The pair feature in the new BBC1 series of Who Do You Think You Are? described by producers as “exceptional”
17:33, 29 Mar 2026Updated 19:24, 29 Mar 2026
Zoe Ball is moved to tears as she delves into the stories of her ancestors in both Cornwall and Scotland(Image: BBC)
The 23rd series of Who Do You Think You Are? Will see Mr Bates vs the Post Office star Toby Jones making an “astonishing discovery” about his lineage in north India, Zoe Ball unearthing a tragedy in her Cornish roots and Strictly’s Amy Dowden solving a murder and finding an emotional story in her ancestry with parallels to her own life.
The BAFTA-winning BBC series has landed an “exceptional” cast for 2026, which also features actors Adeel Akhtar, Dame Harriet Walter and Ruth Madeley, Olympic gold-medalist Katarina Johnson-Thompson and TV favourite Joe Swash.
Spanning many centuries, the upcoming run of the hit genealogy show sees the eight famous faces uncover extraordinary stories of love, loss, rebellion and resilience as they journey across the UK and further afield, to destinations including Australia, Tasmania, Italy, India, the Bahamas and Kenya as they find out the truth about their lineage.
Dancer Amy has had a turbulent time over the past couple of years but now she’s delving into the lives of her ancestors – and there is one story which has parallels to her own(Image: BBC)
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For her episode Strictly Come Dancing favourite Amy Dowden, 35, took time out from her beloved dance floor to solve a family murder, with the investigation leading her to a West Wales farmhouse and a valley named after her ancestor. The professional dancer, who recently beat breast cancer, also unravels an emotional story with powerful parallels to her own life.
Murdered by My Father actor Adeel, 45, who won best actor at the TV BAFTAs in 2017, traces his Indian-Kenyan roots and discovers a family secret as he stumbles on his ancestors’ pioneering role in the foundation of Nairobi. Olivier and Emmy award-winning actor Dame Harriet Walter uncovers a family member’s secret intelligence role during the Second World War. The 75-year-old actress, whose recent roles have included Succession, The Crown and Killing Eve, also delves into the scandalous life of one of her noble Italian ancestors.
Fellow national treasure Toby Jones investigates a family rumour that leads him from the Theatre Royal in Margate to Meerut, in North India. When he arrives at the place where his great‑great‑grandfather was stationed with the British Army, the actor, 59, makes an “astonishing” discovery about his ancestor.
Toby Jones’ search for stories takes him all the way to India(Image: BBC)
Dame Harriet is not not the only celeb travelling into mediterranean Europe as former EastEnders star and I’m a Celebrity winner Joe Swash’s journey into his past takes him from Little Italy to southern Italy. When he gets there Joe, 44, uncovers a “dramatic” family tale of outlaws and crime.
Olympic, Commonwealth and World Champion heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson explores her Bahamian roots in the Exuma Islands. The sports star, 33, traces her family’s courageous migration to Miami in the US at a time of racial segregation and during the terrifying rise of the Ku Klux Klan.
Alongside them Doctor Who actor Ruth Madeley, 38, digs out a long-buried family secret about an adoption, using DNA testing and meticulous genealogical detective work to uncover a long lost family member. And TV and radio presenter Zoe Ball explores both her Scottish and Cornish roots to discover a tragic tale of hardship and survival.
Sports star Katarina Johnson-Thompson finds that her ancestors had run ins with the klu-klux klan, in Miami(Image: BBC)
BBC history commissioning boss Simon Young told The Mirror: “This series never fails to astonish and surprise. And in all of the hidden histories it uncovers – aided by the generosity and openness of a simply exceptional cast – we can find a sample of the incredible richness and diversity that makes up modern Britain. Who Do You Think You Are? is social history that brings us all together.”
Executive producer Colette Flight, from Wall to Wall Media, said she was delighted to have landed eight more of the nation’s best-loved celebrities to solve mysteries about their distant relatives. “We see their astonishment, delight, laughter and tears as they discover how the incredible stories of their ancestors have shaped their family, and them,” she explained. “Along the way they learn about the dramatic social forces and historical events that impacted their families, from Victorian silent prisons to the American civil rights movement and from Italian brigands to bankruptcy.”
The first four episodes of the series will launch on BBC1 this spring, while the remaining four will follow, after a break, in the summer.
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