There’s a new genealogy show in town and in it, the presenters Ant and Dec will discover who their ancestors were, with one of them finding out he has a connection to royalty.
ITV has commissioned a two-part special called Ant & Dec’s DNA journey, billed as a navigation of a “tougher terrain than the Australian jungle”, the pair well known as the presenters of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
The guys will be guided by expert genealogists and historians to follow their maternal and paternal blood lines, and their DNA will be used to search for their ancestral history.
Meeting unknown relatives
The research will take them to Ireland and the US—even The United Nations Headquarters in New York. They will explore their histories and meet relatives they didn’t know existed, unveiling “some truly shocking” revelations that could only be discovered through DNA analysis.
The ITV press release teases with the questions—whose great-grandfather was a celebrated war hero and whose cousin is a US wrestling promoter, and who discovers he is descended from royalty? The report also promises viewers will be offered a rare and personal glimpse into a lifelong friendship which has proved amazingly successful over the years.
Working to identify heirs to an estate? Finders International offers a free tracing and family tree verification service here.
Speaking about the programme, Ant said: “I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to historical events, so to get the chance to research our family history using our DNA was too good an opportunity to pass up. What we find out is mind-blowing and nothing either of us could ever have imagined. It’s something that will stay with us both forever.”
Discovering family heritage
Dec added: “A huge part of this was to find out my heritage, especially on my dad’s side. I always thought I knew a fair bit about where I came from but it turns out I was wrong! Whilst it was incredible to find out about the past, what was hugely overwhelming was to meet relatives neither of us knew we had. It was a truly amazing experience.”
ITV promises viewers will be on the edge of their seats watching the twists and turns of the duo’s DNA journey as it unfolds. The date of the show has yet to be announced.
To find out about the services we offer, please visit us at Finders International. Alternatively, you can call us on +44(0)20 74904935 or email us at [email protected].