Alesha Dixon, a judge on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), is participating in an online docuseries called Mission Motherland alongside three other British celebrities. The series delves into their family ancestry and explores the theme of Black British identity.
Each episode features a celebrity tracing their roots by visiting their ancestral homes, walking the streets where their parents grew up, and uncovering the stories that shaped their family’s history. Furthermore, the participants engage in giving back to their connected communities as a way to honor their roots.
In her upcoming episode airing on January 23, Alesha Dixon, a 47-year-old mother of two, travels to Jamaica with her brothers to unveil the untold stories of her family’s past on the Caribbean island. The journey reveals a compelling legacy marked by silence, resilience, and survival. Alesha discovers her ancestors’ history of owning land and their resistance against British colonials, shedding light on a narrative that was previously unknown to her.
As Alesha delves deeper into her family’s past, she confronts emotional gaps in her family narrative, including a grandmother who seldom spoke of the past and the absence of a grandfather she never knew. Through these revelations, she pieces together a lineage that was largely unexplored, gaining a deeper understanding of how her family history has shaped her own identity.
Alesha, known for her Jamaican roots, seeks answers to her musical heritage in Kingston, contemplating how history has influenced not only her family but also her personal identity. The series, produced by Big Deal Films, also features other celebrities like Clara Amfo, AJ Tracey, and Jimmy Akingbola, as they embark on similar journeys to Ghana, Trinidad, and Nigeria, respectively, to reconnect with their heritage.
Mission Motherland will be available on 5’s streaming service and the BET International YouTube channel starting from January 20th.