In the opening Who Do You Think You Are? of a new series, Daniel Radcliffe discovers an emotional back story
Daniel Radcliffe was at the heart of some of cinema’s most spellbinding scenes as Harry Potter.
But his own family history proves just as exciting in this emotional opener to the return of Who Do You Think You Are?
After hearing a tale about a jewellery robbery and the subsequent suicide of his great-grandfather Samuel Gershon, Daniel tries to get to the truth about the shocking event and the impact it had on Samuel’s wife and children.
The only child of dad Alan, a literary agent, and mum Marcia, a casting director, Daniel told TV Times: "I wanted to find out if parts of my ancestors are etched in me or my parents.
"That’s what I found exciting. I saw a photo of my maternal great-great-grandfather, Louis Gershon, that wasn’t a million miles away from me – I just needed to shave my beard off! It was incredible around the eyes."
To find out more about his ancestors, he heads to Northern Ireland to find out about his great-great uncle Ernie and reads love letters written between Ernie and his sweetheart, Jeannie, before Ernie died during World War One.
A fascinating, moving watch.
TV Times rating: *****
