HE’S the Frenchman who has built a career on this side of the Channel, now it seems Fred Sirieix may have family history over here, too.
I can reveal the First Dates maitre d and former I’m A Celebrity campmate has signed up for the next series of BBC One genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?
Expected to air later this year, the series has something of a stellar line-up as it will also feature former BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show host Zoe Ball.
A TV insider said: “Fred probably isn’t top billing on the series, but he’ll certainly have one of the more interesting family backgrounds.
“Though he’s famous for being French, his family history is likely to throw up quite a few surprises as he goes on his genealogy journey.
“He recently discovered he has some surprising ancestry, so the programme might take him in that direction — but producers are keeping everything under wraps.”
Fred revealed that a DNA test suggests he probably has a lot of ancestry in the British Isles.
He told BBC Radio Wales: “It so happens that I am six per cent Welsh, and a little bit Irish and a little bit English as well.
“But it’s not a surprise because where I’m from in Limoges used to be a Celt settlement maybe 3,000 years ago.
“The Celts went from Wales and Ireland to Brittany and they went to Limoges, which is why according to my DNA I am 78 per cent French only.”
Fred is launching his Tour De Fred show on ITV next week.
It will see him cycle around Northern Ireland sampling the local cuisine and history.
He has also been busy tying the knot with his partner of seven years, known as Fruitcake, who he has previously appeared with on Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox.
They married in Jamaica, with the couple sharing pictures from their special day on Instagram recently.
I wonder if she realises she’s married a man who’s not quite as French as she thought . . .
Do not Cole me a fool
BRENDAN COLE has been striving to shake off his bad boy image since leaving Strictly Come Dancing.
The controversial pro dancer – who often clashed with the judges – walked away from the BBC dance contest seven years ago as he didn’t want to embarrass his daughter Aurelia and son Dante.
He told Betway Casino: “I was only 28 when I started and lippy. And headstrong, a bit of a d*** to be honest.
“I had this bravado that I had to prove my worth, but I realised I had to tone down that sort of behaviour, more so when I became a father.
“I don’t want my children to look back and think I’m an idiot and be embarrassed by a fool on the TV.”
Call The Midwife plot reveal
A spin-off series of Call The Midwife could focus on the early years of Trixie Franklin, currently played by Helen George[/caption]
THE first Call The Midwife spin-off series could be a prequel focusing on the early years of Trixie Franklin.
The character, currently played on the BBC One drama by Helen George, would take centre stage and be portrayed by another actress, possibly in her teens or early twenties.
It would take the story from the Seventies, where Call the Midwife has now reached, back to the Fifties when Trixie was starting out in her adult life and career.
The move comes after the Sunday night show’s creator, Heidi Thomas, said she could see the programme being rested soon and a spin-off made instead.
A TV insider said: “Trixie is an obvious choice of subject because she is one of the wilder characters at Nonnatus House and therefore has the potential for a more interesting back story.
“When we were introduced to her in series one in 2012 she was in her early twenties and was already very worldy.
“So there is much to take a deep dive into.
“But everything is at a very early stage and there are so many options open to the show’s creators because it’s still one of the Beeb’s most-watched programmes.”
THE brutal murder of Brianna Ghey will be the focus of a new ITV documentary.
The film, by MultiStory Media, will see the transgender teen’s mum Esther talk about her devastating loss after Brianna was stabbed to death by two 15-year-olds.
It will be shown on ITV1 later this year.
UNFORGOTTEN isn’t going to be forgotten by ITV. The hit crime drama, starring Sanjev Bhaskar and Sinead Keenan as DI Sunil Khan and DCI Jessica James, will be back for a seventh season.
The latest series, which ended this week, pulled in 7.4million viewers for the launch episode.
