Pixie Lott is the latest celebrity to trace her family history on the BBC documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? And while delving into her family’s past, Pixie made a heartbreaking discovery about her great-grandfather.
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During the programme, the singer-songwriter learned that during the First World War, her paternal great-grandfather Joseph was a prisoner of war in Germany.
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While reading an extract written by a soldier in Joseph’s battalion, Pixie learned of the horrific conditions and traumatising experiences that her great-grandfather had endured. Reacting to the extract, Pixie said: "I mean it sounds awful, doesn’t it?"
After viewing the extract, she read another document that listed Joseph as a German prisoner of war. Astounded by the news, the singer remarked: "Oh my god, the first battle that he was involved in, witnessing all this stuff, going through all of that, which sounds horrendous, and then being captured and taken away as a prisoner, he must have been thinking: 'What is going to happen to me? What are they going to do?’"
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This wasn’t the only surprising revelation made during the programme, however, as Pixie made a much more pleasant discovery when she found three generations of musicians on her mother’s side of the family. Talking about her journey on the show, the singer said: "I was extremely happy to find I have musicians in the family. I always thought I was the only one to do music as an occupation, it makes more sense now as to why I went into it myself.”
Pixie was shocked to learn that her great-grandfather was a prisoner of war
She added: “It was a once in a lifetime journey to go on, especially as my mum joined us too. Now we can pass the stories on to the next generation from our family and keep them alive."
Pixie is the fifth celebrity to reveal her family history, following in the footsteps of comedian Josh Widdicombe, Dame Judi Dench, former footballer Alex Scott and comedian Joe Lycett, who all made shocking discoveries while on the show.
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© Photo: BBCJosh Widdicombe also made a shocking discovery while on the show
Josh embarked on a long journey in which he discovered that he is descended from not only Anne Boleyn’s sister Mary, and possibly Henry VIII, but also King Edward I. Meanwhile, Dame Judi learned that her ten times great-aunt was a lady in waiting to the Queen of Denmark during the 16th century, serving in Kronborg Castle which is famed for being the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
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