June Brown

Image for June BrownNot currently available on BBC iPlayer

Duration: 1 hour

Celebrities trace their family trees to reveal the lives of their ancestors and explore major themes in British social history.

National treasure June Brown leads the way as the oldest person ever to take part in Who Do You Think You Are? During her search to find out if she is a real EastEnder, June unravels her Jewish heritage, and discovers how momentous historical events shaped her family's destiny, forcing them to migrate across Europe.

June begins her investigation in London, by exploring her great great great grandfather's involvement in the shadowy underworld of 19th century bare-knuckle boxing. Tracing her ancestors further back, the trail leads June to Holland and the story of a family tragically divided by war. Pushing back even further, June discovers an extraordinary document that reveals the impact the Spanish Inquisition had on her family, causing them to be forcibly expelled from North Africa.

More episodes

See all episodes from Who Do You Think You Are?

  • June Brown's early adult years

    June Brown's early adult years

    June Brown aged 18 in her WRENS uniform, circa 1945.

  • Researching celebrities' family histories

    Researching celebrities' family histories

    Executive producer Tom Mcdonald on the highs and lows of discovering the family history of June Brown and other celebrities: "I think June was fortified by her cigarettes - she smokes almost as many as her character Dot Branning in EastEnders."

    Read and comment on Tom's post on the BBC TV blog

Credits

Participant
June Brown
Director
Sarah Feltes
Producer
Carrie Britton

Broadcasts

See all broadcasts of June Brown (4)

Buy online

Available on: DVD

From suppliers including: Amazon, BBC Shop

Where to buy

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