Who Do You Think You Are?: July 22

Next week on Who Do You Think You Are? the guest of honour is Ms. Jacki Weaver, who uncovers more about a family secret that has been ‘buried in shame.’

Actress Jacki Weaver has one of the most successful careers in the history of Australian stage and screen. Ever since Jacki became a grandmother, she has had a burning ambition to find out about her beloved father’s biological mother. In the new Australian series of Who Do You Think You Are? Jacki uncovers a family secret that has been buried in shame.

When, in 1970, Jacki made headlines for having a child out of wedlock, little did she know that she would discover this to be a recurring event in her family’s history. Jacki knows her father was a ward of the state who grew up in foster care. She discovers that his biological mother, Grace, was also born out of wedlock.

Her grandmother and great grandmother were both stigmatized by the society of the day. Both her grandmother Grace, and her mother Adeline, who Jackie also uncovers was born out of wedlock, were plagued by a mysterious affliction. Both mothers were deemed unable to look after their children, and with no support from the father, were forced to surrender them to foster care.

“I always felt sorry for Grace and now I feel even more sorry for her” – Jacki Weaver

Jacki then turns her attention to uncovering more about her father Arthur, as she discovers the truth behind his role as a bomb aimer in the Bombing of Dresden, one of the most controversial events of World War II.

“My dad never mentioned Dresden except that he thought it should never have happened”- Jacki Weaver

Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Artemis International and Serendipity Productions for SBS.

7:30pm Tuesday 22 July on SBS ONE.