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September 9, 2016

NEW PODCAST SERIES IT’S ABOUT TIME

SIR TONY ROBINSON TELLS STORIES FROM THE PAST IN NEW PODCAST SERIES IT’S ABOUT TIME

New history podcast from Ancestry launches with three compelling episodes

•    Sir Tony Robinson brings stories from the past to life in the present
•    Tales include a sordid murder in Victorian England, immigration to America through a Charlie Chaplin classic and the split of famous suffragette sisters the Pankhursts
•    Podcast brought to you by Ancestry, available on iTunes and Stitcher now

New podcast series It’s About Time has launched online (Wednesday 7th September), featuring narrator Sir Tony Robinson bringing stories from the past to life in the present.

It’s About Time is produced by Ancestry , the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, and the first three episodes are available to listen to and download for free through iTunes and other podcast platforms.

The series, which will see further episodes released over the coming weeks, sees Sir Tony as the chief storyteller, stepping back in time to bring a variety of yarns to life.

Listeners can learn more about the podcast at the It’s About Time webpage: www.ancestry.co.uk/its-about-time

In the first episode, Sir Tony tells the tale of the murder of 17-year-old Mary Ann Mason in Victorian Dudley – right at the heart of industrial Britain in the 1850s. Mary Ann was shot to death in a pub, and her killer was hanged for his crime, but the story behind the murder makes it all the more incredible.

The second episode of the series takes its inspiration from iconic Charlie Chaplin film The Immigrant. Sir Tony uses the comedy and satire of the film to bring to life the real hardships of immigrants to America in the early 1900s, when Chaplin himself made the trip to chase his American dream.

The Pankhurst sisters are the focus of the third episode, specifically the story of how a family so closely linked with the suffragette movement could end up so far apart.

Further episodes to be released in the coming weeks of the debut season of It’s About Time feature the Jedi-like adventures of actor Mark Hamill’s ancestors, and an exploration of the genetic history of humankind today as Sir Tony explores the context of his own DNA test results. 

Sir Tony Robinson said: “I absolutely loved telling these stories on It’s About Time. This isn’t just reading from a history book, rather we’re bringing stories from the past to life in the present for a modern audience. I hope that everyone who listens enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them.”

Ancestry’s UK and Ireland Country Manager Sue Moncur commented: “Millions of us listen to podcasts every week and we felt that this was an amazing opportunity to do some really creative and engaging storytelling around some less well known tales from history. It’s something we’ve wanted to do with Sir Tony for quite a while so we hope people listen, subscribe and enjoy It’s About Time as much as we do.”

To find out more about It’s About Time, search for it now on iTunes or Stitcher, or visit It’s About Time’s website at www.ancestry.co.uk/its-about-time

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