FUNNY RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Lee Mack learns how his ancestor told jokes for the troops, in the new series of Who Do You Think You Are?

As a young stand-up comedian, Lee Mack would have performed in some pretty hostile environments. But none were remotely as tough as the ones faced by his paternal great-grandfather Billy Mac.

As Lee discovers to his amazement in the new series of Who Do You Think You Are?, Billy was part of a concert party called The Optimists who performed on the frontline at The Battle Of The Somme, during World War I.

‘He would have fought in the morning – he was one of the first soldiers to be involved in the Battle Of The Somme – may have been shot at or even killed someone, and then told jokes to his fellow troops in the afternoon, in sight of the trenches,’ says Lee. ‘What he did was extraordinary and was such brave, important work in keeping up morale.’

Would I Lie To You? star Lee also shines a light on the romantic side of his great-grandfather’s life, in a series that returns this week with an episode featuring Broadchurch star Olivia Colman.

‘Billy Mac ended up marrying an autograph hunter after he’d performed on stage in my home town of Southport,’ reveals Lee.

No episode of the programme would be complete without a little scandal, and Lee finds more than a whiff of that when he delves into the past of his late maternal grandfather Joe in Ireland.

Joe’s mother Delia falsely claimed to be married on a census form in 1911, rather than reveal she was a single mother. Later, she left Joe with her parents Thomas and Mary in County Mayo while she forged a new life in Canada. ‘My opinion of Delia changed over the course of my research,’ says Lee. ‘I started off feeling cold towards her for leaving her baby, less so when I discovered that she may well have been sent to Canada by her dad.’

Lee uncovers a far from happy childhood for Joe, to whom the comedian became close while he was growing up in Southport. His trip to Ireland reveals that Joe grew up in a house with his grandparents that doubled as an illegal pub, for which his grandfather was fre- quently prosecuted. Records also show that the house in Ballina was caught in crossfire during the Irish Civil War, with windows smashed and doors damaged.

‘There was no doubt Grandad Joe was a worrier when I knew him,’ says Lee. ‘Now I can sort of see why.’

Lee’s episode can be seen next week, while later shows in the series feature Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, Boy George, barrister Robert

Rinder, athlete Jonnie Peacock and TV host Marvin Humes.

This week, Olivia Colman can barely speak for tears as she discovers heartbreak in her family, in the late 18th century. Diaries written by Olivia’s five times great-grandmother Harriot reveal her sadness at leaving her two sons at boarding school in England, as she returns home to Portugal. ‘They were the same age as my boys, nine and 11,’ sobs Olivia, who nonetheless describes filming her programme as an incredible journey of discovery.

‘I went to India and the Scottish Highlands and discovered a relative from France. I thought there was no one exotic in my family. How wrong I was!’ Who Do You Think You Are? returns on Monday at 9pm on BBC1.

BILLY MAC THOMAS FARRELL Lee’s paternal great-grandfather served during World War I and entertained fellow troops when not fighting – he is seen here in costume. Billy died in 1959 aged 70. Lee’s great-great-grandfather, who helped bring up his grandson Joe with his wife Mary and turned the family home into an illicit drinking den.

A former stable boy, the father of three has written and starred in nine series of hit BBC sitcom Not Going Out, and appeared as a team captain on panel show Would I Lie To You? since 2007. Lee’s greatgrandmother became pregnant but never revealed the name of the boy’s father. She emigrated from Ireland to Canada, leaving her son Joe with her parents.ROGUE RELATIVEThe episode of WDYTYA featuring Sir Bruce Forsyth in July 2010 attracted the largest audience – more than 7.2m tuned in to hear about his philandering great-great-grandfather, John Forsyth-Johnson.