Back in 2013, former England football star Gary Lineker enjoyed tracing his family history for the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?. His only regret, however, was that the hour-long format did not allow him the time he would have liked to investigate further his grandfather Stanley Abbs’ involvement in World War Two.
This week, the Match of the Day presenter puts that right by following in Stanley’s footsteps for a BBC1 documentary exploring the often-overlooked Italian campaign that played a key part in the Allies’ victory.
Knowing only that his grandad served in Italy as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Lineker travels to Italy using Stanley’s war diary as a guide, following the Italian campaign from the first landings at Salerno in 1943, and meeting veterans who survived the brutal combat over the mountains and torrential rivers of Italy. We caught up with Lineker, 58, to find out more…
This story is from the November 09, 2019 edition of TV & Satellite Week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 09, 2019 edition of TV & Satellite Week.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Reef encounters
Liz Bonnin an and Steve Backshall on the race to save the planet's precious Coral reefs
Gunman grandpa
Nicolas Cage is a washed-up assassin forced to protect his family
SPOOK squad
Two teenage ghosts and their psychic friend tackle mysteries from beyond the grave
Never say goodbye
Rock band Bon Jovi look back on a glittering 40-year career and consider the next chapter
Golder opportunities
Alesha Dixon on what to expect as Britain’s Got Talent returns...
Headline hunters
Roving reporters Josh Widdicombe and Nish Kumar are back in the newsroom
SECRET Society
A dedicated cop searches for a missing teenager on a sinister pagan island
Flight risk
Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi are caught up in a dark conspiracy aboard a plane bound for Beijing
Back on the road
Sir Michael Palin embarks on an epic adventure across Nigeria – at the age of 80
REBELS RETURN
Kora and her motley crew are back for an epic rematch in a sci-fi sequel