Series synopsis
Who Do You Think You Are? is an American documentary family television series that premiered on NBC on March 5, 2010. It ended on August 14, 2022. It was created by Alex Graham. It stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Lisa Kudrow, Brooke Shields and Susan Sarandon.
From roots in the Deep South to the slums of New Jersey, "Who Do You Think You Are?" follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts.
Premise
From roots in the Deep South to the slums of New Jersey, "Who Do You Think You Are?" follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Sarah Jessica Parker as Self
- Lisa Kudrow as Self
- Brooke Shields as Self
- Susan Sarandon as Self
- Matthew Broderick as Self
- Spike Lee as Self
- Billy Porter as Self
- Nick Offerman as Self
Supporting cast
- Allison Janney as Self
- Zachary Levi as Self
- Bradley Whitford as Self
- Zachary Quinto as Self
- Lea Michele as Self
- Emmitt Smith as Self
- Vanessa Williams as Self
- Tim McGraw as Self
- Rosie O'Donnell as Self
- Kim Cattrall as Self
- Lionel Richie as Self
- Steve Buscemi as Self
Guest cast
- Sarah Jessica Parker as Self
- Lisa Kudrow as Self
- Brooke Shields as Self
- Susan Sarandon as Self
- Matthew Broderick as Self
- Spike Lee as Self
- Billy Porter as Self
- Nick Offerman as Self
- Allison Janney as Self
- Zachary Levi as Self
- Bradley Whitford as Self
- Zachary Quinto as Self
Episodes
This series spans 20 seasons with 139 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | July 11, 2007 | August 6, 2014 |
| Season 1 | 7 | March 5, 2010 | April 30, 2010 |
| Season 2 | 8 | February 4, 2011 | April 8, 2011 |
| Season 3 | 12 | February 3, 2012 | May 18, 2012 |
| Season 4 | 8 | July 23, 2013 | September 10, 2013 |
| Season 5 | 6 | July 23, 2014 | April 26, 2015 |
| Season 6 | 8 | March 8, 2015 | April 26, 2015 |
| Season 7 | 6 | July 26, 2015 | August 30, 2015 |
| Season 8 | 6 | April 3, 2016 | April 24, 2017 |
| Season 9 | 8 | March 5, 2017 | April 24, 2017 |
| Season 10 | 6 | May 21, 2018 | June 18, 2018 |
| Season 11 | 4 | December 3, 2018 | August 14, 2022 |
| Season 12 | 6 | July 10, 2022 | August 14, 2022 |
| Season 13 | 10 | November 24, 2016 | March 8, 2017 |
| Season 14 | 10 | July 6, 2017 | October 4, 2017 |
| Season 15 | 8 | June 6, 2018 | August 20, 2018 |
| Season 16 | 8 | July 22, 2019 | September 11, 2019 |
| Season 17 | 4 | October 12, 2020 | November 2, 2020 |
| Season 18 | 7 | October 12, 2021 | November 30, 2021 |
| Season 19 | 5 | May 26, 2022 | June 30, 2022 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Nicky Campbell (Adoption Special) TV and radio presenter Nicky Campbell was adopted a few days after being born in 1961. Having already traced his biological parents some years later, Nicky now decides to trace the history of his adoptive family. He learns about his father Frank's experiences as an officer in Burma during the Second World War, and travels to his grandfather's birthplace in Brisbane, Australia. |
July 11, 2007 |
| 4 |
10 Years, 100 Shows The genealogy show celebrates ten years and 100 episodes with a look back at the outstanding moments of the award-winning series. This one-off special features the shocks, surprises, tears and laughter that have marked the 100 celebrities' extraordinary journeys into their family histories. It remembers the dramatic highlights, from Jeremy Paxman's tears to Boris Johnson's astonishment at his incredible royal connections, as well as the sometimes inadvertently funny bits. |
August 6, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker is a celebrated icon in film and television as well as fashion, who recently served as a producer and reprised her Emmy Award-winning role as Carrie Bradshaw for the screen adaptation of the hit HBO series "Sex and the City." The actress took an emotional journey from coast to coast in search of her family's roots, crossing paths with the California Gold Rush and the Salem Witch Trials. |
March 5, 2010 |
| 2 |
Emmitt Smith Emmitt Smith is an NFL Hall of Fame running back who, since retirement, has devoted himself to business and giving back to the community. But recently, he decided to embark on a journey inward, tracing his family's past. It was a journey that took him beyond his wildest expectations, discovering not only his African roots, but his connections to slave owners in Virginia. |
March 12, 2010 |
| 3 |
Lisa Kudrow Lisa Kudrow journeys to the small Jewish town of Ilya where she discovers how her great-grandmother died in the Holocaust. Yet, Lisa finds hope when she uncovers a 60-year old family mystery. |
March 19, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Vanessa Williams Vanessa Williams sets out on a journey to find out if her ancestors were also trailblazers. |
February 4, 2011 |
| 2 |
Tim McGraw The country music superstar uncovers his father's heritage among the Founding Fathers. |
February 11, 2011 |
| 3 |
Rosie O'Donnell The search for her mother's roots takes Rosie to Ireland, and uncovers a new branch of the family. |
February 18, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Martin Sheen Actor Martin Sheen traces his family tree, hoping to find his ancestors shared his love of activism; Martin discovers a family secret from the 1700s. |
February 3, 2012 |
| 2 |
Marisa Tomei Actress Marisa Tomei travels to Italy to uncover the truth about her great-granddather's death. |
February 10, 2012 |
| 3 |
Blair Underwood Actor Blair Underwood utilizes a DNA test to dig deeper into his family's roots, where he discovers the secret of his family's origin. |
February 24, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Kelly Clarkson Singer Kelly Clarkson explores her lineage and uncovers an ancestor deeply rooted in American history; she comes face-to-face with her 3x great grandfather's wartime bravery and sacrifice. |
July 23, 2013 |
| 2 |
Christina Applegate Actress Christina Applegate investigates her paternal grandmother - a stranger to her and her father. Uncovering dramatic details along the way, Christina gains insight into the life and hardships of the woman she and her father loved, but never knew. |
July 30, 2013 |
| 3 |
Chelsea Handler Media mogul Chelsea Handler confronts a deep family secret: her Grandfather’s rumored Nazi past. As she dives into her family’s struggle to survive in a desperate time, the details uncovered will finally confirm or deny his affiliation to the dark regime. |
August 6, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cynthia Nixon | July 23, 2014 |
| 2 | Jesse Tyler Ferguson | July 30, 2014 |
| 3 | Rachel and Kayleen McAdams | August 6, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Julie Chen Television personality Julie Chen uncovers a dramatic tale when she sets out for rural China to learn more about her maternal grandfather, who died long before she was born. |
March 8, 2015 |
| 2 |
Josh Groban Singer Josh Groban traces his ancestry to Germany and discovers a relative who was a deacon, music teacher and well-known astronomer. |
March 15, 2015 |
| 3 |
Angie Harmon Actress Angie Harmon discovers an ancestor who gave up his freedom to come to America and fought for independence at a pivotal point in history. |
March 22, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ginnifer Goodwin In the Season 7 premiere, Ginnifer Goodwin hopes to connect her father with the grandparents he never knew, and uncovers a dark side of her family tree that includes instability and drug addiction. |
July 26, 2015 |
| 2 |
J.K. Rowling JK Rowling sets off on a journey to uncover her maternal French roots. She stumbles upon a family mystery, and uncovers a harrowing tale of wartime heroism, then discovers the actions of a brave ancestor. |
August 2, 2015 |
| 3 |
Alfre Woodard Alfre Woodard investigates the paternal side of her family and explores the origins of her surname. |
August 9, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Aisha Tyler Aisha Tyler's journey reveals an ancestor who, as a politician, struggled to keep his illegitimate son a secret. Against all odds, her 2x great-grandfather exemplifies bravery and determination during one of America's most tumultuous eras of racism. |
April 3, 2016 |
| 2 |
Scott Foley Tracing his patriotic roots, Scott Foley finds a relative who risked his life for one of America’s founding fathers, and an ancestor who suffered unspeakably during one of this nation’s darkest times. |
April 10, 2016 |
| 3 |
Katey Sagal Katey Sagal has an emotional and insightful meeting with her mother's friend and fellow USO performer. Katey also finds a surprising link to the Amish and uncovers the harrowing story of her relative's daring escape from attackers. |
April 17, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Courteney Cox Courteney Cox traces her maternal line back to ambitious and ruthless relatives who plotted and murdered their way to power in medieval times; and she's shocked to discover an ancestor who's one of European history's most famous characters |
March 5, 2017 |
| 2 |
Julie Bowen Julie Bowen makes a shocking discovery that a beloved relative lead a nefarious organization that triggered a dark chapter of U.S. history; and uncovers another ancestor who risked everything to fight for the lives and freedom of African Americans. |
March 12, 2017 |
| 3 |
Jennifer Grey Jennifer Grey discovers much more about the grandfather she thought she knew as she uncovers how he survived adversity to become a beacon of his community; and discovers a great-grandmother whose devastating tragedy stopped her from making it to America. |
March 19, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Jon Cryer Jon Cryer's journey takes him from America to Scotland as he uncovers the dramatic tale of an ancestor who survived a catastrophic battle, endured horrific conditions as a prisoner of war, and was forced to come to America as an indentured servant. |
May 21, 2018 |
| 2 |
Laverne Cox Actress and activist Laverne Cox pieces together the inspiring life of her African American ancestor, who challenged societal norms and bravely pushed the boundaries just years after Emancipation. |
May 21, 2018 |
| 3 |
Megan Mullally Megan Mullally explores a shocking pattern of dysfunction in her father's line; she finds her two-times great grandmother was bravely defying societal norms in order to fight for her family's survival, while struggling to hang on to her own sanity. |
May 28, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Mandy Moore Actress Mandy Moore is shocked to discover ancestors who lived in Australia and travels far, determined to unlock the mystery of how they got there. Moore is touched by the courage of those who made the journey and the sacrifice of those who were left behind. |
December 3, 2018 |
| 2 |
Josh Duhamel Actor Josh Duhamel travels to England to investigate the extraordinary life of his twelve times great-grandfather and uncovers an astonishing, dark twist of interrogation and torture that rocks his belief system to the core. |
December 10, 2018 |
| 3 |
Regina King Actress Regina King investigates her maternal family tree and uncovers an ancestor who was a passionate civil rights activist in Alabama; a man who came out of slavery, endured horrific violence, but never stopped fighting for his people. |
December 17, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Billy Porter | July 10, 2022 |
| 2 | Nick Offerman | July 17, 2022 |
| 3 | Allison Jannery | July 24, 2022 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Danny Dyer EastEnders actor Danny Dyer hopes that he will 'freak a few people out' with his family history. Danny sets out to discover the history of his tough working-class family in the East End of London, but in the process he unearths an extraordinary lineage stretching back to the Norman conquest. |
November 24, 2016 |
| 2 |
Amanda Holden Amanda Holden has always heard stories about a rumoured French ancestry on her mum's side, and her investigation uncovers an extraordinary Napoleonic-era cross-channel romance. On her dad's side, Amanda's grandfather's suicide has always loomed large. But when his story takes Amanda to France once again, she is moved to discover how he helped others through a harrowing tragedy. |
December 1, 2016 |
| 3 |
Liz Bonnin Wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin describes herself as 'a mongrel' - the result of her parents' lineages on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Martinique. In Trinidad, she goes in search of the first of her maternal ancestors to arrive on the island from India. Liz then heads to Martinique where her paternal ancestors are said to have owned plantation - and slaves. What she discovers is more complicated than she could have ever imagined. |
December 8, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Charles Dance Actor Charles Dance has made his name playing aristocrats, including Tywin Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones. But the upstairs world Charles inhabits on screen is nothing like his own background as his mum was an under house parlour maid. Charles wants to know if he comes from a long line of servants or if he can uncover some grander origins. He is also determined to learn about his dad, who died when Charles was four. Charles knows hardly anything about him, not even when he was born. Charles's search for information takes him to the other side of the world to meet close relatives he never knew he had. |
July 6, 2017 |
| 2 |
Craig Revel Horwood Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood reveals his softer side. Heading to his home town of Ballarat in Australia, Craig investigates what happened to his great-great-great-grandfather who risked everything in the Australian Gold Rush. A visit to his beloved 100-year-old grandmother sends Craig in pursuit of another maverick ancestor. Craig's great-great-grandfather Harry turns out to have been the life of the party and, better still, a fabulous dancer. |
July 13, 2017 |
| 3 |
Clare Balding Sports presenter and broadcaster Clare Balding has always been curious about her maternal great-grandfather and the 'thing that has been sort of whispered in the family - could he have been gay?' Getting to the truth of the matter is a challenge when all the evidence comes from a time when homosexuality was illegal. Digging into her father's side of the family takes Clare to New Jersey and New York, where she uncovers an extraordinary dynasty and American roots stretching back generations. |
July 20, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Michelle Keegan Our Girl actress Michelle Keegan uncovers some exceptional women on her family tree. On her mother's side Michelle discovers that her Gibraltarian great-grandmother Leonor had to up sticks when all women and children and the elderly were evacuated from harm's way in Gibraltar to the apparent safety of London during the Second World War, a month before the start of the Blitz.Further back, Michelle discovers her great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Kirwan living in poverty in Manchester at the start of the 20th century. Michelle unearths a special connection to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and her great-great-grandmother's commitment to the cause that put her name on the electoral roll - voting for the very first time in 1918. |
June 6, 2018 |
| 2 |
Olivia Colman Actress Olivia Colman claims to be 'the least adventurous person I know.' As for her ancestors, apart from a rumour that there was a Frenchwoman somewhere in her family tree, Olivia thinks they are largely from Norfolk, so she is astonished to discover that she needs to travel to India to find out more about her great-great-great-grandmother Harriot. Olivia finds records that reveal Harriot was an orphan in 1811 on a ship bound for England from (then) Calcutta. Harriot's father was an Englishman, but the identity of her mother, who gave birth to her in a remote Indian village, is a mystery Olivia delights in solving. |
July 9, 2018 |
| 3 |
Lee Mack Comedian Lee Mack was born Lee McKillop in the north of England, just like his McKillop great-grandfather, who was also a comedian, known as Billy Mac. Lee has a few playbills from Billy Mac's variety hall performances, but knows little more about him. Not long into his journey, Lee discovers that his great-grandfather was passionate about more than making people laugh. Billy Mac joined the first ever pals battalion in Liverpool at the start of the First World War and honed his act at the front lines in the Battle of the Somme. Lee is also curious about his maternal grandad Joe's upbringing - deserted by his unwed mother and raised by his grandparents in County Mayo at the time of the Irish Civil War. |
July 16, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Daniel Radcliffe 'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe discovers that the Hatton Garden robbery of his great-grandfather’s jewellery business was far more dark and dramatic than he ever imagined, while an unseen cache of his great-great-uncle’s letters reveals a heart-wrenching First World War love story. |
July 22, 2019 |
| 2 |
Naomie Harris Actor Naomie Harris’s dramatic discoveries in this episode inspire her to anger, sadness and tears of joy. On a journey from Trinidad to Grenada to Jamaica, Naomie exposes her four-times-great grandfather’s involvement in the exploitation of so-called 'liberated Africans' shortly after the abolition of slavery, is delighted to discover the identify of her African five-times-great grandmother, and, in nearer generations, uncovers a family story of tragic poverty in Jamaica’s capital, Kingston. |
July 29, 2019 |
| 3 |
Jack and Michael Whitehall In a first for the series, father-and-son comedy double-act Jack and Michael Whitehall join forces to investigate their family tree. |
August 5, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who actor Jodie Whittaker finds out how her great-great-grandfather worked his way up from child labourer in a Yorkshire coal mine to mine owner. |
October 12, 2020 |
| 2 |
David Walliams David Walliams learns of his great-grandfather’s traumatic experiences during the First World War, which condemned him to a lifetime in what was then called a lunatic asylum. |
October 19, 2020 |
| 3 |
Ruth Jones Actor Ruth Jones - Nessa from Gavin and Stacey - uncovers her grandfather's role in the Medical Aid Societies of south Wales, which provided a model for the NHS. |
October 26, 2020 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Josh Widdicombe Comedian Josh Widdicombe embarks on a rollercoaster ride through his extraordinary family history. After a less than promising start with an ancestor who was cut out of the family fortune, Josh is delighted to discover a courtier with very personal access to King Charles I. From there it’s a dizzying journey back to Elizabethan and Tudor nobility by way of a royal love triangle, through an incredible ancestral line that prompts Josh to ask the expert he meets, 'Be honest. As a historian, are you really jealous?' English |
October 12, 2021 |
| 2 |
Dame Judi Dench Shakespearean actor, movie star and national treasure Dame Judi Dench's journey begins with her father Reginald Dench, who never spoke of his experiences during the First World War, as she tries to find out how he won his gallantry medals. Judi’s investigations then take a truly epic turn, leading her to 16th-century Denmark and nobility. Judi also discovers, to her delight, some incredible Shakespearean links. |
October 19, 2021 |
| 3 |
Alex Scott Presenter and former footballer Alex Scott learns about her Jewish ancestry and travels to Jamaica for the first time in her life to find out about her great-great-grandmother. |
October 26, 2021 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Sue Perkins Sue Perkins delves into the German branch of her family, uncovering a harrowing tale of refugees fleeing back and forth across east European borders during the Second World War. |
May 26, 2022 |
| 2 |
Richard Osman Richard Osman delves into his Brighton roots and is astonished to learn that one of his ancestors turned amateur sleuth and ended up entangled in one of Brighton’s most notorious murder trials. |
June 9, 2022 |
| 3 |
Matt Lucas Matt Lucas learns what his late grandmother went through as a Jew in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, and what happened to the family she left behind. He also uncovers a connection to Anne Frank. |
June 16, 2022 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | March 5, 2010 |
| Last aired | August 14, 2022 |
| Runtime | 42 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 19:00:00 |