University of Leicester history expert helps Strictly star solve family murder mystery
Dr Angela Muir, left, and Amy Dowden.
A history expert from the University of Leicester will help Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden solve a family murder mystery on hit BBC television show Who Do You Think You Are?
The eyes of millions of viewers will see Dr Angela Muir, an Associate Professor in British Social and Cultural History, help the popular Welsh dancer discover the truth behind the grisly 140-year-old crime, which Amy says has always been an unconfirmed rumour in her family.
The episode airs on BBC One on Tuesday 2 June at 9pm – and will be available on iPlayer shortly after broadcast.
“I walked Amy through the tragic details of a crime that happened on the steps of, what is now, a spooky, dilapidated farmhouse, near Aberystwyth,” said Dr Muir. “The crime took place in the 1880s that involved one of her ancestors. The story had been in her family for generations, but all Amy knew about it was from a few brief lines written on the inside of a family bible. It was quite a moving and harrowing experience telling someone you’ve just met how one of their ancestors died 140 years ago. That distance of time suddenly closes when you realise this is a real-life tragedy that unfolded, and it happened to her relative.”
Reflecting on the filming experience, Dr Muir said: “When they film WDYTYA? the production team really does keep the details the celebrity learns secret until the cameras start rolling, so when you’re watching it and the celeb seems surprised, it’s because they really are hearing it for the first time. Amy is such a sweet soul, and she was genuinely shocked by the story, and was clearly moved.”
Dr Muir added: “It was a really great experience – I’ve been watching the show for years, and often see historians I know, or know of, make appearances and always thought it would be a cool thing to do if given the chance.
“What I really like about the show is that they bring in experts and actually rely on the expertise we bring rather than providing a script. They do the bulk of the research in advance so they can weave together a narrative before filming, but in terms of how the evidence the provide is interpreted and explained, that’s left entirely to the expert’s knowledge.”
Dr Muir added: “It’s great to see history feature so prominently on such a popular, primetime BBC show. We all have our own family histories, and we’re all the product of countless past historical events, and it’s by studying history that you really get to dig deep into that. There are so many stories yet to be told, so I would encourage anyone interested in history to consider studying it at university.”
Dr Muir also revealed what Amy was like in real life. She said: “For anyone who is a fan, I can confirm that when the cameras weren’t rolling, Amy is an absolutely lovely human being. There’s no big ego and she’s a total professional. When it came time for lunch, she and I sat on the steps of another building on the farm and had a normal chat about holidays and whatnot while eating our sandwiches.”
The episode airs on BBC One on Tuesday 2 June at 9pm – and will be available on iPlayer shortly after broadcast.
The programme is the second time a University of Leicester expert has made a media appearance with Amy Dowden. In 2025, Professor Julian Barwell was interviewed by Amy on her Breast Cancer Uncovered podcast. A clinical geneticist, Professor Barwell discussed the role of genetics in breast cancer with Amy, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2023.