heartbreaking
Olly Murs fans in floods of tears after ‘saddest ever’ Who Do You Think You Are? episode
The touching scenes saw Olly visit a relative's unmarked grave, decades on from their death
OLLY Murs' fans have been reduced to tears over the 'saddest ever' episode of Who Do You Think You Are?
The Trouble Maker singer, 40, is one of the celebs appearing on the brand new series of the BBC ancestry show.
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During the episode viewers watched as Olly attempted to trace his great grandparents.
He learned that they hailed from Latvia and were circus performers.
However, Olly's discovery took a dark turn when he travelled to the Salamonska Circus building in Riga to trace his great grandmother Veronika Jankovska.
During his visit he was told how his great grandfather Eduards Murs had cheated on his wife, Katrine, with Veronika.
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Veronika - who was 22 at the time - gave birth to a son, Eduards Jr - OIly's grandfather, also known as Eddie.
But she struggled to raise the child and handed him over to her parents so she could work at the circus.
When Nazi Germany took over the country, Eddie was forced to flee as as refugee to Germany with his father and Katrine.
Veronika stayed in Latvia and Eddie last saw his mother when he was just 12 years old.
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In tragic scenes Olly discovered that Veronika was imprisoned in a labour camp for eight years.
Despite searching for her son after her release, she was heartbreakingly never reunited with him.
Veronika died in 1988 with no family by her side and was buried in an unmarked grave.
Many Latvians ended up in the UK to help with labour shortages, which is how Eddie, arrived in Essex with his family in 1948.
Eddie was deeply affected by the unanswered questions he had about his mother, believing in later life that his mother couldn't have loved him because she had given him away.
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Upsetting scenes showed dad-of-one Murs visit her plot, paying respects to Veronika.
Reflecting on the upsetting story, Olly said: "WWII had a real impact on my family. I think Veronica made a very bold decision that day, leaving her son and knowing that she might never see him again."
He added: "I wish my grandad could have understood his mum's decisions."
Who Do You Think You Are viewers at home were left distraught by the scenes, with some left in tears.
Taking to social media, one said: "Just cried at #WhoDoYouThinkYouAre. That episode was brilliant but so so sad. That poor mother and son @ollymurs."
A second wrote: "Such an emotional episode of Who Do You Think You Are this evening with Olly Murs. The story of his great grandmother’s hardships and search for her son were so sad. So glad Olly and his family have her story now."
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"Olly im CRYING. I know your grandad will be with his mam up in heaven right now. They may have not found each other here, but I know they’re together up there now, looking down on you all, especially you and Amelia and little Madi, and they’re so proud," said a third.
While a fourth commented: "One glass of red wine (large) and I’m crying about olly murs on who do you think you are."
Who is on Who Do You Think You Are?
The 2024 cast features a variety of showbiz stars.
- Episode 1 - Vicky McClure
- Episode 2 - Paddy McGuinness
- Episode 3 - Mel C
- Episode 4 - Rose Ayling-Ellis
- Episode 5 - Jessica Ennis-Hill
- Episode 6 - Gemma Collins
- Episode 7 - Olly Murs
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