RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: LizzieW on Thursday 12 September 19 09:15 BST (UK)
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Wow, saved the best to the last. I really enjoyed this episode especially with him finding his Jewish roots. I'm still searching for mine, but getting there thanks to DNA testing.
What a lovely man, not at all "luvvie".
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I really enjoyed this one. I don't know who Mark Wright is, but that was not important. Right from the start it was obvious that he was just an ordinary bloke from an ordinary family, who wanted to do something good for his grandfather "before it was too late". A sentiment that we can all relate to.
He found good things and bad things and took them all in his stride. A pleasure to watch.
Regards
Chas
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I agree, it was much better than the others in this series and the subject, who was unknown to me, showed genuine interest. I found it very interesting.
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I know who Mark Wright is - he's one of the original "Reality Stars" but at least he's stayed ordinary, unlike many of the others.
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Yes it was really interesting... and what an interesting story to take back to Grandad
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Certainly one of the better episodes.
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Bullseye :D
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I also enjoyed this.
Did they actually show the record that proved they came from Spain (I like to know sources ;) )?
The only thing that spoilt this were the TV trailers. There was no mystery as we knew he was off to Spain. Finding the unexpected is what makes this programme really interesting although I don't mind the Ag Labs at all.
The Radio Times told it all (total spoiler)
In the final episode of the series, former The Only Way is Essex star and presenter Mark Wright investigates his family history. First, he examines his father's side of the family, and uncovers surprising facts about his Sephardic Jewish ancestry and his relation to a master swordsman living in late 17th-century Andalucia. Mark's journey then takes him to Spain, where he is astonished to find out how one of his relatives survived the terror of the Spanish Inquisition, and another was burned at the stake. Last in the series.
https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/jm2xgt/who-do-you-think-you-are--s16-e8-mark-wright/
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I haven't seen this one yet. Its repeated late next Tuesday so will record it.
I wasn't actually looking forward to it that much as I'm sure the weekend papers said it wasn't one of the better ones. From the comments on here, it just shows how little they know!!
I know who he is but had never watched him in his reality show (Towie?) as its not my cup of tea. I believe he's married to Tina from Corrie?!!
I shall now look forward to watching. This series hasn't been bad at all - even the dreadful Whitehalls had some interesting content.
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No idea at all who he was, and not a lot more now, and the first few moments ( family videos...) had me dreading it would be rather like the dreadful "Danny Dyer" one, but like jillruss I do think this series has been good. The weakest seemed to me the "Whitehalls" one, and the young(?) woman fretting about slave overseers, but I was amazed that I even enjoyed the Sharon Osborne one!
This series has indeed pulled its socks up! Well done.
(And now I'm looking forward to the next one...)
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Definitely the best of the series. I was sort of dreading it as last year they had his wife (Michelle Kegan) and her episode was boring. I do know who Mark Wright is and that he came from a very close loving family. What a story to tell his granddad, although I thought his granddad had a few good East-End stories to tell himself too!
Wouldn't we all love to find a line like that!
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Given the positive review it has had on here I have set it to record the repeat.
I did have it on last night but did not pay much attention as I was chasing distant cousins who kept
flipping between England and Scotland on the censuses.
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Glad to see pretty much everyone commenting enjoyed this episode as much as I did! No clue who he is / was and will never understand the apparent UK obsession with Essex, but there we are. :P
Yes, Michelle Kegan played Tina McIntyre in Corrie.
Having not had the episode 'spoiled' by the Radio Times I was intrigued to find out about his Jewish roots. I also loved his emotional response at the end when he thought about how much his grandad would enjoy learning all of this information.
Great series.
Ms_C
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I really enjoyed this episode too, although I had never heard of Mark Wright before. He came across as a very down to earth guy. The Spanish/Jewish records were fascinating. The family story of Spanish or Italian ancestry filtered down for many hundreds of years was very interesting. There's truth in some of those family stories. Very enjoyable episode. 👍
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Loved this episode!
I had no clue who Mark Wright was either - I had assumed he was a footballer :P - but I thought he was a lovely guy with strong family ties.
I'd managed to avoid any spoilers , so was fascinated as his Spanish/Jewish ancestry was revealed.
Wasn't it nice to see a subject sit and listen intently to what they were being told ? Mark seemed genuinely interested and excited by the researchers' finds
I wish we'd seen his granddad's (a bit of a character, I suspect ) reaction to the revelations.
Looby :)
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Rootschatters seem to have loved this episode, but if you go on social media the comments, probably by trolls, are disgusting. I have no idea why some people think it clever to denigrate everyone, they must have very sad lives.
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I have to agree with the majority here - definitely the best of this series. I vaguely knew where he first came to TV notice, and so wasn't expecting too much, but ... WOW!! He showed interest, empathy and a sense of fun (the sword fighting, anyone?). Unlike so many he had obviously taken in the family stories from childhood and made them part of his personal history. So often others have said ' oh yes, we were..... ' but don't seem to have really thought what that meant.
The Talk with his grandfather showed their closeness, and the final scene was genuinely moving.
And I was knocked speechless when he went to the synagogue and made the clear connection to the time the furniture was produced - he clearly knew who Oliver Cromwell was!
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I know who Mark Wright is and that he is married to 'Our Girl' Michelle. They were married at St Mary's church in Bury St Edmunds. It was a pleasant surprise to see what a genuine young man he is and how much he enjoyed his research. Definitely kept the best for last.
SM
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I'm not a reality TV fan but I know who Mark Wright is. From what I'd seen of him before I expected him to be a lovely guy, and he was.
One thing that stood out for me was his genuine engagement with the stories. 'I need to know what happened next' is a phrase churned out every week, but with Mark I really felt like he meant it.
I found the Spanish Inquisition story fascinating - I had no idea so many records still survived.
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Yes. A good episode.
Great to look at being Jewish from a different angle. I don't think they have looked at Sephardi before?
Funnily enough there was a visit to the Sephardi Synagogue in Manchester on Antiques Road Trip yesterday (Charlie Hanson & Christina Trevanyon, 12th Sept) .
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I liked the Mark Wright story, and how he drove past his birthplace hospital in the East End. Born in London but grew up in Essex. Mark has no airs and graces either.
I am sure they did explore Sephardi Jews in June Brown's ancestry on WDYTYA years ago.
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I am sure they did explore Sephardi Jews in June Brown's ancestry on WDYTYA years ago.
Ok. Thanks. I will try to find it on iplayer. :D
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Like most others I'd not heard of Mark Wright before and my heart did sink a little at the initial family gathering, but his relationship with his grandfather was delightful and his genuine interest in everything he was told enabaling him to go back and tell his grandfather was very emotional.
He certainly seemed to be quite a good swordsman for a first attempt.... all that footwork and balance clearly in the genes.
A wonderful finish to this series which ,for me was a little shaky at the start.
I also enjoyed the Sharon Osborne episode too, she came over really well and not at all what I expected.... not seen any comments on here about her one...
Looking forward to the next series when hopefully they'll pick a good range of interesting people.
Caroline
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I also enjoyed the Sharon Osborne episode too, she came over really well and not at all what I expected.... not seen any comments on here about her one...
@Caw1 - each episode has its own thread. If you search WDYTYA you will find the Sharon Osborne one.
Cheers
Ms_C
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The Sharon Osbourne discussion thread.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=818302.0
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Thanks coombs and canuck I certainly didn’t see it.... must be age, eyesight or any other combination!
Caroline
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I am sure nigella lawson wdytya also found sephardi roots
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Just got round to watching this one last night and really enjoyed it ..He was very interested in finding out about his family ..Also enjoyed Sharon Osbourne ;)
Rosie
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Yes, I've just caught up with this.
So lovely to see Andalucia, where I've visited (been to Jaen and Seville, but not Cadiz where they went), and also fascinating to hear more about the details of the Spanish Inquisition.
We saw several references to this in the museums we visited, including one where they had many of the torturers' equipment, which I have to say we didn't examine closely or for long.
And I agree, he was charming, especially in his obviously sincere love for his granddad
Added: having read some of the earlier posts here, what's the problem coming from Essex? Or, indeed, having an East London accent? Or a family like Mark Wright's? I speak as one very much from that neck of the woods
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It wasn't my favourite episode of the series but was pleasantly surprised as I had only heard of him from gossip mags etc and he was a much nicer chap than I was expecting.
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We thoroughly enjoyed this one !
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I've only just got round to watching it as well.
I quite enjoyed it but, after all the positive remarks on this thread, perhaps I was expecting more. Yes, he came across as a nice enough lad but left the impression with me of a chap with all the charm and patter but with little in depth understanding.
Not my favourite of the series - that was Paul Merton but I was also pleasantly surprised by the Sharon Osbourne episode.
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My favourite also was Paul Merton, but mark Wright is second. At least in this episode they filmed him doing some research, however much or little was his own work; better than the experts just passing over documents " all " the time !