Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 line-up: Meet the celebrities taking part
Seven famous faces are about to uncover the mysteries of their family tree.
This year, Who Do You Think You Are? celebrates a landmark 20 years on air, with the programme surprising the nation with Britain's best-loved celebrities as they explore their family trees.
As ever, this series will see seven celebrities set out on a journey to learn more about their ancestry and epic family secrets, spanning across centuries of history.
Over the last two decades, Who Do You Think You Are? has featured the likes of Danny Dyer, Dame Judi Dench and Olivia Colman among others as they discover their family lineage - and now there are seven new celebrities ready to discover more about their roots.
This season will take viewers across the UK and around the world, including Ireland, Taiwan, Jamaica and Latvia - but who are the celebrities on the search for answers?
Read on to find out more about this year's Who Do You Think You Are? line-up.
Who Do You Think You Are? 2024 line-up
- Vicky McClure
- Paddy McGuinness
- Melanie Chisholm (Mel C)
- Olly Murs
- Rose Ayling-Ellis
- Gemma Collins
- Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
Read on to find out more about the cast.
Vicky McClure
Age: 41
Job: Actor
Instagram: @vicky.mcclure
Vicky McClure is an actress, best known for her roles in Line of Duty, This Is England and, more recently, Trigger Point.
First up in the season is McClure, who is keen to solve some mysteries in her family tree. As per the episode's synopsis, the actor begins with her late paternal grandmother: "She knows that Jean was given up by her family when she was a child and wants to find out why."
As viewers will see, McClure finds out the harrowing story of her great-grandfather's experience as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Paddy McGuinness
Age: 51
Job: TV presenter
Instagram: @mcguinness.paddy
Paddy McGuinness is a TV presenter and comedian that many will recognise from hosting Take Me Out, Top Gear and A Question of Sport.
McGuinness is the focus of the second episode, in which he "uncovers his grandfather's vital work in World War Two, how his other grandfather was involved in the Boer War and the family's journey from Ireland to Bolton".
The TV presenter will also investigate his surname in Ireland, to discover he nearly wasn't a McGuinness at all!
Melanie Chisholm (Mel C)
Age: 50
Job: Singer
Instagram: @melaniecmusic
Melanie Chisholm, AKA Mel C, is best known for being a member of the iconic pop group the Spice Girls, in which she sported the nickname Sporty Spice.
Beyond the Spice Girls, Mel C also launched her solo career in the late '90s, and in 2020 released the studio album Melanie C.
In the third instalment of Who Do You Think You Are?, Melanie "is fascinated to discover that her ancestors include a moneylender, a campaigner for social reform and a family fleeing the famine in Ireland".
Olly Murs
Age: 40
Job: Singer
Instagram: @ollymurs
Olly Murs is a singer who rose to fame after placing as runner-up on The X Factor in 2009. Since then, he has had a successful solo career with hit singles including Heart Skips a Beat, Troublemaker and Please Don't Let Me Go.
During his episode, Murs heads overseas to Riga in Latvia and discovers his circus-performing ancestors, revealing that entertainment truly runs in his blood.
Rose Ayling-Ellis
Age: 29
Job: Actor
Instagram: @rose.a.e
Rose Ayling-Ellis is an actor who many may recognise from her role as Frankie Lewis in EastEnders and her later win on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.
In the series, Ayling-Ellis unveils an incident "which uncannily mirrors an episode of EastEnders, having taken place in a pub in Birmingham".
Gemma Collins
Age: 43
Job: TV personality
Instagram: @gemmacollins
Gemma Collins, or The GC for those who are fans of the TV personality, is best known for her time on The Only Way Is Essex from 2011 to 2019.
Since then, she has become a mainstay on TV, and has starred on the likes of Dancing on Ice, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother.
In Who Do You Think You Are?, emotions run high for Collins as she meets a family member she never knew she had and discovers how deep her Essex roots go.
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
Age: 38
Job: Athlete
Instagram: @jessicaennishill
Jessica Ennis-Hill is a retired athlete who earned herself the title of three-time word champion, as well as 2010 World Indoor pentathlon champion and 2012 Olympic champion.
Since her retirement, Ennis-Hill works as an commentator for the BBC and is an entrepreneur.
In the series, she travels to Jamaica, where she learns about her relative's journey from being enslaved to owning his own land.
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Who Do You Think You Are? begins on Thursday 15th August at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
