Who Do You Think You Are?
Who Do You Think You Are?
11 January 2006
Last year six million viewers tuned in weekly to BBC´s Who Do You Think You Are?, translating into a 74% increase in visits to The National Archives´ website. To coincide with the start of the second series next week, The National Archives is launching a new comprehensive family history website on Wednesday (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/familyhistory ) to help Britons explore their own ancestral roots.
But - unlike the celebrities on the BBC programme - you don´t need a history of fending off the paparazzi to access Nick Barratt´s advice.
It´s the closest thing to having Nick as your personal genealogy detective, as the Who Do You Think You Are? presenter leads online visitors - via short films - through a beginner´s guide to family history research.
In addition the easy-to-use website provides a definitive online resource, offering advice, research guides, and features on family history; ensuring Jeremy Paxman doesn´t corner the market on misty-eyed nostalgia.
Audrey Collins, a family history specialist from The National Archives´ Family Records Centre, said the first series of Who Do You Think You Are? led to an explosion of interest from first-time genealogists.
"We certainly noticed an upturn in both visitor numbers and hits on both The National Archives and Family Record Centre websites," she said.
"Genealogy was already popular, but Who Do You Think You Are? brought the interest to a wider and younger audience."
As the series unfolds over the next six weeks, The National Archives will also unveil files that expand on the themes explored by each celebrity genealogist, starting with:
11 January, 2006: Jeremy Paxman - Poor Relief in the United Kingdom.
18 January, 2006: Sheila Hancock - Was your grandmother a ´Land Girl´ during World War II?
