Behind the Scenes of ITV’s DNA Journey with Ancestry

Family Tree Magazine UK has a behind-the-scenes feature and video with ITV’s popular TV show, “DNA Journey with Ancestry”. The feature/video is hosted by FT’s Karen Evans, who is talking with Ancestry’s Brad Argent (DNA and genealogy expert) about how to “spot and tell a great family history story” along with some behind-the-scenes “secrets”. The video interview is below (it’s just over half-an-hour, so it doesn’t gloss over everything).

For those not familiar with the show, it’s focused on pairing celebrities up (who have worked together or know each other) it typically runs fewer episodes per series/season than most genealogy shows (3-6 epodes), and maybe has a little more emphasis on DNA (hence the title, but still plenty of good old fashioned research). I’ve enjoyed the few episodes I’ve seen.

The show’s fifth series is currently airing as we speak (a partial list of episodes):

  •  Life on Mars stars John Simm and Philip Glenister (aired October 9, 2024)
  • The Royle Family‘s Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston (aired October 16, 2024)
  • Stay Close (Netflix)  Sarah Parish and James Nesbitt (aired October 23, 2024)
  • Comedians Jo Brand and Julian Clary (to be determined)

“The new celebrity twosomes set off in pursuit of where they come from and unearth secrets from their past, in a life-changing and emotional voyage of discovery that takes us from Canada to London, France to Jamaica”

The website is here, although it’s not properly loading for me (probably because of geographic location):

https://www.itv.com/watch/dna-journey/2a5252

Video:

ITV's DNA Journey (with Ancestry) behind the scenes of the TV show!