A LONG Lost Family spin-off series, which will also be presented by Davina McCall and created by the makers of the family reunion show, is set to hit screens in just a few days.
The new show will following a format similar to that of the popular ITV series by reuniting long-lost family members with one another.
Back in March 2023 the broadcaster announced that spin-off series titled Born From the Same Stranger would be coming to ITVX on January 22.
ITVX’s first Factual format commission, Born From the Same Stranger, was created while a UK law change took effect last year.
The new law created a space where donor anonymity became nonexistent, and anyone who was conceived by donation after 2005 was now granted to know more details about their identity as soon as they turned 18.
The forthcoming series promises to uncover intimate stories on a cinematic scale, including meeting a man who discovered he’s one of 14 siblings and counting and a woman whose donor’s sperm was delivered across the world in her grandparents’ hand luggage.
It will mimic a similar format as Long Lost Family, where hosts strived to reunite family members who had never met, including twins separated at birth and young mothers who gave their children up for adoption.
Hosted by Davina, the brand-new four-parter will be following incredible people with groundbreaking stories who yearn to solve mysteries about their identities by discovering their unknown blood relations.
Show researchers will be aiming to unite the host of brothers and sisters who have never met but have one thing in common – their anonymous donor.
Donor-conceived experts who have already pursued their own personal searches will be on hand to advise, encourage, and offer tips and guidance while sharing their extraordinary experiences.
ITV Controller of Factual, Jo Clinton-Davis, who commissioned the show, said: “For many people born to anonymous donors, finding out the hidden stories of where they come from and who their blood relations are is a deep and long-held desire.
“And as this series will show, their stories are moving, astonishing and reveal much about the human condition.
“With their experience making Long Lost Family, Wall To Wall are the perfect team to produce this first Factual format for ITVX, which could not be more timely, coming at a moment when new laws open up the prospect for many more donor-born people to find out more about their identities.”
Leanne Klein, Managing Director of Wall to Wall Media, who created the production, added:
“We’re excited that our first commission for ITVX is built around stories that are not only highly personal but incredibly modern and absolutely of the moment – they simply couldn’t have been told before.
“Now, for these young people who have been missing a vital piece of their own story, there’s a real chance of closure, and we’ll be with them for every turn of these dynamic and emotional journeys.”
In other ITV news, Brenda Blethyn has recently sparked axed fears for Vera as its 13th series nears the end.
Born From the Same Stranger will be airing on ITVX on Monday, January 22.
