John Bishop in Chichester for Who Do You Think You Are?

He visited the Record Office in Chichester to film scenes for the television programme, set to be screened at 9pm today (Thursday, December 6) on BBC One.

The popular documentary series, produced by Wall to Wall, delves into the ancestry of some of Britain’s most famous faces, taking them on personal journeys to discover remarkable family secrets.

John – a regular panellist on A League of Their Own and host of stand-up/sketch show John Bishop’s Britain – finds himself in Chichester as he uncovers his great-great-grandfather’s intriguing past.

Nichola Court, a search-room archivist at the record office, was involved in helping him find out more.

“It was an interesting story and John was really keen to find out about his family background,” she said.

“He asked lots of questions about the relative who brought him to Chichester.

“We were only able to do a very narrow bit of research on this particular ancestor but it’s a quirky story.”

County council deputy leader Lionel Barnard said: “We were delighted to be able to help John Bishop to discover more about his ancestry.

“It sounds like some fascinating discoveries were made and I’m looking forward to seeing how the tale unfolds.”

The Record Office helps thousands of people to trace their family history and hosts regular genealogy events and workshops.

For more information, call 01243 753602 or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/recordoffice.