Celebrities including BAFTA-winning actor Andrew Garfield and chart-topping pop star Will Young will trace their family history in this year’s series of Who Do You Think You Are?
The beloved family history TV programme is due to return to BBC One in spring 2025 and will follow eight celebrities, also including actor and journalist Ross Kemp and comedian Diane Morgan, as they discover their family’s stories around the world and across 800 years of history.
Simon Young, BBC Head of History, said: “The stellar line-up this year is a real treat for our audiences. But so is the history, from the shock of a royal ancestor to epic stories of survival. And that’s why this series endures, because it hints at the amazing family micro-histories that make all of us who we are.”
Colette Flight, executive producer for Wall to Wall Media, said: “Spanning centuries and travelling the globe, Who Do You Think You Are? is back, with eight much-loved celebrities to entertain and captivate us as they delve into their family histories. As they discover their ancestors’ adventures, triumphs, trials and tribulations, their rich family stories reveal incredible snapshots of history, including one of the greatest villains of Medieval England, the evacuation at Dunkirk, rescuing art looted by the Nazis, and the birth of American Independence.”
Who Do You Think You Are? 2025 celebrities
Andrew Garfield
BAFTA-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor Andrew Garfield is best known for playing Spider-Man across three films and starring in films including The Social Network and Tick, Tick… Boom! On Who Do You Think You Are?, he will embark on a family history journey of emotional contrasts, from pre-war Poland, to the Treblinka Nazi death camp, to the sunshine and glamour of early Hollywood.
Will Young
Pop star and actor Will Young won the first series of Pop Idol in 2002 and since then has sold over eight million albums and recorded many number one hits. On Who Do You Think You Are?, he will discover that his grandfather was a Bomber Command pilot in the Second World War who was captured by the Germans and, further back, a connection to royalty in his family tree.
Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp became famous for playing Grant Mitchell on EastEnders before presenting a series of acclaimed documentaries. On Who Do You Think You Are?, he will find an ancestor who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and a family mystery that takes him to Casablanca.
Diane Morgan
Actor and comedian Diane Morgan created the famously clueless character of Philomena Cunk. But on Who Do You Think You Are?, she gets to do some real-life learning, involving a poignant love story and her ancestor’s brave fight for the rights of her illegitimate children.
Mishal Husain
Journalist and Today programme presenter Mishal Husain will trace her family history from India to the USA, including an ancestor who was a personal physician to a Maharaja.
Aisling Bea
Comedian and actor Aisling Bea is best-known for creating the acclaimed TV series This Way Up. On Who Do You Think You Are?, she will discover a family history of violent tragedy, female resilience and a passion for Irish independence.
Fred Sirieix
Fred Sirieix, best-known for serving as the Maître d' on First Dates, will trace his family history in France, including a wartime romance and a connection to winemaking.
Layton Williams
Actor, singer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Layton Williams will investigate his London roots, revealing a surprising musical connection, before travelling to Jamaica where he will uncover some distressing family history.
