One of BGT’s best-loved stars has taken a powerful deep dive into their family history for a new docuseries- and some of the secrets they unveil are jaw-dropping
BGT judge Alesha Dixon is just one of the stars taking part in an online docuseries Mission Motherland, which sees four British celebrities step out of the spotlight and into their past as they trace their family ancestry, and explore themes of Black British identity.
In each episode, the celebrity embarks on a journey of discovery to their ancestral homes to walk the streets where their parents grew up, stand in the places that shaped them, and uncover the passions, struggles, and dreams that defined their family’s story.
In addition, each participant takes on a personal mission to honour their roots by giving back to the communities they are connected to, as they confront the past, they reflect on how well they truly know their families—and how their identity continues to influence who they are.
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In Alesha’s episode, airing on January 23, the 47-year-old mum of two journeys to Jamaica with her two brothers Adrian and Jeroame to uncover the hidden chapters of her family’s history on the Caribbean island – and it’s full of twists and turns.
Show creators said, “What begins as a search for answers soon reveals a powerful and complex legacy shaped by silence, resilience and survival. Along the way, Alesha discovers that her ancestors once owned 82 acres of land — land her relatives fought to defend against British colonials, leaving behind a story of resistance that was never fully passed down.”
They added, “As she digs deeper, she confronts the emotional gaps in her own family narrative: a grandmother who rarely spoke of the past and the absence of a grandfather she never had the chance to know. Each revelation helps piece together a lineage largely unknown.
“Through conversations, locations and long-buried truths, Alesha begins to understand how history has shaped not only her family, but her own identity. Alesha also travels to Kingston in search of answers to her musical DNA. What starts as unanswered questions evolves into a powerful reckoning, transforming history into legacy.”
The former Mis-Teeq singer and TV favourite – whose father Melvin Dixon is from the island, her mother English – has often nodded proudly to her Jamaican roots -exploring its culture in her music and even admitting she would like to record a reggae album there one day.
The powerful series, made with Dreaming Whilst Black producer Big Deal Films, also sees broadcaster Clara Amfo heads to Ghana with her brother Chris, while rapper and musician AJ Tracey heads to Trinidad to step into his grandmother’s legacy.
Meanwhile, actor Jimmy Akingbola –who was fostered to a white family in the UK – will reconnect with his lost heritage in Nigeria with his brother Sola.
Source: Mirror
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