Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lifetime Who Do You Think You Are?
15 April, 2025
Media releases
New Season Premieres Tuesday 13 May at 7:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand Watch the trailer here
Images available here
Screeners available here
Join eight prominent Australians in the adventure of a lifetime as they mine their family lineage for ancestral gold, in a brand-new season of Who Do You Think You Are?which returns to SBS and SBS On Demand on Tuesday 13 May at 7:30pm.
The cast of season 16 of this much-loved series includes Tom Gleeson, Patrick Brammall, Camilla Franks, Gina Chick, Matt Nable, Claudia Karvan, Mark Coles Smith and Marc Fennell. We join them on their individual journeys around Australia and overseas in search of previously undiscovered family histories.
From the wilds of the Kimberley, across Australia, New Zealand, and to central Europe where the first shots were fired in World War Two, our celebrity detectives dig deep and find profound stories of love, loss and survival.
This journey has changed my perception of my family. I thought my family were a lot more dysfunctional and I've discovered the opposite. I have much more of a connection to the ancestors I met than I ever thought possible. Claudia Karvan
In an emotionally tumultuous first episode, acclaimed actor and producer Claudia Karvan is moved by the tragedy and courage of her family's past. Tracing her father's family back to England and Cyprus she discovers the life of the elusive but free-spirited grandmother she never knew. In New Zealand, following her mother's line, Claudia solves the riddle of what became of her great grandfather, the mysterious black sheep' of the family.
I came to the end of this journey feeling a newfound respect for every single one of my family members. Mark Coles Smith
Award-winning actor Mark Coles Smith is a proud Nyikina man from the Fitzroy River region of Western Australia. Reflecting a rich, multicultural heritage of Indigenous and Indonesian on his mother's side, and Anglo-Austrian on his father's side, Mark solves a maternal family mystery, and travels to Poland and Germany where he makes a shocking discovery about his great grandfather.
Looking into my ancestor's pasts has been a great experience. I've realised that imperfection is everywhere, in the past and the present, I've often glorified people in the past and thought they were noble or great characters and when you look into it, they're full of all the same flaws that we are. Tom Gleeson
Comedian Tom Gleeson's Who Do You Think You Are? journey sees him on the hunt to discover why an elusive ancestor changed the family's name, but as Tom digs deeper, he finds the mystery is more complicated than he ever imagined.
This journey has certainly woken up a whole bunch of ghosts that I didn't know about, and it just makes things more interesting, real and visceral and it's made me want to learn more about it. Patrick Brammall
Internationally renowned actor Patrick Brammall goes on a quest to establish whether a long-held myth about his mother's ancestry is true. Exploring his great grandfather's history Patrick finds a passionate working-class activist and is deeply impressed by his public and private life.
I cannot be told what to do, so that oppositional defiance which I really recognise I think I can track back. Gina Chick
Curious about the source of her emotional fortitude and profound connection to nature, author, adventurer, inaugural winner of Season 1 of SBS's Alone Australia and co-host of Great Australian Walks, Gina Chick sets out on the NSW South Coast to find the identity of the relatives she has inherited these qualities from.
I have so much admiration for the women that have walked before me. Camilla Franks
Fashion entrepreneur and kaftan queen Camilla Franks is on a quest to unearth her long-hidden cultural roots. Travelling from NSW's Hunter Valley to Poland and London, Camilla is shocked and delighted to find a common theme across the generations.
I've explored a lot of other people's history over several tv shows and podcasts. None of it prepared me for the experience of being on the receiving end. Marc Fennell
SBS documentary filmmaker and TV presenter Marc Fennell is keen to connect with his family history, specifically his unique Indian and Irish heritage. Travelling to Singapore, Malaysia, Ireland and England, Marc discovers surprising cultural connections and unearths extraordinary tales of his ancestors' lives.
I have great gratitude for those that came before me in my family and for my parents, knowing how they started off and how they came to be where they were. Matt Nable
In the final episode of the season, actor, director and writer, Matt Nable makes a bombshell discovery after a DNA test, that re-writes his entire family story.
Tinzar Lwyn, SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries said: In SBS's 50th year, Who Do You Think You Are? remains one of SBS's most successful and beloved commissioned programs. It returns with an impressive lineup of guests, who travel the world in the footsteps of their ancestors, to solve family mysteries. Once again, the series taps into a rich vein of history, and fascinating personal stories, as Australia's most familiar faces time travel, to discover who they really are.
Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS. The brand-new series airs at 7:30pm Tuesdays on SBS and SBS On Demand, starting 13 May.
All eight episodes of Season 16 of Who Do You Think You Are? will be available to stream on SBS On Demand with subtitles in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.
Asia, Australia & Oceanic Stories
24/07/2025
NITV and SBS to celebrate the significance and spectacle of the 25th Garma Festi...
24/07/2025
Pure Drama continues with the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift hot on the wheels...
23/07/2025
SBS shortlists proponents to proceed to next stage for Western Sydney production...
21/07/2025
SBS reveals expert commentary team for the World Athletics Championships in Toky...
21/07/2025
21 07 2025 - Media release Australian gamemakers level-up with major funding from Screen Australia
Retopia
New games capture distinctive stories, landscapes ...
09/07/2025
Explore Love Without Limits in a bold, funny and unapologetic SBS Audio podcast ...
08/07/2025
SBS strengthens commitment to inclusion with new commissioning guidelines
8 July, 2025
Media releases
SBS has launched new Commissioning Inclusion Guidelin...
08/07/2025
Secrets, Spies and Sabotage: 40 years on, SBS podcast investigates historic bomb...
07/07/2025
SBS Farewells Chair George Savvides AM
7 July, 2025
Media releases
Born of Greek Cypriot parents, Mr Savvides joined the SBS Board as Deputy Chair in Febru...
30/06/2025
SBS On Demand boosts global news offering with launch of France 24 FAST Channel
30 June, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offeri...
27/06/2025
27 06 2025 - Media release Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong
Marton Csokas and Lila McGuire of Goolagong. Image c...
26/06/2025
Buckle up for Great Australian Road Trips launching 31 July on SBS and SBS On De...
20/06/2025
Hit, run, oh sh#t: NITV and SBS get RECKLESS with filming underway in Western Au...
13/06/2025
Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...
12/06/2025
50 Years Strong: SBS and NITV Supercharge NAIDOC Week 2025 in a joint 50th celeb...
06/06/2025
06 06 2025 - Media release Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwri...
03/06/2025
Stories of love, loyalty and self-discovery among six shortlisted Digital Origin...
28/05/2025
SBS celebrates 50 years of reflecting a diverse and contemporary Australia
28 May, 2025
Media releases
Marking 50 years of broadcasting on 9 June 2025, SBS...
28/05/2025
ABS and Verticloud announce a Strategic Partnership to accelerate Digital Transf...
22/05/2025
SBS and Screen Australia showcase the next wave of Australian storytellers with ...
22/05/2025
Rune Pedersen unpacks How Humans Talk in new SBS Audio podcast
22 May, 2025
Media releases
Ever caught yourself using baby talk with your pet and wondered ...
19/05/2025
Eurovision delivers strong Total TV audiences for SBS, dazzling more than 2.21 m...
16/05/2025
Proper Loved Up Stage One Recipients Announced
16 May, 2025
Media releases
Screen Australia's First Nations Department, the Australian Broadcasting Cor...
15/05/2025
Australia's boldest network SBS launches new brand campaign: We Go There...
15/05/2025
We Go There SBS On Demand's new Hub is entirely bold and unmistakably SBS
15 May, 2025
Media releases
The We Go There Hub brings together over 300 ti...
14/05/2025
ABS and SpaceBridge to Join Forces to Strengthen Managed Services Across Europe,...
13/05/2025
Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion
13 May, 2025
Media releases
As the latest season nears its end, SBS's hit series brings full cast together for re...
13/05/2025
Teletimes interviews ABS CEO, Mark Rigolle...
12/05/2025
And They're Off! The Pure Drama of the Cycling Grand Tours Continues on SBS,...
12/05/2025
10 05 2025 - Media release Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directin...
07/05/2025
SBS and NITV mark National Reconciliation Week with compelling premieres recogni...
07/05/2025
SBS commences search for a new Western Sydney production hub location
7 May, 2025
Media releases
SBS has today launched a Request for Expressions of Intere...
02/05/2025
SBS On Demand achieves stellar month on the back of Alone Australia and The Hand...
01/05/2025
01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives
All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...
30/04/2025
Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award
30 April, 2025
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...
30/04/2025
SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives
30 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...
23/04/2025
We heard that you could use a little pick-me-up, so get ready to sh-sh-shake it ...
22/04/2025
McAvaney takes the lead for SBS' Coverage of the World Athletics Championshi...
16/04/2025
Finalists announced! Five stand-out brands shortlisted for SBS Media's Susta...
15/04/2025
Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lif...
15/04/2025
SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Champions...
14/04/2025
SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduc...
11/04/2025
Isn't that Insightful? Kumi Taguchi dives deeper into Insight's taboo to...
09/04/2025
SBS On Demand partners with Euronews to extend network news offering
9 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offering with the...
09/04/2025
SBS announces TV's hottest new couple, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, as E...
09/04/2025
09 04 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase
Kids IP Incubator recipients in Melbourne for the workshop...
07/04/2025
Olympic Gold medallist and World Time Trial Champion Grace Brown joins SBS comme...
07/04/2025
Female focus: New season of Living Black highlights women in Federal Election ye...
07/04/2025
SBS News' Cost of Living Secrets podcast returns to tackle one of the key is...
Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lifetime Who Do You Think You Are? 
