Returning to our screens next week is Who Do You Think You Are? – the BBC's genealogy docu-series where celebrities track their family trees and learn more about their ancestors.

Advertisement

The long-running show has seen many A-listers stop by over the years, however series 18 is shaping up to feature one of the most exciting celebrity line-ups to date. Dame Judi Dench is tracing her family tree, as well as Strictly Come Dancing alumni Joe Sugg and Alex Scott, who each star in their own individual episodes.

Read on for everything you need to know about Who Do You Think You Are's 2021 series and which celebrities will be taking part this year.

Who Do You Think You Are 2021 series release date

Series 18 of Who Do You Think You Are? begins on Tuesday 12th October at 9pm on BBC One.

The seven-part series will continue to air every Tuesday from next week onwards.

More like this

Who Do You Think You Are 2021 celebrities

Pixie Lott, Joe Lycett, and Alex Scott
Pixie Lott, Joe Lycett, and Alex Scott BBC

The upcoming series of Who Do You Think You Are? will see a host of stellar celebrities learn about their ancestral history, beginning with comedian Josh Widdicombe in episode one finding out that he descends from royalty, and Dame Judi Dench in episode two.

Series 18 will also feature politician Ed Balls, who learns about an ancestor who lived through agricultural depression in the 1820s, and singer Pixie Lott, who discovers the harrowing experiences of her great grandfather in the First World War.

Comedian Joe Lycett is the subject of one episode as he discovers a dark side to his family history, while presenter Alex Scott also appears in this series to explore the Jewish ancestry on her mother's side and her father's Jamaican ancestry.

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Joe Sugg brings his sister Zoe – YouTube's Zoella – along for an episode as they explore their family tree.

What is Who Do You Think You Are about?

Who Do You Think You Are? is the BBC's long-running docu-series, where celebrities enlist the help of genealogists to look into their ancestral history.

Since first airing in 2004, the series has won two BAFTAs and inspired a number of international spin-offs.

Over the years, the likes of Kate Winslet, Daniel Radcliffe, Anita Rani, Graham Norton and other UK stars have taken part in the show.

Who narrates Who Do You Think You Are?

Actor and director Phil Davis (Poldark, Silk, Sherlock) narrates Who Do You Think You Are? and has done so since 2017.

Previous narrators have included Cherie Lunghi, Mark Strong and David Morrissey.

Advertisement

The new series of Who Do You Think You Are? begins on Tuesday 12th October at 9pm on BBC One. Find out what else to watch with our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Documentaries hub.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement