Gene Detectives

[Chris Paton]

Hi David,

Are you aware of any plans for a second run of Digging Up Your Roots, or was the series a one off?

Chris

[DavidWW]

Hi David,

Are you aware of any plans for a second run of Digging Up Your Roots, or was the series a one off?

Chris

There will be a second series, but exact format is yet to be decided.

David

[AnneM]

In Our Time brightens my trip to Fraserburgh every Thursday morning. I get terribly upset when it's not on.

Anne

[Chris Paton]

Agreed - the recent one on slavery was fantastic listening.

Looking forward to series 2 of Digging Up Your Roots - actually, we should call it DUYR, as that is the trendy thing to do with all genealogy progs these days (WDYTYA etc!).

Chris

[Cathy]

Hi David,
can I have your opinion please?
Don't know if recall my Chinese Brick Wall?
Hubby is said to be descended from "Oriental" female.

1. Hubby.
2. His father.
3. His GF.
4. His GGF.
5. ? His GGGF = Oriental
or previous generation was the Oriental connection.

I have seen programmes were people had DNA tests done and it pinpointed where in the world their roots were.

What do you think? Would it be worth having a test done?

[DavidWW]

Hi David,
can I have your opinion please?
Don't know if recall my Chinese Brick Wall?
Hubby is said to be descended from "Oriental" female.

1. Hubby.
2. His father.
3. His GF.
4. His GGF.
5. ? His GGGF = Oriental
or previous generation was the Oriental connection.

I have seen programmes were people had DNA tests done and it pinpointed where in the world their roots were.

What do you think? Would it be worth having a test done?

Could be worth a test as long as you realise that there are few absolutes. At best you will get some indication that there is some oriental element in his ancestry.

The point here is that any original oriental genes have been "diluted" by three generations when your hubbie arrived on the scene.

Make sure that any company that you use understands the objective.

David

[emanday]

Hi Cathy,

I just wondered if you knew for certain that your "Oriental" ancestor WAS Chinese, or are you basing that simply on the Oriental?

The reason I ask is that my grandmother, although I admit it may have simply been a quirk on her part, described anyone not of European or Western origins as "Oriental". By her description, this could mean anyone from the East, which in her day covered a fair area of the world.

[StewL]

My M.I.L was born in the same place as that Peter Pan of song, and the family (read her daughters) stir her up and keep telling her she's Indian, Oh does she have a pink fit over that one Although all the girls were born in Rhodesia (yes Rhodesia) so they are African!

[Chris Paton]

OK, I've just made an official complaint to the BBC over GD...

Text:

Dear Sir/Madam,

As a practising genealogist in Scotland, and a former BBC television producer, I find this programme to be an absolute insult to the intelligence, highly unethical in its production procedure and deeply dishonest about its premise.

1) The use of pseudo-science is dishonest, as it contributes absolutely nothing to the result - the answer is already known. It is therefore nothing but padding. The DNA test is irrelevant as the relative is already known, but also because the DNA science is based on probability, and not hardened fact - it can tell you who you aren't related to, but not confirm for certain who you are related to. The facial profiling, mannerisms etc, purported to be applicable research methodology, are nothing but pseudo-science, with no basis in fact.

2) Why have three "contestants" to choose from as the missing relative? Anthony Adolph has already worked out who the relative is though the paper chase. Baffled.

3) Why make the person seeking their relative go through the agony of waiting to meet the relative by making them play silly games? This will be the most crucial moment of many of their lives, and should not be gameshow fodder. Quite why somebody felt that they could commission a series out of a mixture of Jerry Springer and Who Do You Think You Are is way beyond me.

In short, I am thoroughly disgusted at just how low the BBC has sunk with this travesty of a series, and absolutely stunned to hear that it has been recommissioned.

Chris Paton


If I get a response I will post it here. If anyone else fancies posting their thoughts to the Beeb, their complaints procedure can be accessed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

Unless you enjoyed it of course...! lol

Chris

[DavidWW]

It's been recommissioned

That says it all in terms of just how low BBC has sunk.

David