captain, she heads to Tasmania where she finds, to her delight, a relationship with music teacher turned artist Henry Mundy. Kate will cross cities and cultures in the search of her past, uncovering pioneers and colonialists along the way.

"..the enthusiasm of the people in this series is strangely infectious...When an exhuberant Ceberano declares, "I now have an answer to the question 'why do you do what you do?' ", we understand. More please." - Conrad Walters, SMH, 20/1/08

Geoffrey Robertson            

QC and Human Rights Advocate

Broadcast Date: Sunday January 27th 2008

Geoffrey Robertson QC believes that it is nature not nurture that shapes our moral integrity, but does his family history provide an aside to his theory? Fifth generation Australian Geoffrey has lived in London for decades, but he remains proudly Australian. He traces his Scottish ancestors—early mountain cattlemen who were the first of the self-made Robertsons in Australia—as well as another part of his family, ensconced in a life of wealth and privilege. Within his family history he finds links to royal patronage, the whiff of a cover-up and even a royal scandal. His own family, he discovers, is a perfect example of the cultural and ethnic melting pot that makes up Australia.  

"..the picture created is often not what the subject thought they knew and the real pleasure is in the unfolding.."- Gordon Farrar, The Age 27/1/08

Catherine Freeman

Olympic Gold Medallist  

Broadcast Date: Sunday 3rd February 2008

Athlete Catherine Freeman goes in search of the source of her drive and determination, unearthing an unexpected family heritage. Gold medallist in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Catherine is an inspiration to many. She possesses an irrepressible pride in her country and her people. Her strong sense of identity is something she believes has been passed down from her ancestors. Her mother Cecelia was born on Palm Island, a penal settlement for Aborigines and her father Norman, also a 'Murri', was a rugby league footballer, but little more of the family history is known. Now she's on a journey to find out where her fighting spirit comes from.

"Cathy Freeman's golden run at the Sydney 2000 Olympics showed true determination- a quality exhibited again here when she traces her family heritage. Cathy discovers many unsettling facts, in particular how her forebears were treated by government policy, which gives this revealing story an emotional edge."  TV Week 2/2/08 

Dennis Cometti

Sporting Commentator Extraordinaire  

Broadcast Date: Sunday 10th February 2008

Sports commentator Dennis Cometti finds mystery, murder and a gift for the gab as he follows his family tree back to Australia’s settlement. From a remote Western Australian goldfield to northern Italy, Dennis uncovers a rich Italian heritage before heading to east coast Australia where several more surprises–and more than one shady character–are revealed. It is a journey that leaves him with a lifetime of anecdotes and an extended family he never imagined possible.

The endeavours seems so unrehearsed it appears the camera crew is there on the off-chance he will meet someone related to his grandfather…If the stories are as unrehearsed as they seem - and this is a large part of the charm- how could they be so sure of the unexpected dimensions that emerge? - Larry Schwartz, The Age, 7/2/08

Ita Buttrose

Publishing Pioneer 

Broadcast Date: Sunday 17th February 2008

Media personality and publisher Ita Buttrose discovers determination and drive may be hereditary as she puts her journalistic skills to the test to trace her global family. She knows of a relation named William Butters who sailed from Scotland to Adelaide but not how the family name changed from Butters to Buttrose. Following her maternal side, Ita discovers she has a strong Jewish connection, including a chief rabbi, in her family. She traces her Jewish ancestors to New York and Hungary. Along the way she hopes to find out if the Buttrose will to ‘fight the system’ is flowing through her veins.