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Renewed: Who Do You Think You Are?

SBS which has commissioned a fourth local season of its hit genealogy series.

Good news from SBS which has commissioned a fourth local season of Who Do You Think You Are?

Executive producer Brian Beaton has told The Age the series appealed because it showed celebrities in real life, chasing detective-style stories. It showed us ”you can go further than just doing a family tree with names and dates,” he said.

This season which has featured Paul Mercurio, Magda Szubanski, Georgie Parker, Rod Marsh and Shane Bourne has been a hit for the public broadcaster.

The show has also helped generate wider interest in genealogy.

The National Library of Australia says there has been a 25% increase in genealogy inquiries since the first season in 2008, but Heather Garnsey, executive officer of the Society of Australian Genealogists, says the show can create unrealistic expectations.

”When the public go to archives, there’s no queue of people waiting for help. They [celebrities] walk straight in the door and there’s someone there with white gloves showing you an original record, whereas you as an individual … would be shown a microfilm or computer [to use yourself].”

The series also takes an extraordinary amount of time to complete, with up to two years between planning and airing.

Source: The Age

12 Responses

  1. I’ve watched the UK and Australian series, and a couple of the Canadian and Irish. I think all are better than the US, and I’m an American; our version is Way too fluffy and glossy. I definitely agree with the gnat comment above (we have so many commercials on).

  2. Fantastic adaption of the UK formula with our History , for a change . There was a Canadian series .Wish more people watched SBS, though .Still has reputation of all ethnic .Suggest SBS relaunch as an ABC station with cross over programs.

  3. jimbob, 9 did acquire the rights to the U.S. version of WDYTYA, and pulled it off half-way through, never to return – would that have been a godsend for the local version? I think you may also find Craig is referring to the Australian version of Top Gear – how did that go again?

  4. Great news. I’ve been following the Australian version of this series since it started. I too find it far superior to the American version. I think one of its appealing features is that although it is about particular individuals it also gives an insight into Australian history. Well done SBS, it’s a winner.

  5. Great show. Look forward to seeing whose next on the cards. Though that’s a pedantic point from Heather. Of Course these celebs aren’t going to be kept waiting in line. Watching paint dry doesn’t make for good television, regardless of what the producers of 2 1/2 Men try to tell us! 🙂

  6. Craig’s just anti Nine, your comment about Top Gear is ridiculous. 9 has doubled Top Gear’s ratings in Australia and airs it very regularly for fans. Going to 9 has been a godsend for the show.

  7. I agree Kaz, all the updates for the ad breaks in the US version (and the short run time of 42mins) spoils what is other wise a good show.

    I think the other season are out on SBS DVD already.

  8. Great news, I love all versions of this show (although the American version is infuriating with the amount of updates they give, American’s must have the attention span of gnats!).
    This last Australian series was particularly good. It did inspire one of my cousin’s to research our family tree and she discovered our Great Grandfather was a bigamist!

  9. This is one of the few FTA shows I watched these holidays, very interesting it’s just a shame the process takes so long to bring them to air.

    And thank god Nine didn’t get it’s hands on this (there were rumors) just like the local Top Gear they would have killed it.

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