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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: LizzieW on Friday 11 May 18 11:05 BST (UK)

Title: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: LizzieW on Friday 11 May 18 11:05 BST (UK)
For a list of the celebs in this year's WDYTYA go to

www.rootschat.com/links/01m1n/

Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Mowsehowse on Friday 11 May 18 11:59 BST (UK)
Thanks for this Lizzie.
At least I have heard of the featured celebs this time.  ;)
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: frostyknight on Friday 11 May 18 12:11 BST (UK)
Thanks for that LizzieW. I've heard of all of them this tinmeime except the JLS guy. ☺
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: LizzieW on Friday 11 May 18 12:13 BST (UK)
Reading the piece it seems it's the usual, let's pick someone with Jamaican heritage and send them to Jamaica, someone with South African heritage, send them to South Africa, someone with Irish heritage, send them to Ireland.   :)

frostyknight - the JLS guy is always on TV nowadays, as a presenter or similar.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: frostyknight on Friday 11 May 18 12:16 BST (UK)
He must appear on progs I don't watch so. Though I've not been looking at much tv lately. Looking forward to all the episodes.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: LizzieW on Friday 11 May 18 12:33 BST (UK)
He seems quite a nice guy.  Married to Rochelle one of the Saturdays (a female singing group). 
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: gaffy on Friday 11 May 18 12:53 BST (UK)
When I look back at the series participants, I think there has been a good coverage of genuine celebs, hardly 'a weather man, eight small parts and a widow twanky' in sight, as Fletcher once described a visiting team of 'celebrities' to play soccer with the Slade inmates in Porridge:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Do_You_Think_You_Are%3F_(UK_TV_series)

Looking back at the names in previous series, sad that Brucie (S7 / 2010) is no longer with us and that Barbara Windsor (S3 / 2006) has gone downhill in recent weeks. 

But I'm definitely looking forward to this new series, hopefully it will engage the old grey matter in the otherwise lazy UK summer TV schedules.

Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Ruskie on Friday 11 May 18 13:26 BST (UK)
Looking forward to it even though the only ones I know are Olivia Colman and Boy George.  :)
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Ray T on Friday 11 May 18 14:33 BST (UK)
Yawn! I've heard some of the names but, if you showed me their photographs, I doubt whether I'd be able to name any of them. That said, if you showed them a photo' of me, I'm sure they'd have no idea who I was and, just like me, wouldn't care.

As a format, it's getting a bit dated and it's perhaps as well that, at last, they're getting round to ordinary people nobody's heard of. I just hope that they don't try to appear famous.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Friday 11 May 18 15:14 BST (UK)
Year on year for the last 50 years, celebrities seem to have become much less celebrated.

Martin
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: carol8353 on Friday 11 May 18 23:22 BST (UK)
Quote from: LizzieW on Friday 11 May 18 12:33 BST (UK)
He seems quite a nice guy.  Married to Rochelle one of the Saturdays (a female singing group).

He is a lovely guy,he and his wife did last years Children in Need.

Wasn't he also one of the ones who stripped off with Alexander Armstrong to do the Full Monty for mens cancer?
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: jaybelnz on Friday 11 May 18 23:42 BST (UK)
I'd love to see Lee Mack, but I guess it'll be a number of years before we get it in NZ though! 🙄🙄😒
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: ThrelfallYorky on Saturday 12 May 18 18:02 BST (UK)
I'm quite relieved that the series is coming back, someone seemed to feel that it wouldn't. I may not have heard of all the "Celebs" - and, yes, it does seem a bit formulaic - One with jewish history, one with Jamaican /Carribean history, one from old colonies, one from Ireland, etc ... just as long as they don't use that same illustration of of Irish peasant being turned out of their croft, that seemed to crop up every time someone came from Ireland..
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Top-of-the-hill on Saturday 12 May 18 19:26 BST (UK)
  I know they don't do "ordinary" people, but have they ever had any one with English ag lab ancestors? Then they could show that it was not only Irish/Scottish/Russian/ you name it/ peasants who suffered back in the 1830s.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Ruskie on Saturday 12 May 18 22:12 BST (UK)
Quote from: Top-of-the-hill on Saturday 12 May 18 19:26 BST (UK)
  I know they don't do "ordinary" people, but have they ever had any one with English ag lab ancestors? Then they could show that it was not only Irish/Scottish/Russian/ you name it/ peasants who suffered back in the 1830s.

They need to have an "angle" and they need to have enough factual information about the celeb's family history to be able to pad it out into a narrative. I'm afraid that discovering someone's ancestors were ag labs, finding their births, marriages and deaths, and locating them in the censuses as "ag lab" isn't enough of a story and wouldn't fill out the programme. The only way they could do so would be to add general historical information about ag labs in that time period and that would not specific to the family. The programme would then turn into a documentary about ag labs.  ;)

We have seen celebs with poor or ill ancestors, where records of them can be found eg in the Workhouse or asylum. Not many records were ever taken of our ag labs.

I know the programme is formulaic, but it's still a good way to wile away an hour, and better than lots of the other rubbish on TV.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Finley 1 on Saturday 12 May 18 23:45 BST (UK)




I bought a book written by Dinah O'Dowd  and ....... read a few pages and then put it on one side.. and never picked it up again..

So we shall see.   What her Boy has to say 

but as for the others.. ok.....  not really interested. 

I do not think that the UK Celebs..
* please note I do not like that term at all....
. are really accepting of this programme, I think they themselves are not happy with the format.. Maybe that is why the ones shown..... are a little........ 'Pantomime-ish'

only the opinions of    Xin..   



Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 13 May 18 00:41 BST (UK)
 ;D
Haha Xin, I don't care much for the term "celebs" either, and am generally not a fan of shortening words. I only used it because I always forget how to spell celebreties, and need to google the correct spelling.

As I am on my ipad and find that slower going and more of a pain to look things up whilst writing up a post on rootschat, I decided to take the lazy option and shorten the word.

In addition, for some unknown reason, if I write part of a reply, open a new window to look something up, then return to finish what I was writing, often my whole message is gone .... I didn't want that to happen, hence using "celeb".  ;D
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: KGarrad on Sunday 13 May 18 09:17 BST (UK)
Please remember that WDYTYA is an Entertainment programme, designed to appeal to the masses ;D

And also, a well-known and well-liked celebrity doesn't always make for an interesting programme!
Remember that Michael Parkinson's story was considered too mundane, and never aired. ;)
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: carol8353 on Sunday 13 May 18 09:19 BST (UK)
Quote from: KGarrad on Sunday 13 May 18 09:17 BST (UK)
And also, a well-known and well-liked celebrity doesn't always make for an interesting programme!
Remember that Michael Parkinson's story was considered too mundane, and never aired. ;)

I often find that the 'celeb's I don't like have the most interesting stories.

Were Michael Parkinson's ancestors coal miners? Hard to make an interesting story there I imagine.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Finley 1 on Sunday 13 May 18 10:25 BST (UK)
Quote from: Ruskie on Sunday 13 May 18 00:41 BST (UK)
;D
Haha Xin, I don't care much for the term "celebs" either, and am generally not a fan of shortening words. I only used it because I always forget how to spell celebreties, and need to google the correct spelling.

As I am on my ipad and find that slower going and more of a pain to look things up whilst writing up a post on rootschat, I decided to take the lazy option and shorten the word.

In addition, for some unknown reason, if I write part of a reply, open a new window to look something up, then return to finish what I was writing, often my whole message is gone .... I didn't want that to happen, hence using "celeb".  ;D


OH dear Ruskie,

my moan was a generality and not aimed at you xx

So forgive me if it seems that way.. Some days the on switch only flickers in my brain :)  it needs a new fuse


ha ha ... sorry


xin
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 13 May 18 14:16 BST (UK)
That's fine Xin.  ;)

 ;D
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: BillyF on Sunday 13 May 18 14:56 BST (UK)
I`m looking forward to a new series, and I have heard of all the people on the upcoming episodes. Some not my favourites, but their ancestor`s stories might turn out to be interesting.

Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: kerryb on Sunday 13 May 18 15:12 BST (UK)
Thanks Lizzie and I'm looking forward to it.  Some names I know better than others but I prepare to be surprised. 

Yes it may be a bit dated but I would still prefer to watch wdytya than the endless antique, cooking, reality tv or endless football which now seems to be every flipping night!

Kerryb
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: andrewalston on Sunday 13 May 18 19:36 BST (UK)
Quote from: kerryb on Sunday 13 May 18 15:12 BST (UK)
Yes it may be a bit dated but I would still prefer to watch wdytya than the endless antique, cooking, reality tv or endless football which now seems to be every flipping night!

Kerryb
Don't worry! The footy season is now ending, so there will be a break before it next takes over our schedules....


…. of about three days.

There will be "friendlies", cup matches, internationals, matches between foreign teams you've never heard of (all preceded by an hour of inane waffle beforehand, and a further 90 minutes after) ...

...and then endless tennis, snooker and darts tournaments, each of which will be televised for more than 12 hours a day. Some of these will overlap so that you will consider violence against their organisers.

Some of us may have to hide in the pub (the one without a telly).  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: sallyyorks on Sunday 13 May 18 22:36 BST (UK)
Quote from: carol8353 on Sunday 13 May 18 09:19 BST (UK)

Were Michael Parkinson's ancestors coal miners? Hard to make an interesting story there I imagine.

An industry that goes back to Roman times. The engineering, the industrial revolution, the fight to end child labour (particularly after the Huskar disaster, which happened not far from where Michael Parkinson is from), the Royal Commission into conditions. The well documented stories of the women who worked in them, the 'pit brow lasses'. The rise of the trade unions, the evictions of miners and their familes, and the lock outs. The general stikes (1842 and 1926 in particular), the last miners strike 1980s...


WDYTYA are not interested in English working class history, so don't expect any middle class BBC tears and handwringing over the turnip pickers, the industrial spinners and weavers, the coal miners, or the hawkers and chimney sweeps. It will be off on the jollys again, to India, Ireland Jamaica, and so on. Rinse and repeat


Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: KGarrad on Monday 14 May 18 08:29 BST (UK)
Quote from: sallyyorks on Sunday 13 May 18 22:36 BST (UK)
WDYTYA are not interested in English working class history, so don't expect any middle class BBC tears and handwringing over the turnip pickers, the industrial spinners and weavers, the coal miners, or the hawkers and chimney sweeps. It will be off on the jollys again, to India, Ireland Jamaica, and so on. Rinse and repeat

Maybe because the General Public aren't interested in such stories?
Family Historians may well be interested; but (as I said) WDYTYA isn't aimed at FH's.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: heywood on Monday 14 May 18 09:22 BST (UK)
I agree KGarrad.
I am sure that some celebrities will have working class roots and the list of places reflects the diversity of our past.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: ThrelfallYorky on Monday 14 May 18 10:20 BST (UK)
...but it's still better than no programmes about any aspects of Family History!
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: philipsearching on Monday 14 May 18 15:06 BST (UK)
I confess I haven't heard of many of the people, but that doesn't matter to me.  I just enjoy the interesting stories the researchers dig up.

WDYTYA may have its weaknesses, but if it draws in people interested in "celebs" and sparks an interest in family history to a new audience that alone makes it useful.

What I would really like to see is a Time Team style programme with a bunch of experts and locals digging into archives - but I don't think I'll ever see one on national TV.  Maybe local history groups could film their activities for local viewing?
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: Archivos on Tuesday 22 May 18 11:40 BST (UK)
Quote from: philipsearching on Monday 14 May 18 15:06 BST (UK)
I confess I haven't heard of many of the people, but that doesn't matter to me.  I just enjoy the interesting stories the researchers dig up.

WDYTYA may have its weaknesses, but if it draws in people interested in "celebs" and sparks an interest in family history to a new audience that alone makes it useful.

What I would really like to see is a Time Team style programme with a bunch of experts and locals digging into archives - but I don't think I'll ever see one on national TV.  Maybe local history groups could film their activities for local viewing?
The BBC's 'Murder, Mystery and My Family' was kind of like that, I think - I didn't see a full episode though, so I'm not exactly sure of the format but the glimpse I did see involved a relative looking through old newspapers or something of that ilk to find out information.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: coombs on Thursday 24 May 18 12:58 BST (UK)
I have seen the odd episode of Judge Rinder but switched off for good because he is so crude and rude and is a wannabe Judge Judy and will never ever be a Judge Judy. But I will be interested in his WDYTYA episode, we may see him in a different light. I have seen his "Judge Rinder's Crime Stories" and he is much more humble on that.

As said the new WDYTYA is the usual bog standard tear jerker, or the link to royalty, historic figures.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: ThrelfallYorky on Thursday 24 May 18 16:12 BST (UK)
"Judge Rinder"? - What is that?
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: carol8353 on Thursday 24 May 18 16:31 BST (UK)
Quote from: ThrelfallYorky on Thursday 24 May 18 16:12 BST (UK)
"Judge Rinder"? - What is that?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Rinder
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: ThrelfallYorky on Friday 25 May 18 00:27 BST (UK)
Well, I've learned something now.... doesn't sound my sort of thing, at all. Thanks for the info, Carol8353.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: chirp on Saturday 26 May 18 11:31 BST (UK)
Like several other contributors to this thread I only know who two of these people are. I don't watch much mainstream TV. I will continue to watch WDYTYA as I usually find the stories interesting whoever the subject is. Someone mentioned that it is sad that a former participant, Bruce Forsyth, is no longer with us. That is true and don't forget also John Hurt and Robin Gibb. I can think of several people whose family stories I would like to see featured: I think Tony Robinson would make a good subject (I don't think he has appeared on the programme, if he has I missed it), also geneticist Steve Jones as he would add a very interesting slant to the programme.
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: carol8353 on Tuesday 29 May 18 11:48 BST (UK)
New Series starts next week 6th June 9pm on BBC1, the first one is Michelle Keegan (Our Girl and Corrie)
Title: Re: Who Do You Think You Are 2018 celebs named
Post by: andrewalston on Tuesday 29 May 18 13:02 BST (UK)
The Michelle Keegan episode is separated from the rest of the series. It's on at this time because there is a suffragette angle, which fits in with the seasonal "theme".