TV Show

My Grandparents' War

In this four-part documentary series, leading Hollywood actors undertake a fascinating journey into their family's past by re-tracing the footsteps of their grandparents during World War Two. We follow the moving, personal stories of Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Carey Mulligan as they travel to historic locations, from the beaches of Dunkirk to prisoner of war camps in Asia, to learn about the war their grandparents experienced. All of the actors have unanswered questions about the scars war left on their grandparents, and in each episode one of the actors explore how six years changed the lives of their family and the world forever while learning about the life and death decisions that their grandparents faced.

TV Show Stats +8%

2 seasons

8 episodes total

Status

Returning Series

First Aired

2019

Rating

TV Show

7.3/10

3 votes • HD

People

Cast

Cast information is not available for this show.

Season 1

4 episodes
View All Episodes
Helena Bonham Carter
Episode 1

Helena Bonham Carter

Episode 1 • Nov 27, 2019

Helena Bonham Carter relates how her grandfather defied orders by helping Jewish people escape the Holocaust, while her grandmother volunteered as an air raid warden and campaigned for women's rights

0.0
47m
Mark Rylance
Episode 2

Mark Rylance

Episode 2 • Dec 04, 2019

Actor and peace campaigner Mark Rylance explores the extraordinary World War II story of his grandfather Osmond Skinner, who spent almost four years as a Japanese prisoner of war

0.0
47m
Kristin Scott Thomas
Episode 3

Kristin Scott Thomas

Episode 3 • Dec 11, 2019

Actor Kristin Scott Thomas uncovers the story of how her grandfather William saved thousands of lives at Dunkirk while serving as a commanding officer in the Royal Navy throughout World War

0.0
47m
Carey Mulligan
Episode 4

Carey Mulligan

Episode 4 • Dec 18, 2019

Actor Carey Mulligan explores how her grandfather traveled thousands of miles to fight the Japanese in the final months of World War II, and lost his closest friends from a kamikaze attack at sea

0.0
47m

Season 2

4 episodes
View All Episodes
Kit Harington
Episode 1

Kit Harington

Episode 1 • Sep 15, 2022

The star of Game of Thrones explores his grandparents' extraordinary wartime experiences - from spying on a former King of England to a deadly Italian mission that earned a military cross

0.0
47m
Keira Knightley
Episode 2

Keira Knightley

Episode 2 • Sep 22, 2022

Actress Keira Knightley unearths a deeply moving story of resilience and love concerning her grandparents, Mac and Jan MacDonald. Mac was a sonar operator with the Royal Navy and Keira discovers how he and the crew of HMS Wolverine rescued hundreds of Irish Guards from a sinking ship in under 20 minutes. She also reveals how millions of women, including her grandmother Jan, volunteered to bolster Britain's war effort. Keira tries to comprehend how both her grandparents coped with the news that their younger brothers were reported missing in action

0.0
47m
Emeli Sandé
Episode 3

Emeli Sandé

Episode 3 • Sep 29, 2022

Award-winning musician Emeli Sandé explores her grandparents' remarkable war stories which span World War II, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia

0.0
47m
Toby Jones
Episode 4

Toby Jones

Episode 4 • Oct 06, 2022

Hollywood star Toby Jones delves into the remarkable WWII stories of his grandparents Reggie and Doreen Heslewood, whose love endured despite the trauma and hardship they faced.

0.0
47m