Thursday’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? saw Ruth Madeley and her family discover a huge family secret
Who Do You Think You Are guest Ruth Madeley was left very emotional after discovering a huge family secret on Thursday’s episode.
During the research for Doctor Who star Ruth’s, 38, episode, the genealogy team uncovered a family secret – that Ruth’s grandma Beatrice was adopted. Ruth’s dad, Geoff, who is Beatrice’s son, had never known this fact or the family.
Ruth and her family were intrigued and wanted to know more information about Beatrice’s biological parents and family with the episode focused on the discoverings.
Using painstaking detective work, the team were able to trace back generations of her grandma’s biological family, which included London links before settling in Manchester.
After lots of history and research, Ruth’s biological great-grandmother’s name was revealed as Adelaide Osborne. Ruth discovered that Adelaide had Beatrice in a workhouse hospital.
Ruth was both emotional and desperate to share this news with her dad, but when she called him, there was yet another shock for the family as he knew Adelaide already.
Geoff remembered her as a friend of his Grandma Burrows, Ruth’s adoptive great-grandmother. Adelaide was around all the time, and when she died, his mum Beatrice buried her.
Ruth then met with professor Julie-Marie Strange to learn more about Adelaide, where Julie revealed that her great-granny Burrows had a similar upbringing to Adelaide and that her family spent time in and out of workhouses. Ruth and Julie speculated on whether this shared experience motivated Granny Burrows to adopt Beatrice.
In an extremely emotional moment, Ruth looked at Adelaide’s will, where she left everything to her biological daughter Beatrice. The team were able to track down the family of the man who was the executor of the will. Tragically, he had died, but his wife and daughter are still alive and met with Ruth.
After meeting in Stratford-upon-Avon, the family told Ruth that Adelaide used to clean for them and looked after Margo when she was a child. They spoke about Adelaide’s character and how much love she had, especially to Margo, and even gave Ruth photographs to cherish of her biological great-grandma.
At the end of the episode, Ruth emotionally reflected on her findings as she visited Southern Cemetery in Manchester, where she paid her respects to the graves of both her biological great-grandma Adelaide and her adopted great-grandma Elizabeth Burrows.
After laying flowers, Ruth broke down in tears as she reflected: “Who do I think I am? I am from a family of survivors. I am an incredibly proud Northerner. And I am so unbelievably privileged to have done this.”
Viewers were left very moved by the emotional episode as they took to Twitter, now X, to praise the show. One person said: “A great #WDYTYA tonight, really interesting and moving to see the findings.”
A different account put: “Very much enjoyed Ruth Madeley’s #WDYTYA A normal story where extraordinary things happened to ordinary people.”
Another viewer wrote: “What a moving episode: top genetic genealogy detective work, and satisfying to see everything come full circle with the family in Stratford. #WDYTYA.”
While a different show watcher added: “Really have enjoyed tonight’s #WDYTYA with Ruth Madeley. Interesting to see a story travelled through DNA and how they’ve pieced the puzzle pieces together.”
Who Do You Think You Are is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.