"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Series 2

'We welcome the return of the impeccable Who Do You Think You Are? (opening with Ron Barassi) '

The Sunday Age

'Outstanding, at times touching and very, very real’

Sydney Morning Herald 5/10/09

‘A compelling, lovely adaption of an excellent British format’

Sydney morning herald- Sydney TV

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— from adultery and madness to children born out of wedlock and even the whiff of a right royal scandal—with each individual discovering that their ancestors form an integral part of not only their own identity, but that of the nation.

Considering Australia’s multicultural background, this is a global story, with each celebrity tracing their ancestors around the world. They travel to the places where their forebears would have lived, loved and died, and learn about the hardships and hurdles their ancestors overcame. This is a fascinating chronicle of the social, ethnic and cultural evolution of Australia’s national identity.

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.

Sigrid Thornton

Actress 

Broadcast Date: Sunday October 4  2009 at 7.30pm

Australian film and TV industry luminary, actress Sigrid Thornton has cornered the market in feisty leading roles. She is best known recently for her role as the relationship-challenged magistrate Laura in Sea Change. In “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” she embarks on a journey into her ancestry uncovering a genetic tendency to get into trouble with the law.

Ben Mendelsohn

Actor

Broadcast Date: Sunday October 11th 2009 at 7.30pm

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. In ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?’ 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.

Christine Anu         

Singer and Indiginous/ Australian Icon   

Broadcast Date: Sunday October 18th 2009 at 7.30pm

Singer Christine Anu’s ancestry is from the Torres Straits Islands. She would like to understand why music is so important in her life. Her ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?’ journey takes her to England and the Torres Straits Islands where she discovers a heritage of music and culture, beyond her wildest dreams.

Maggie Beer

Celebrity Chef and Gourmet Guru  

Broadcast Date: Sunday October 25 2009 at 7.30pm

Celebrity “Cook” Maggie Beer is probably best known for being half of the TV duo “The Cook and The Chef”.  In “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” she embarks on a journey into her ancestry discovering a convict bigamist with a penchant for very tall tales.

John Butler             

Musician and Activist

Broadcast Date: Sunday November 1 2009 at 7.30pm

Rock star and activist John Butler is searching for his heritage hoping to find poets, musicians and revolutionaries. In “Who Do You Think You Are?”  he 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.