Who Do You Think You Are?

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE-BBC?", is a British TV show that has been running since 2004. It is a genealogical documentary series that unveils the family history of different well know individuals living today.

Personal History has been a passion for millions of individuals and families world wide. There are companies that have been developed to supply these genealogists with the records they need to trace their ancestry and create their own personal family histories. FOOTNOTE.COM is one of these organizations. They have teamed up with the National Archives and a number of other archival institutions to help people connect to their past. Some of the celebrities featured in this BBC TV show have been Jeremy Irons, Davina McCall, and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. The show runs for an hour with no commercial breaks. There is a great Facebook site that one can refer to, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE - LIVE". Become a fan!

Wall to Wall productions, a part of Shed Media Group created "Who Do You Think You Are?" to help the public quench their thirst for information concerning the rich and famous. Not only are celebrities personal lives open to view, but now we can uncover the courageous and possibly soiled acts committed throughout their families history!

"Who Do You Think You Are?" not only continues to run in England, but it is also broadcast in Australia, Canada, Ireland and Sweden. The biggest announcement lately has been that the US is going to be the next country to adopt this new series!

NBC has announced a new reality TV series premiering March 5th, 2010 at 8/7c as mentioned in the comment below. The US's version of "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE" will take a celebrity, trace his/her family history, and present the results of their genealogical research to the public. If the show follows the same pattern as her BBC sister, it will be a weekly production. Even though this new series will be in an hour time slot, with commercials, it will run about 42 minutes.

The executive producer of the show is none other than Lisa Kidrow. She will share the spotlight with Sarah Jessica Parker and Susan Surandon. They will be the first celebrities exploring their family histories on the this new live TV show. It doesn't look like NBC is holding anything back from this family history expose'. Fed by genealogical research, celebrities will be taken on a journey through their families history. Stories of courage and heroism will likely be found, along with some disappointing discoveries as well. What impact did their families have on this country? What kind of personalities existed that match their own?  All of these facts will rise to the surface as we take our journey through the lives of these famous people. Reality shows have taken over the air waves, but I believe this new series is the first to link the present with the past.

It is hard to say what effect "Who Do You Think You Are" will have on our country. I am sure that a show on TV which traces the family history of living celebrities will increase the common US citizens desire to discover their own. Connections will be made as they were when PRESIDENT BUSH discovered that he was related to both Dick Chaney, and Barak Obama! Genealogical research will surly increase as people begin to see what a closely knit group of people we really are.

The seven celebrities being featured this year will be EMMITT SMITH, LISA KUDROW, SUSAN SERANDON, SARAH JESSICA PARKER, MATTHEW BRODERICK, BROOK SHIELDS and SPIKE LEE.

Humorous and serious facts have already come out about certain celebrities. Imagine what we will find in their pasts. I can see Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Angelina Jolie, Tiger Woods or numerous others being showcased in the future.The sky is the limit with this exciting new TV endeavor!

Overall, this is one of the most positive reality shows to come out in a long time. If it receives the attention it has in other countries this new series could produce years of exciting episodes. Tracing our ancestors helps us to understand who we are. I look forward to seeing the first edition and the discoveries that are made! To know who you are you need to know where you came from!!

REGISTER NOW ON FOOTNOTE, AND FIND THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE"!

The first show has previewed and has received different reviews. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES was critical of the show and how Sarah Jessica Parker seemed to be overacting after the shows she has done. I saw the show and have to agree in part that the acting was seemed cotrived not real. However the history and the actual findings were great. We were taken from Ohio to the Gold Fields in California and then on to the 17th century Salem Witch Trials in Massachussetts.