Long Lost Family
Encyclopedia
Long Lost Family is a television series produced by ITV
which aims to reunite relatives after years of separation.
and Nicky Campbell
, the series offers a last chance for people who are desperate to find long lost relatives. The series helps a handful of people, some of whom have been searching in vain for many years, find the family members they are desperately seeking. It explores the background and context of each family's estrangement and tracks the detective work and often complex and emotional process of finding each lost relative before they are reunited. With the help and support of Davina and Nicky, each relative is guided and supported through the process of tracing the member of their family they have been desperately seeking, in some cases for most of their lives. Long Lost Family reveals the background to each case, the social context and reasons why these estrangements occurred, from the single teenage mums who felt unable to keep their babies to the fathers who left and the twin sisters who were separated at birth.
gave the show a mixed review stating "the presenters seemed to be trying slightly too hard to squeeze tears out of their interviewees". Deacon also stated "I wonder what the producers would do if the two people they brought together, instead of embracing joyfully, launched into a furious rally of accusations and blame. Perhaps I’ll tune in next week to see whether it happens, although that will depend on whether I can stomach more of Pavlov’s Piano, or for that matter Davina McCall’s habit of talking to her interviewees, even the elderly ones, as if she were their proud mother, waving them off at the school gate". Lucy Mangan of The Guardian
gave a more positive review commenting "Within its own parameters, it succeeds quite nicely. Davina's common touch remains infallible and her co-host Nicky Campbell's almost pathological lack of charisma is obscured and alleviated by his status as an adopted son himself, makes the whole thing slightly less painful than it might have been". Mangan summed up the show as a "A lovely documentary" Alice-Azania Jarvis of The Independent
gave a show a mixed to positive review, she wrote; "It was all very warm and fuzzy and just what you'd expect, apart from the presenters, who struck me as an odd duo. His connection is obvious – adopted at four days old – hers rather less so. Still, she's really rather good: none of the overgrown-yoof presenting she favours on Big Brother, much more concerned (grown-up) friend. I can't imagine this continuing for more than a couple of series – it's all a little one-trick: once you've got the hang of the tracking-down-strangers part, there's only so much to be astonished about. But, for the meantime, it ain't bad".
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
which aims to reunite relatives after years of separation.
Show description
Presented by Davina McCallDavina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
and Nicky Campbell
Nicky Campbell
Nicholas Andrew Argyll "Nicky" Campbell is a Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist. He is known for his time presenting on programmes such as the consumer affairs programme Watchdog...
, the series offers a last chance for people who are desperate to find long lost relatives. The series helps a handful of people, some of whom have been searching in vain for many years, find the family members they are desperately seeking. It explores the background and context of each family's estrangement and tracks the detective work and often complex and emotional process of finding each lost relative before they are reunited. With the help and support of Davina and Nicky, each relative is guided and supported through the process of tracing the member of their family they have been desperately seeking, in some cases for most of their lives. Long Lost Family reveals the background to each case, the social context and reasons why these estrangements occurred, from the single teenage mums who felt unable to keep their babies to the fathers who left and the twin sisters who were separated at birth.
Episodes
- Episode 1 - 21 April 2011 - Jennifer Wilson looks for her twin sister, from whom she was separated at birth when they were adopted by different couples. Karen Lloyd searches for her father, whom she has never met before.
- Episode 2 - 28 April 2011 - Ever since he discovered the truth about his real father at the age of 15, Wayne has been on a quest to find him. Debbie Gave her son up to save her marriage, she never stopped wanting him back in her life
- Episode 3 - 5 May 2011 - The episode features Jeannie Elgar, who last saw her brother Geoffrey when she was eight, and Kirsty West, who struggled with the decision she made as a teenager to have her son adopted.
- Episode 4 - 12 May 2011 - Adopted as a baby, Laura McCarthy wants to find her mother and half sister. Sarah Gale was also adopted and had a happy childhood, but cannot rest until she finds her real mother.
- Episode 5 - 19 May 2011 -
- Episode 6 - 26 May 2011 -
Reception
Micheal Deacon of The TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
gave the show a mixed review stating "the presenters seemed to be trying slightly too hard to squeeze tears out of their interviewees". Deacon also stated "I wonder what the producers would do if the two people they brought together, instead of embracing joyfully, launched into a furious rally of accusations and blame. Perhaps I’ll tune in next week to see whether it happens, although that will depend on whether I can stomach more of Pavlov’s Piano, or for that matter Davina McCall’s habit of talking to her interviewees, even the elderly ones, as if she were their proud mother, waving them off at the school gate". Lucy Mangan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
gave a more positive review commenting "Within its own parameters, it succeeds quite nicely. Davina's common touch remains infallible and her co-host Nicky Campbell's almost pathological lack of charisma is obscured and alleviated by his status as an adopted son himself, makes the whole thing slightly less painful than it might have been". Mangan summed up the show as a "A lovely documentary" Alice-Azania Jarvis of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave a show a mixed to positive review, she wrote; "It was all very warm and fuzzy and just what you'd expect, apart from the presenters, who struck me as an odd duo. His connection is obvious – adopted at four days old – hers rather less so. Still, she's really rather good: none of the overgrown-yoof presenting she favours on Big Brother, much more concerned (grown-up) friend. I can't imagine this continuing for more than a couple of series – it's all a little one-trick: once you've got the hang of the tracking-down-strangers part, there's only so much to be astonished about. But, for the meantime, it ain't bad".