Just noticed that the above TV prog is celebrating its 100th episode and that a new series is starting.
I wonder whether they have ever asked Jarvis to do one? He has always said he'd like to do Strictly Come Dancing (unless that was a joke) and that he'd like a crack at writing a song for the Eurovision Song Contest (ditto), so he can't be averse to being on t'telly.
I think it would make a good programme, although they might have to steer clear of focussing on his dad, in favour of going back a good deal further, time-wise, perhaps on the other side of the family. Usually the prog goes back multiple generations, anyway. Maybe they'd find Jarvis is descended from a mediaeval troubadour or something and that he has singing in his blood.
That way, also, he'd find out if he really is one of the common people or not.
I once saw an interview with a producer from Who Do You Think You Are? who said only about a third of the people they investigate end up being made into programmes. The BBC sees it primarily as a vehicle for social history and you need to have an "interesting" family story. As you say, they quite often home in on one branch and generation that catches their attention. Gary Lineker was very interesting, he had a poacher as an ancestor and they discussed poverty and hunger in that part of Leicestershire (Hungry Hinckley) and the iniquity of people stealing for food being imprisoned for long periods and such like.
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We'll use the one thing we've got more of, that's our minds.
