WDYTYA The Reality A Letter to BBC

[Ruskie]

Many years ago Gordon Honeycombe who was a newsreader on ITV researched his own ancestry. ITV filmed his efforts - think it was a series of 6 half hour programmes.

This was the days before the Internet so was quite interesting. It showed him going to the record offices and eventually going to the Channel Islands where he had found his ancestors had lived and died.

Gordon alsowrote a book with photo's of his travels plus how he proceeded and where to go, which I got out of my local library and found it so fascinating it started me off of doing my village history.

From what I remember it was Gordon who initiated the research and not ITV. He wanted to find out more about his name and where it came from. Think it was only filmed because of who he was.

Jean

Well that's a great idea for a programme which woudl still work today. The celebs would have to be genuinely interested, so most of their own leg work, and of course it can be edited to fit into X number of programmes. Of course they need not be people in the public eye, but it'd pull in a larger audience if they were. 

I'd watch that!

[Sarndra]

Hi All,
i am writting a letter to the producers of WDYTYA, asking for a more realistic series, as to just how hard Genealogy really is.
The TV series is good, but they make it look so easy.
WHAM here is your relative
Bam here is your certificates 
OH and look you can park any where. WRONG. 
They always find the Births, Deaths and census records.
oh and the passenger lists. 
They don't say be prepared for the long haul and the dis sapointments.
Not everyone can just jump on the nearest plane or train 
They don't mention all the expense, or where you can find documents.

When this letter has been completed and is ready for mailing, a copy will be added here, along with any reply.

Unfortunately that's what you get with reality tv.  This doesn't just affect WDYTYA...but also programmes like Time Team....i know archaeologists...there's a lot of hard slog to get even one iota of evidence at times... in a lot worse conditions.  These things are planned and edited to pieces... it's the nature of the beast, but yes i do agree, it gives a skewed image of the true work in researching our family.

Cheers
Sarndra

[FraserandFraser]

Fraser's offered to do a WDYTYA program with a member of the public possibly as a prize, but never received a response. We wanted to make it in the Heir Hunters style and show just how hard some research can be, but also how quick we could do it with all the tools. The BBC still has to be very careful when dealing with prizes though, dont want to be following a BBC staff members family people may find out.

For your info as well some Heir hunters are to be repeated in the summer in fact quite a lot may be as much as 8 weeks worth of series 2 and 3, in the 9.15am slot on BBC1, I am told.

We are filming series 5 at the moment but they are not due to be shown until Christmas, but if any one has any stories please just drop me an email.

Neil

[Deb D]

Oh nooooooo!  Neil, ... didn't hear about that, down here in Oz!  Would definitely have entered!

[drodgers34]

Perhaps a way to get closer would be to have a 30m program after an episode entitled "Making WDYTYA" They still feature the celebrity but show some of the nitty gritty stuff

That way they could touch on some of the issues

- Professional v amateur research
- Decision process on which ancestors to study in detail
- Some of the areas to look for particular subject matter

They do it well with Dr Who - could be be a subject ?

[Ruskie]

Perhaps a way to get closer would be to have a 30m program after an episode entitled "Making WDYTYA" They still feature the celebrity but show some of the nitty gritty stuff

That way they could touch on some of the issues

- Professional v amateur research
- Decision process on which ancestors to study in detail
- Some of the areas to look for particular subject matter

They do it well with Dr Who - could be be a subject ?

This is a fabulous idea, and should have even wider appeal than the programme alone. 

[jksdelver]

I agree entirely. Her in doors recorded one on TV the other day and that archivist actually took the burial register out of the record office. She was showing the celebrity where a relative lived and died and then produced the register to show where she was buried in the PC up the road

[Plummiegirl]

DRODGER

Dr. Who - Confidential
Torchwood - Declassified
WDYTYA - Reality/Tracked/Explored and a myriad of others

[millymcb]

When it first started they did do an extra programme (on the red button bit) with Nick Barratt. But they say they don't need to do it anymore as all the information is on their website and in the magazine.  I'd lstill ove to see a proper behind the scenes programme on BBC3.

Milly