Bruce McAvaney’s emotional WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? journey

Bruce McAvaney retraces his family’s South Australian roots in emotional return of Who Do You Think You Are?

Australia’s most recognisable sporting voice is stepping away from the commentary box and into his own family history tonight, with Bruce McAvaney leading the return of SBS genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?

The Season 17 premiere sees the veteran broadcaster uncover deeply personal stories tied to South Australia’s Mid North, revealing a family legacy shaped by migration, hardship, resilience and loss.

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For audiences who have spent decades hearing McAvaney narrate Olympic triumphs, grand finals and Melbourne Cups, the episode offers a far more intimate portrait of the broadcaster as he traces his ancestry through tiny rural communities and forgotten settlements.

The journey centres on Peter’s Hill, a small settlement near Riverton in South Australia, where McAvaney discovers strong links to the Marschall family, early settlers connected to the region’s Wendish community.

The Wendish people, also known as Sorbians, were Slavic-speaking migrants from Germany who travelled to South Australia seeking religious and economic freedom during the 19th century.

Throughout the episode, McAvaney visits locations tied directly to his ancestors, including the restored Marschall’s Hut along the Heysen Trail and the historic St Peter Church at Peter’s Hill.

The church, maintained by volunteers from The Friends of Peter’s Hill, becomes one of the emotional focal points of the program as McAvaney reflects on the lives his ancestors built in the harsh South Australian landscape.

The episode explores how the family acquired land in the region and the physical toll farming life placed on earlier generations.

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Stories of personal tragedy also emerge as McAvaney uncovers details about hardships endured by relatives living through the realities of frontier settlement.

According to the program material, the discoveries leave the broadcaster visibly emotional as he begins connecting his own life experiences with those of the family members who came before him.

“I didn’t expect to feel so emotional, but walking in their footsteps… it’s brought me closer to my parents in a way I didn’t anticipate.”

The episode also draws a connection between McAvaney’s renowned work ethic and the resilience of his ancestors.

Born in Adelaide on June 22, 1953, McAvaney grew up in the city’s western suburbs and attended Woodville High School before beginning work as a clerk with Telecom.

Long before becoming one of Australia’s most respected sports broadcasters, he reportedly practised race calling in the family’s back shed, already displaying an extraordinary memory for sporting statistics.

His broadcasting career began in 1976 after meeting Adelaide race caller Kevin Hillier at a racetrack in Kilmore, Victoria. That meeting eventually led to work with radio station 5DN and later the Seven Network, where he became synonymous with major sporting events across Australia.

Over his career, McAvaney has covered every Summer Olympic Games since 1980, excluding 2024, while also becoming closely associated with AFL, horse racing, athletics and tennis broadcasts.

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His contribution to Australian broadcasting has earned him recognition including the Order of Australia Medal and induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

The Who Do You Think You Are? premiere launches a new season featuring eight well-known Australians exploring their family histories.

Joining McAvaney this season are Guy Sebastian, Rosie Batty, Curtis Stone, Matt Day, Essie Davis, Aaron Pedersen and Chrissie Swan.

According to SBS, the new season explores stories involving migration, generational trauma, family secrets and personal connections across eight episodes.

Who Do You Think You Are? premieres tonight, Tuesday 12 May, at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS on Demand.

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