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The Best Episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?

Every episode of Who Do You Think You Are? ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?!

The Best Episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?

A British genealogy documentary series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.

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  1. 9.4/10(42 votes)

    #1 - Alistair McGowan

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    S4:E5

    Alistair McGowan explores his heritage from his father's side, investigating what 'Anglo-Indian' means by a journey to India.

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  2. 9.3/10(49 votes)

    #2 - Rupert Everett

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    S7:E2

    Rupert Everett’s varied acting career has involved starring in Hollywood films as diverse as My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shrek 2 and The Importance of Being Earnest. Rupert has a rigidly conservative background, and feels that much of his own life has been a reaction against it. Following the recent death of his father six months ago, he wants to investigate the paternal side of his family.

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  3. 9.1/10(57 votes)

    #3 - John Hurt

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    S4:E2

    John looks into his great grandmother's parentage.

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  4. 9.1/10(44 votes)

    #4 - Jason Donovan

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    S7:E7

    Jason comes from showbiz parents who divorced when he was five. His British born father won custody and brought him up alone, but its Jason's mother's family line that holds the key to Jason's Australian heritage - up to now a complete mystery to him.

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  5. 9.1/10(54 votes)

    #5 - Derek Jacobi

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    S12:E3

    Actor Derek Jacobi discovers that he is descended from a Huguenot fleeing persecution.

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  6. 9.0/10(49 votes)

    #6 - Jeremy Paxman

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    S2:E1

    The stern host of BBC2's Newsnight searches for his roots.

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  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?

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  8. 9.0/10(45 votes)

    #7 - Alexander Armstrong

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    S7:E6

    Comedian Alexander Armstrong always knew his family background was likely to be privileged, but he's keen to find out exactly how posh he is...

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  9. 8.9/10(93 votes)

    #8 - David Tennant

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    S3:E4

    David's quest to discover his family take him to the Isle of Mull, and then on to Londonderry, to confront an unexpected side to his ancestors.

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  10. 8.9/10(44 votes)

    #9 - Natasha Kaplinsky

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    S4:E1

    Natasha travels to Cape Town in search of information about her father's involvement with the anti-apartheid movement during the 1960s. Later, after researching a possible connection with King George the Third, she travels with her Australian cousin Benni to Belarus where some disturbing discoveries are made about the persecution of her Jewish ancestors.

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  11. 8.9/10(59 votes)

    #10 - Alan Cumming

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    S7:E9

    Award-winning actor and Broadway star Alan Cumming made his name acting in films such as Goldeneye and X-Men, but grew up in a small Scottish town. He tries to solve the mystery of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Darling. A career soldier who spent most of his life away from home serving in the army, he died, aged just 35, in mysterious circumstances in Malaysia.

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  12. 8.7/10(52 votes)

    #11 - Emilia Fox

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    S8:E5

    Silent Witness star Emilia Fox tries to find out how far back her family's acting roots go.

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  13. 8.7/10(46 votes)

    #12 - Anne Reid

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    S12:E6

    Actress Anne Reid was close to her father but knows very little about his family. She only has a couple of clues to go on - the name of a house in Scotland and a family story that her father's side were ministers in the church. These clues soon put her on the trail of her great-great-grandfather John Reid - not a minister at all, but a schoolteacher in Fife with a sideline in forgery. When John's forgeries land him in the dock his life takes an unexpected turn - to Tasmania, on a convict ship.

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  14. 8.7/10(41 votes)

    #13 - Anita Rani

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    S12:E8

    Journalist Anita Rani never met her maternal grandfather Sant Singh - all she has been told is that he suffered terrible tragedy at the time of India's Partition. Anita's mother also tells her that Sant had another wife and family before marrying Anita's grandmother. Armed with this knowledge, Anita travels to India to see if she can find out more about her grandfather's first family - and discover what happened to them during Partition. It's an extraordinary and harrowing journey for Anita.

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  15. 8.6/10(47 votes)

    #14 - Robert Lindsay

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    S3:E2

    Robert's roots take him back to Derbyshire.

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  16. 8.6/10(47 votes)

    #15 - Bruce Forsyth

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    S7:E1

    Bruce Forsyth receives a letter from America from a woman who claims to be related to Bruce through Bruce's great-grandfather, Joseph Forsyth Johnson. The letter suggests that Joseph Forsyth Johnson was married to two women at the same time and that he died at sea. Bruce is determined to investigate these claims and discover the truth for himself.

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  17. 8.6/10(42 votes)

    #16 - Robin Gibb

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    S8:E7

    Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb discovers how his paternal great-grandfather rose from poverty to become a decorated soldier, and heads to Paisley, Renfrewshire, to investigate a mysterious family breakdown.

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  18. 8.6/10(41 votes)

    #17 - Frank Gardner

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    S12:E7

    Journalist Frank Gardner was very close to his late mother and is keen to know more about her side of the family. Frank's mother always told him that the family arrived in Britain with the Normans. Frank sets off to discover if there is any truth in the rumour. Along the way, he traces his family tree back to his ten times great-grandfather Sir Michael Stanhope - a knight of the Tudor court - who was accused of treason. But Frank's journey doesn't end there, and he is astonished to discover that his mother's suspicions are closer to the truth than he could ever have imagined.

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  19. 8.6/10(55 votes)

    #18 - Paul Merton

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    S16:E6

    Paul Merton traces the life of his maternal grandfather and discovers that he was involved in some of the key events that led to Irish independence in the 1920s.

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  20. 8.5/10(40 votes)

    #19 - Sheila Hancock

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    S2:E2

    Sheila Hancock chases after a mysterious woman in a photograph in the search for her roots.

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  21. 8.5/10(44 votes)

    #20 - Alan Carr

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    S8:E6

    Alan Carr explores his family's football connection and his grandfather's brush with fame.

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  22. 8.5/10(57 votes)

    #21 - Jane Seymour

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    S12:E2

    Jane Seymour was born Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg and knows that there is Jewish ancestry on her father’s side of the family. She wants to find out about her Jewish great aunts Michaela and Jadwiga and their lives under Nazi occupation.

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  23. 8.5/10(49 votes)

    #22 - Mark Gatiss

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    S12:E9

    Actor and writer Mark Gatiss has always had a love of storytelling and a passion for the ghastly and ghoulish but has always wondered where it comes from. So when he discovers that his mother's side of the family goes back five generations to the wilds of Northern Ireland, his imagination is awakened. Mark travels to Ireland, where he untangles a tale of rags to riches and finds out that his family were storytellers and (allegedly) vampire slayers!

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  24. 8.5/10(50 votes)

    #23 - Frances de la Tour

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    S12:E10

    Frances de la Tour's family tree holds a tantalising clue which hints at aristocratic ancestors. Hot on the trail of her three times great grandmother Frances uncovers a story of a secret lover, an illegitimate child and a landmark divorce case. But the scandal doesn't stop there. Tracing back another generation Frances uncovers the tragic story of Sophia Delaval - and traces her roots back to Seaton Delaval, the historic family residence.

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  25. 8.4/10(48 votes)

    #24 - Graham Norton

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    S4:E6

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  26. 8.4/10(40 votes)

    #25 - Monty Don

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    S7:E4

    Famous gardener Monty Don comes from a well-known dynasty of architects on his mother's side of the family, but knows little about his other relatives.

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Best Episodes Summary

"Alistair McGowan" is the best rated episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?". It scored 9.4/10 based on 42 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 10/4/2007. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Rupert Everett".