Shaun Micallef heads overseas with six familiar Australians in new season of Origin Odyssey
Shaun Micallef is returning to SBS with a second season of Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey, taking six well-known Australians on journeys to explore the countries their ancestors once called home.
The six-part series follows Shaun Micallef as he travels alongside Pia Miranda, Denise Scott, Matt Okine, Luke McGregor, Kate Langbroek and Tony Armstrong, using historical research to uncover family stories spanning generations. The journeys include discoveries about migration, identity and family history, alongside moments of humour and reflection.
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The season opens in Italy, where Pia Miranda retraces the footsteps of her grandfather while exploring the lives of her grandparents. The journey includes visits to Vulcano, where she searches for the home her grandmother once lived in and the church where she married, leading to reunions with relatives and reflections on her family’s migration story.
Denise Scott travels to Germany to investigate her family’s heritage, which she says she has largely overlooked. Together with Micallef, she visits medieval towns, churches, archives and the site of her ancestor’s birthplace, uncovering stories about labour, loss and resilience while reflecting on her relationship with her mother.
In Ghana, Matt Okine explores his father’s early life as he reconnects with a heritage he says he once hesitated to embrace. Their journey takes them through fishing villages, cocoa farms, family traditions and sacred rituals as Okine learns more about his father’s decision to move to Australia.
Luke McGregor heads to Scotland, where relatives, historians and archival records help piece together his family history. The trip uncovers previously unknown connections while exploring the humour and challenges of discovering his ancestry.
Kate Langbroek returns to Jamaica for the first time since she was 18 to reconnect with her maternal family heritage. Travelling with Micallef, she visits Coronation Market before uncovering family stories that highlight generations of Jamaican women in her family.
The final journey takes Tony Armstrong to Ireland, where he meets Irish relatives for the first time while exploring his family’s past. The trip also prompts conversations between Armstrong and Micallef about links between Irish and Aboriginal histories, identity and belonging.
“They say getting there is half the fun. But it does rather depend on where you’re going – and with whom.
Fortunately, this season, SBS audiences get to go on six remarkable journeys with six equally remarkable Australians.
Pia Miranda, Tony Armstrong, Kate Langbroek, Luke McGregor, Denise Scott and Matt Okine are on their way across space and time back to their ancestral homelands.
Half the fun is very much in getting them there.
The other half arrives when they do get to their destination.
And a third half – perhaps the most important half of all – is delivered by me: your host – Shaun Micallef.
Believe me, I’m just as surprised as you’ll be at what happens.”
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SBS Head of Entertainment and Food Emily Griggs said the series focuses on the personal connections made during each journey.
“The joy of Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey lies in the connections made along the way.
Through Shaun’s warmth, wit and genuine curiosity, the series reveals how family stories, culture and history continue to shape the way we see ourselves and one another.
It’s a reminder that understanding where we come from can bring us closer in the present.”
Endemol Shine Australia Head of Comedy David McDonald said the new season combines comedy with personal storytelling.
“It’s been a genuine privilege to work once again with Shaun Micallef, alongside Pia Miranda, Tony Armstrong, Kate Langbroek, Luke McGregor, Denise Scott and Matt Okine, who each brought extraordinary humour, openness and heart to their journeys.
What unfolds across this season is a remarkable blend of comedy and deeply personal storytelling, with each contributor generously sharing their family histories in ways that are both entertaining and profoundly moving.
It’s rare to see vulnerability and laughter sit so comfortably side by side, and this series achieves exactly that.”
The series is developed and produced by Endemol Shine Australia, part of Banijay Entertainment, in association with SBS.
Episodes on SBS On Demand will be available with subtitles in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean, while all episodes will also include audio description.
Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey: Season 2 premieres Tuesday 18 August at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, with new episodes streaming weekly.
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