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BBC viewers were left in tears at what they called the “saddest ever” episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on Thursday (19 September).
The show follows a celebrity as they trace their ancestry, unearthing family secrets, and tracing lost relatives.
Olly Murs featured in the latest instalment as he journeyed to Latvia for answers. The “Heart Skips a Beat” singer, who first found fame on The X Factor, hoped to find information about his great-grandmother, Veronika Jankovska.
Murs revealed that his grandfather last saw his mother when he was just 12-years-old, and that unanswered questions surrounding her absence affected him his whole life.
In the episode, the musician and TV presenter travelled to the Salamonska Circus building in Riga, where his great-grandparents had worked as circus performers. He discovered his great-grandfather Eduards had an affair with Veronika while married to his wife, Katrine.
Struggling as a young mother, Veronika was then forced to hand her son over to her own parents so she could continue working at the circus. However, when Nazi Germany took over the country, Eduards Jr had to flee as a refugee, along with his father and his wife.
Murs discovered that his great-grandmother was imprisoned in a labour camp for eight years. Veronika spent the remainder of her days searching for her son, but never found him. She died in 1988, with no family around her, and was buried in an unmarked grave.
“World War II had a real impact on my family,” Murs said. “I think Veronika made a very bold decision that day, leaving her son and knowing that she might never see him again.”
He continued, “I wish my grandad could have understood his mum’s decisions.”
Murs said he was comforted by the fact that the graveyard was in a “beautiful” setting as he walked through a grove of trees.
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“I’m happy that I’m able to give my dad some answers on her life,” he added. “Bless my great-grandmother, she had such sad moments in her life. I hope that she’s at peace now.”
Viewers were left in tears at the tragic events.
“Just cried at Who Do You Think You Are?” wrote one person. “That episode was brilliant but so so sad. That poor mother and son”.
“This is one of the saddest I’ve seen. Poor Veronika” commented a second, while a third wrote, “Olly I’m CRYING”.
“Watched last night, probably the most emotional episode I’ve seen, was a really harrowing and heartbreaking watch at the end,” wrote another fan on X/Twitter. “Glad they found closure.”
Another added, “Excellent episode. I was in floods... so moving.”
A regular viewer and avid fan praised the programme for delving into the lives of women, “One of the best episodes and I’ve watched most of them. People rarely dig into our female ancestors’ lives.”
“Glad you got the answers you were looking for Olly Murs, such a beautiful episode,” said another.
