My Grandparents' War
Season 2
Created by:
Network: Channel 4
Season aired: 2022-09-15
Seasons
Overview
In this four-part documentary series, leading Hollywood actors undertake a fascinating journey into their family's past by re-tracing the footsteps of their grandparents during World War Two. We follow the moving, personal stories of Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Carey Mulligan as they travel to historic locations, from the beaches of Dunkirk to prisoner of war camps in Asia, to learn about the war their grandparents experienced. All of the actors have unanswered questions about the scars war left on their grandparents, and in each episode one of the actors explore how six years changed the lives of their family and the world forever while learning about the life and death decisions that their grandparents faced.
Episodes · 4
Kit Harington
The star of Game of Thrones explores his grandparents' extraordinary wartime experiences - from spying on a former King of England to a deadly Italian mission that earned a military cross
Keira Knightley
Actress Keira Knightley unearths a deeply moving story of resilience and love concerning her grandparents, Mac and Jan MacDonald. Mac was a sonar operator with the Royal Navy and Keira discovers how he and the crew of HMS Wolverine rescued hundreds of Irish Guards from a sinking ship in under 20 minutes. She also reveals how millions of women, including her grandmother Jan, volunteered to bolster Britain's war effort. Keira tries to comprehend how both her grandparents coped with the news that their younger brothers were reported missing in action
Emeli Sandé
Award-winning musician Emeli Sandé explores her grandparents' remarkable war stories which span World War II, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia
Toby Jones
Hollywood star Toby Jones delves into the remarkable WWII stories of his grandparents Reggie and Doreen Heslewood, whose love endured despite the trauma and hardship they faced.
