Who Do You Think You Are? 2023 guests: full list of stars on BBC series - including Dev Griffin and Claire Foy

BBC ancestry series Who Do You Think You Are? which traces the fascinating family histories of various celebrities returns for its 20th season this month.

Among the cast of big names who will be delving into their past this season are an acclaimed composer, TV comedians, award-winning actors, and an avid adventurer.

The hunt to uncover the secrets of their ancestry will take the stars across the world, as they explore rare documents and to trace their family tree back through the centuries.

Some will find they come from royalty while others have a less glamorous past, but each contestant will learn more about where they come from and the challenges that their ancestors overcame in order to continue their lineage. 

Who are the guests on Who Do You Think You Are 2023?

Andrew Lloyd Webber 

Musical theatre legend Andrew Lloyd Webber, who composed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera, and Cats among others will be the first celebrity on the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? During his time on the programme, the research team discover links to the Battle of Waterloo and the court of King Henry VIII. 

Claire Foy

Claire Foy is well known for playing royalty, having starred as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown, Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall, and Duchess of Argyll, Margaret Campbell in A Very British Scandal. However, rather than finding a royal lineage, Foy discovers that she is descended from accused killers.

Bear Grylls

Chief scout and wilderness expert Bear Grylls is known for his survival shows The Island, World’s Toughest Race, and You Vs. Wild. His quest to uncover his family history starts with a trove of his grandfather’s documents marked ‘top secret’. Grylls finds about his grandfather’s important role in D-Day landings of the Second World War, and also traces his roots to 14th century Scottish king Robert the Bruce.

Kevin Clifton

Kevin Clifton is a professional Strictly dancer who won the 16th season with celebrity partner Stacey Dooley. On the trail of his ancestors, Kevin finds himself in a remote part of Canada, a long way from his home town of Grimsby. 

Emily Atack

Inbetweeners star comedian and presenter Emily Atack has appeared on shows including Celebrity Juice, and BBC documentary Asking for It? On Who Do You Think You Are? she uncovers a connection to Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds who bought Welsh football club Wrexham FC. Emily’s ancestor was involved in changing the rules of Welsh football, helping to put the club on the map.

Chris and Xand van Tulleken

Twin doctors and presenters Chris and Xand van Tulleken, hosts of children’s educational show Operation Ouch! join the series together to find out more about their Dutch ancestry. The pair are descended from a Dutch admiral and member of the nobility.

Dev Griffin

DJ and Heart presenter Dev Griffin travels to Jamaica to find out more about his great-grandparents through a collection of eye-opening documents. Dev’s mother is Irish whilst his father is Jamaican.

Chris Ramsey

Comedian and podcaster Chris Ramsey who is known for his appearances on Taskmaster, Celebrity Juice, and The Chris and Rosie Ramsey Show finds out about the extraordinary stories of survival in his family through the centuries.

Lesley Manville

Actress Lesley Manville, whose best known roles are as Princess Margaret on The Crown, Julie Jackson in BBC crime drama Sherwood, and Dahlia Archer on Amazon Prime series Citadel, learns about the role one of her ancestors played in the fight for workers’ rights, and the price they paid for taking a stand. 

When is Who Do You Think You Are? On TV?

Andrew Lloyd-Webber will star on the first episode of the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? which will air at 9pm on BBC One on Thursday 1 June.

Episodes will air at the same time weekly and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after they are first broadcast. Claire Foy will feature in the second episode, and Bear Grylls will take part in episode three.