Katie Archer
·Contributor
Updated ·4-min read
What did you miss?
Vicky McClure was left in tears and feeling "overwhelmed" during an emotional Who Do You Think You Are? journey that she described as "disturbing and life-changing".
The Line of Duty star wanted to discover more about her great grandfather, who had died during World War Two, but was shocked at the "horrific" details she uncovered about his fate.
McClure also found out more about her beloved late grandmother's tragic early life after being fostered.
Read more: What we know about Who Do You Think You Are? 2024
What, how, and why?
Who Do You Think You Are? returned to TV on Thursday with the fascinating family history of Line of Duty and This Is England star Vicky McClure.
The Nottingham-born actor was keen to find out more about her great grandfather Harry Millership, who was taken to Taiwan during World War Two as a Japanese prisoner of war and forced to work in a copper mine under terrible conditions.
His story left McClure heartbroken and in tears as she visited the mine and was shown his death certificate, hearing how he had been the first to die there after a fall when he was 35 years old.
She admitted: "The whole thing has been the most incredible, disturbing and life-changing experience. There's been a lot of it I've not found easy."
McClure identified with her great grandfather as she spoke about how difficult she found the trip to Taiwan, saying: "I'm not the greatest at travelling too far from home, especially alone... It's really overwhelming."
"There's a reason I'm an actor and it's because I've got a very vivid imagination," she added after hearing the details of his imprisonment. "Sometimes I battle with that. I think I'm battling with it here. My head's all over the shop and I'm learning information that is just horrific. It's my great grandad, it's my mum's grandad, it's just too close.
"I feel like I want to go home, or I want my family here with me. I feel really on my own in this because it's so much to take in and take on. And yet I feel terrible for feeling like that because he was alone, he didn't have his family and he didn't make it home. I just weirdly feel connected which is bonkers because I never even met him."
McClure broke down in tears in the copper mine where he had died, saying it had made her reflect on her relationship with her grandmother.
"She was a hard character but she was unhappy and I would be if this had happened to my dad," she said. "I didn't have the closest relationship with her because I was probably an annoyingly happy kid and this is probably why.
"She always had this and the photo of his grave nearby so it was obviously a heavy burden on her. It'll only be when I get home to my loving family and a warm home that it'll probably hit me quite a lot."
One viewer commented on X: "This episode of #WDYTYA with @Vicky_McClure is unreal. Her poor family. And Harry, what a legend."
Someone else added: "One of the saddest episodes I’ve ever watched but how proud is Vicky McClure of her Great Grandad. RIP Harry Millership."
Another viewer wrote: "Goodness that was an emotional one."
What else happened on Who Do You Think You Are?
Earlier in the episode, McClure explored another branch of her family as she found out about the younger years of her beloved late grandmother Jean.
Describing her as the most joyful person she had ever known, McClure was shocked to find out that Jean's good nature hid a traumatic start to life as she had been unhappy in a foster family where she had been hit as a child.
Jean had been given up for adoption after her mother, who already had three children, had a relationship with someone else and her husband told her he could not take on a fourth child.
McClure said: "It breaks my heart because she didn't deserve that, and it breaks my heart that she wasn't given to good people."
Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One at 9pm on Thursdays.
Read more: Vicky McClure
Vicky McClure discovers 'disturbing, life-changing' details in BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? (Nottinghamshire Live, 4 min read)
Vicky McClure marks first wedding anniversary with Jonny Owen (Good Housekeeping, 2 min read)
Vicky McClure: From Line of Duty to MBE - Nottingham actress' illustrious career and personal life (Nottinghamshire Live, 5 min read)
