Empire's Children

Last updated

Empire's Children
GenreHistory and documentary
Presented by Richard Armitage
Starring
Original languageEnglish
Original release
Network Channel 4
Release2007 (2007) 
2007 (2007)

Empire's Children is a 2007 six-part history documentary narrated by Richard Armitage and created by Channel 4. [1] Each episode follows a British celebrity as they trace their family history across the British Empire.

Contents

The celebrities featured included actress Diana Rigg, director Adrian Lester, actress Shobna Gulati, actor Chris Bisson, comedian Jenny Eclair, and politician David Steel. [2] The show was produced by Wall to Wall and Illumina. [3] [4]

Release

The premiere of the first episode was watched by 1.9 million viewers and the final episode reached 1.1 million. [5]

A companion book for the documentary was published in 2007 called Empire’s Children: Trace Your Family History Across the World. [6] [7]

Reception

According to one academic, the show can be viewed through the lens of the rise in genealogy subject media during the 2000s. [8]

Empire's Children was the winner of the Y Design award's "community award" category at the London Design Festival. [9] The show was also nominated by the Royal Television Society for their 2007 Innovation Award. [10]

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References

  1. Bull, Sofia (30 May 2019). Television and the Genetic Imaginary. Springer. p. 123. ISBN   978-1-137-54847-4.
  2. Dowell, Ben (25 January 2007). "C4 series to explore celebrities' imperial past". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  3. Media, Bionic. "News Wall to Wall & Illumina join forces for family history site". WallToWall. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  4. Gray, Ann; Bell, Erin (2013). History on Television. Routledge. p. 197. ISBN   978-0-415-58038-0.
  5. Dowell, Ben (7 August 2007). "Fall of Empire's Children". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  6. Gill, Anton (2007). Empire's Children: Trace Your Family History Across the World. HarperPress. ISBN   978-0-00-724714-1.
  7. "Backing Britain". www.churchtimes.co.uk. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  8. Nicholas, Sian; O'Malley, Tom; Williams, Kevin (13 September 2013). Reconstructing the Past: History in the Mass Media 1890–2005. Routledge. p. 10. ISBN   978-1-317-99684-2.
  9. Administrator, System (26 September 2007). "Glue London sticks out at the Y Design Awards". Design Week. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  10. "Innovation Awards 2007". Royal Television Society. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2024.