Tonic For The Troops

Comedian Lee Mack discovers his great-grandfather was a World War one entertainer as well as a soldier…

- Tess Lamacraft

GENEALOGY

Who Do You Think You Are?

Monday, BBC1 HD, 9pm

With his rapid-fire jokes, Lee Mack has made a career out of making people laugh with shows including Not Going Out and Would I Lie to You?, so he was fascinated to find out if comedy runs in his blood.

The 49-year-old funnyman is the subject of this week’s Who Do You Think You Are? and is delighted to discover that his great-grandfather Billy Mac was in show business, too.

Records show that Billy not only performed in Lee’s hometown of Southport, but was also a soldier in World War One and spent part of his time entertaining the troops.

‘I knew he worked in variety halls but I didn’t really know that much about him,’ says Lee.