Who Do You Think You Are?

"Who Do You Think You Are?" is a genealogy documentary television franchise that began with a British series on the BBC in 2004 and has since inspired multiple international adaptations.

"Who Do You Think You Are?" is a genealogy documentary television franchise that originated as a British series on the BBC in 2004. The format features celebrities investigating their family histories, often traveling to ancestral locations with the help of historians and genealogists. The franchise has inspired multiple international adaptations, including an American version that premiered in 2010 produced in partnership with Ancestry.com.

Format

The programme follows a celebrity participant as they investigate their ancestry using records, historians and genealogists. Episodes often involve travel within the participant’s home country and abroad.

British original

The British version began on the BBC in 2004 and established the franchise’s format. It became a long-running documentary series with strong audience interest and many international versions.

American adaptation

The U.S. version premiered in 2010 and was produced as a collaboration involving Shed Media and Ancestry.com. It featured celebrity guests exploring their family histories and ran on NBC and later TLC.

International franchise

The series was adapted in multiple countries, including Australia, Canada and Ireland. These versions follow the same basic genealogy-focused celebrity format. The Canadian adaptation makes the franchise relevant to Canadian viewers interested in genealogy, ancestry research and celebrity-led historical storytelling.