Who Do You Think You Are? is finally making its return to BBC One and viewers can expect an emotional episode as actress Ruth Madeley uncovers a family secret that left everyone stunned.
The genealogy series has been off screen for several weeks because of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Now it is back, with Years and Years star Ruth, 38, discovering an unexpected truth about her father’s side of the family.
Ruth Madeley finds out her family history as Who Do You Think You Are returns (Credit: BBC)
While tracing her family tree, the BBC team uncovered a revelation about her dad Geoff’s relatives that neither of them saw coming.
Who Do You Think You Are? is back on the BBC with Ruth Madeley
The BBC first approached Ruth to take part in Who Do You Think You Are? in 2021. Now, after years of waiting, she has finally been able to uncover the missing pieces of her family history.
The actress begins the episode by explaining she has always wanted to know more about her dad Geoff’s side of the family.
She says: “Growing up, me and my sister knew a lot about my mum’s side. They were all really close. But on my dad’s side, we didn’t really know anything.
“We weren’t as close. They were more spread out and the relationship felt a bit strange.”
She adds: “My dad didn’t know anything at all. He just said his mum was quite quiet and had some pictures, but we didn’t know anything about her background.”
The mystery soon starts to unravel when researchers discover Geoff’s mother, Ruth’s grandmother Beatrice, had been adopted. Geoff had no idea.
Ruth praised the production team for the way they handled the revelation.
“They told my dad first,” she explains. “The team were incredible and so supportive.
“When they said they’d found sensitive information, I thought somebody had murdered somebody, but they told my dad his mum was adopted and we had no idea.”
Ruth is shocked to discover her grandmother Beatrice was adopted (Credit: BBC)
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