The popularity of genealogy seems to continue to grow, and this is partly to do with the popularity of TV shows such as “Who Do You Think You Are?”.
The program first aired in England showing celebrities tracing their family history, and the interest has grown from there. The UK are currently showing their 8th series, while the 3rd series of the Australian version is due to air later this year. For a full listing of countries and episodes, Wikipedia is the place to check.
Lisa Kudrow, executive producer of the the US version, and also a star in the show, has brought the “Who Do You Think You Are” progam to the United States.
Presented in a similar format as the UK and Australian versions, the show allows you to watch seven US celebrities trace their history, and be truly amazed at what they uncover. Names such as Matthew Broderick, Lisa Kudrow, Spike Lee, Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, and Emmitt Smith all find their history.
“Who Do You Think You Are” (US version) premiers in Australia on Wednesday 28th April, 9.30pm, Channel 9.
If you would like to find out more about the stars of the program, the NBC website has more information (note, they also do have each episode on there, but they’re only viewable if you’re in the US), and also the ‘Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History” by Megan Smolenyak as a companion book to the US series.