Sign language

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

Who Do You Think You Are?

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Families & Relationships

Factual: History

Celebrities trace their family trees, discovering surprises from their pasts.

Lost connections and unfamiliar histories are revealed as celebrities trace their family trees. Discover stories of courage, joy, sacrifice and resilience - everyone has a tale to tell.

BBC HD

BBC Two

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

BBC Two England

England

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Who Do You Think You Are?: Series 6

David Mitchell

Mary Crisp

Colette Flight

Who Do You Think You Are?: Series 6: Episode 9: David Mitchell

Episode 9

Episode 9: David Mitchell

Series 6

BBC One - Who Do You Think You Are?, Series 6, David Mitchell

Actor and comedian David Mitchell goes in search of his Scottish roots.

Celebrity genealogy series. David Mitchell goes in search of his Scottish roots, and attempts to find out whether his family were involved in the Highland Clearances.

Six celebrities trace their family trees to reveal the lives of their ancestors and explore major themes in British social history.

In this episode of the series, comedian David Mitchell goes in search of his Scottish roots. David knows that the Mitchells were wealthy sheep farmers in Sutherland. For almost a hundred years, three generations of the family held Ribigill farm, but mysteriously gave up the lease in 1933. David wants to know why they abandoned a sheep farming tradition that went back so many years. He also wants to find out whether his family were involved in the notorious Highland Clearances.

In addition, David is keen to discover more about another branch of his Scottish family - the Forbes. Using a book written by his great-great-grandfather Alexander Forbes as the starting point for his investigation, David travels to the Isle of Skye. The trail leads to Alexander's father, John Forbes, a Church of Scotland minister on the island in the nineteenth century. David is delighted to discover that his ancestor was something of a local hero. Not only did John Forbes work tirelessly on behalf of his parishioners, he also became involved in helping to rescue some girls from his parish who had been trafficked to work in a mill in Manchester.  

However, the story takes an unexpected turn when David discovers some old church papers and John Forbes's will. These documents reveal another, more disturbing side to his ancestor's character...

BBC One

Celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past

Series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Who Do You Think You Are?

Series 6

Episode 9: David Mitchell

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One South West

About BBC One