“Who Do You Think You Are?” is a BBC television programme which features celebrities engaged in researching their family history. It is made by “Wall to Wall” productions and was first transmitted in 2004. To date, there have been eight series pulling in an average audience of around 6 million. Previous participants include: Jeremy Clarkson, Moira Stuart, Stephen Fry, Barbara Windsor, Graham Norton and Fiona Bruce to name just a few.      

The BBC programme follows an established format. Each celebrity usually starts his or her search with a limited knowledge base and certain preconceived ideas. These are clarified in a discussion with close relatives, incorporating a preliminary examination of private documents and photographs. Out of this initial assessment there tends to emerge several possible lines of enquiry, involving both the paternal and maternal branches of their family.     
  
The next step is for the celebrity to visit the location associated with the individual relative of interest in order to conduct the required research. This encompasses visits to local registries, private and public archives, libraries, even churches and newspapers. They are assisted in this task by professional historians and genealogists. It is an important visual element of “Who Do You Think You Are?” that the celebrity, explore buildings and places directly linked with the person. Indeed the research may necessitate travelling to several locations, possibly involving those in different countries. This process is again repeated for both the paternal and maternal lines of enquiry.
 
The information thus gathered is usually illuminating and occasionally surprising. For instance Griff Rhys Jones discovered that a relative had been “murdered” in Liverpool. It is subsequently collated connections made and a family tree constructed. The celebrity then takes time to reflect, to draw and present their own conclusions. One frequently has the sense of an epiphany, a personal pilgrimage embarked upon and completed.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the principal public service broadcaster in the United Kingdom, has aired a British genealogy documentary series, Who Do You Think You Are?, since 2004.

Under Wall to Wall productions, each episode shows a certain celebrity who will go on a journey tracing his or her family tree. In total, there have been 8 series broadcast and the latest ones are aired from July to September 2010.

The first two series of Who Do You Think You Are? were aired in BBC Two. In 2004, the first series became the programme with the highest rating. This means a great accomplishment for the network. After that, the rest of the episodes starting from the third were shown in BBC 1.

The series is narrated by Mark Strong. This was after the first series when he took over from David Morrissey. In addition, the said episode was nominated in the 2005 BAFTAs for “Best Factual Series or Strand”.

Genealogical researcher Nick Barratt and presenter Adrian Chiles were featured during the last ten minutes of each episode in the first series. They were then giving tips on tracing a family tree. Then, in conjuction with the BBC’s “Family Wanted” campaign, a special episode was broadcast in 2007. Here, Nicky Campbell, who days after born was put to adoption, was featured.

Composer Mark Sayer-Wade is behind the theme tune of the series, who also is responsible for the background music for each single episode.
Before the show was shot, the producers looked closely on 12 celebrities in the series planning. A thorough research followed and the number was narrowed down to 6. The eliminated ones were the ones who have uninteresting background or background which is too similar to the themes included in the previous episodes. Those whose background is either too similar to themes which have been already been discussed in the previous episodes or simply unappealing were eliminated. English broadcaster Michael Parkinson said that there was supposedly an episode about his ancestors – but after six weeks, it was discontinued when genealogists figured that there wasn’t anything interesting about it.

David Schwimmer and Konnie Huq were already featured in some episodes which were filmed. However, it is still unknown whether or not these episodes will be aired. Furthermore, there are also plans of putting Richard Madeley as the subject for a future episode. Likewise, Emilia Fox, Silent Witness actress, will be taking part in the future episodes, as detailed by TV & Satellite Week.

As what is done to other shows, Who Do You Think You Are? Series 1-6 are also available in the UK on DVD. In October 2007, BBC Magazines began issuing Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine which is a monthly publication including materials from the TV series.