My Grandparents' War
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.
Seasons
Follow the moving, personal stories of Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Carey Mulligan as they travel to historic locations to learn about what their grandparents experienced during World War Two. 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.
E1Helena Bonham Carter
Nov 27, 2019
Helena Bonham Carter relates how her grandfather defied orders by helping Jewish people escape the Holocaust, while her grandmother volunteered as an air raid warden and campaigned for women's rights
E2Mark Rylance
Dec 4, 2019
Actor and peace campaigner Mark Rylance explores the extraordinary World War II story of his grandfather Osmond Skinner, who spent almost four years as a Japanese prisoner of war
E3Kristin Scott Thomas
Dec 11, 2019
Actor Kristin Scott Thomas uncovers the story of how her grandfather William saved thousands of lives at Dunkirk while serving as a commanding officer in the Royal Navy throughout World War
E4Carey Mulligan
Dec 18, 2019
Actor Carey Mulligan explores how her grandfather traveled thousands of miles to fight the Japanese in the final months of World War II, and lost his closest friends from a kamikaze attack at sea
E1Kit Harington
Sep 15, 2022
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
E2Keira Knightley
Sep 22, 2022
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
E3Emeli Sandé
Sep 29, 2022
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
E4Toby Jones
Oct 6, 2022
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.
Videos
Storyline
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.
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