Who Do You Think You Are?
BBC ONE, 9.00PM; NOT SCOTLAND; WALES, 11.05PM
The appeal of this ancestry series lies in its subjects and their ancestors. Some turn out to be genealogical epics, others are simply intimate and relatable. The 15th run of this documentary series begins with one that is the latter. Michelle Keegan (who stars in the drama Our Girl) explores the story of her greatgrandmother Leonor.
Keegan begins her quest in Gibraltar and what she discovers begins with a Romeo and Juliet-type tale of forbidden love (this time it was because religion: Leonor was Roman Catholic and Keegan’s great-grandfather was Church of England). On a sadder note, the family was then torn apart by the Second World War. Keegan also learns that she has unexpected roots from elsewhere. A clue: “Mum, I’m drinking a cappuccino, guess where I am.” “Brazil?”, her mother’s reply, is not the answer. But it’s when she goes further back to her great-great-grandmother, who lived in poverty in the early 20th century, that Keegan unearths a special connection to the suffragette movement. For her part, Keegan proves to be an engaging guide. And while it may not be a vintage episode, there’s plenty here to hold the attention.