BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 5 Episode #2: Boris Johnson

[Aulus]

Right at the end of the programme, the continuity announcer said that the genealogist from WDYTYA would be taking viewers'/listeners' calls on Radio 5 Live at 10pm tomorrow.

[lesleyhannah]

Surely, if he was the father, then the marriage would have taken place earlier?

That hadn't occurred to me - that maybe the father was someone unacceptable, and this was just a marriage of convenience?

I found the programme interesting and surprising. Not really a 'how to do it' sort of programme, but still riveting.

One query I was left with at the end was a throwaway remark Boris made. Before the programme he thought he was a mixture of several nationalities etc, which I thought he said included Jewish ancestry. I don't remember this aspect being mentioned and wonder if I was mistaken.

It was one programme that I think needs a follow-up.

[downside]

One query I was left with at the end was a throwaway remark Boris made. Before the programme he thought he was a mixture of several nationalities etc

According to an article in the Sunday Times dated 03/08/08:

Last year Boris claimed that one of his great-great-grandmothers was a Circassian slave from southern Russia.  However, the programme makers appear to have been unable to find proof of this.

Boris makes all kinds on claims and is famous for his gaffes, so I wouldn't take anything he says literally.

[suey]

Dear old Boris, he didn't let us down did he?  British twittery is alive and well 

Blonde hair, jewish ancestors?...we were only looking at his fathers side of the family, anyone know what lies on his mothers side, or did I miss something?

[Nick29]

Fascinating that his gt grandfather is still persona non grata in Turkey and they had trouble finding any historian who would discuss him!

"Persona non grata", or is it just the fact that Turkey isn't quite the free democracy that it claims to be ?

I found the programme fascinating.  Compared to Patsy Kensit's programme which looked thoroughly rehearsed in places, Boris' reactions seemed spontaneous and sincere.  Just one thing wrong - the programme should have been two hours long, to look at the other side of Boris's family.

[Isles]

I enjoyed the content of the programme (as always) but to make a small criticism I only wish that Boris had been able to resist continually finishing the researcher's answers.  Just the nature of the beast I expect !

[JenB]

I found it quite fascinating, although I too wish there had been more about his mothers side of the family.

It has also enabled me to add a wonderful new word - fossicking - to my vocabulary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossicking

Jennifer

[PaulaToo]

Ah dear old 'fossicking,' a word I have only ever heard the OH use. It was nice to think someone else uses it. Like meeting an old frind in a very unexpected place. 

[Aulus]

I think of fossicking as a more upper class version of furtling.