First launched on the BBC in 2004, Who Do You Think You Are? has regularly attracted audiences of over 6 million viewers and fifteen series later, 135 celebrities have discovered little-known facts and revelations about their backgrounds through researching their family trees.
RTS London is delighted to welcome Alex Graham, founder of Wall to Wall, the company that makes Who do You think You Are? as well as other critically acclaimed and popular programming, to tell us about the series.
Joining Alex will be:
- Rosie Schellenberg, a Producer/Director from the series
- Sarah Feltes, Series Producer, Who Do You Think You Are?
- Charles Dance, OBE, the renowned actor, who was featured in a recent series. (Watch the trailer here)
The event will be chaired by
- Lis Howell, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Journalism, City University.
Producer:Kristin Mason
Professor Emeritus Lis Howell was Director of Broadcasting in the journalism department at City, University of London, until 2018. She invited Alex Graham as a regular guest lecturer and he became an honourary doctor at City in 2009. Lis is an wide ranging RTS award winning TV journalist, who covered the Lockerbie disaster and the first Gulf War - and among other things, made a knitting series for ITV daytime. She was launch programme director of UK Living, which became Living TV and eventually Sky Witness. Lis is probably best known currently as leader of the Expert Women campaign for more women authority figures on news programmes. She is a fan of “Who do You Think You Are” and a scouser, and is investigating her own family history which so far contains no surprises but she lives in hope……
Alex Graham is joint CEO of Two Cities Television Ltd. He is chair of the Scott Trust and chair of Sheffield International Documentary Festival. He is a visiting professor of television at the University of Lincoln Media School and a winner of the Royal Television Society’s prestigious gold medal. Alex has been a leading figure in British television for more than 30 years. He is the creator of Who Do You Think You Are? and founder of Wall to Wall which has an unrivalled slate of critically acclaimed and popular programming including New Tricks, Long Lost Family, A Rather English Marriage, The 1900 House, and the Oscar‑winning Man on Wire.
Rosie Schellenberg directed Charles Dance’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? as well as TV Presenter Emma Willis’s episode. An experienced BBC trained producer and director, she’s made numerous documentaries across UK channels, specialising in arts, history and human interest stories.
Sarah Feltes was a longtime Director on Who Do You Think You Are? before becoming Series Producer of the BAFTA-winning 13th series, which launched with Danny Dyer’s episode. Highlights from her several series since are the Charles Dance, Ruby Wax, Noel Clarke, Robert Rinder and Olivia Colman episodes. Sarah’s Director credits include the episodes featuring Alexander Armstrong, Alex Kingston, Reggie Yates and Sheridan Smith. Sarah also directed Sarah Jessica Parker, whose episode launched the American version of the series. Sarah has directed factual programmes for all of the major UK broadcasters.
Charles Dance is one of our finest actors. He rose to fame in the 1980s playing Guy Perron, in hit TV series The Jewel in the Crown. Since then he has starred in countless films including White Mischief and Alien 3. He recently won worldwide recognition as Tywin Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones and will soon appear playing Lord Mountbatten in series 3 of Netflix drama The Crown.
