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Four strangers discover they are actually half-siblings-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
A new series will reunite long-lost relatives.
![Four strangers discover they are actually half-siblings-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SEI_186557061-08e5.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
These four half-siblings discovered each other thanks to a commercial DNA website (Picture: ITV)
Four half-siblings who weren’t aware each other existed have met for the first time.
They are among a number of people conceived using sperm or egg donors who are searching for their long-lost relatives on an upcoming ITV documentary.
Presented by Davina McCall, Born From the Same Stranger follows a group of people who yearn to find their unknown blood relations and solve mysteries about their identities.
The four-parter was made as a UK law change took effect in 2023, seeing donor anonymity disappear and anyone conceived by donation after 2005 be able to apply to find out more details about their identity as soon as they turn 18.
Among those searching for family members they never knew they had on the programme are Charlie, 28, Beth, 25, Mae, 27, and Liam, 28.
The siblings, who all share the same sperm donor father, had never met before but were reunited on Born From the Same Stranger, and bonded over drinks at a pub.
Liam was born to a single mum on the island of Jersey in 1995 and always had questions about his father’s identity (Picture: ITV)
According to the synopsis, the show follows Liam in particular, who had always had questions about his biological father after being born to a single mum on the island of Jersey in 1995.
Due to the year in which Liam was conceived, he cannot legally access his biological father’s identity but can be given non-identifying information about him.
In the documentary, he is shocked to read a sentence his sperm father donor used to describe his personality, which Liam was shocked to discover was similar to his own.
Due to recent changes in the law, sperm donors no longer have the right to anonymity (Picture: ITV)
Liam then decides to input his DNA on commercial genealogy websites to uncover more about his father’s family tree and is surprised when the search yields three half-siblings, Beth, Mae and Charlie.
Born From the Same Stranger also follows Sarah Smith, who only discovered she was donor-conceived four years ago.
Brought up in Singapore with a Singaporean mother and white British father, Sarah had no idea that her dad was not her biological father until he passed away.
Davina is presenting the four-part ITV documentary series (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
Speaking about Born From the Same Stranger, ITV controller of factual Jo Clinton-Davis said: ‘For many people born to anonymous donors, finding out the hidden stories of where they come from and who their blood relations are is a deep and long-held desire.
‘And as this series will show, their stories are moving, astonishing and reveal much about the human condition.’
Other upcoming ITV documentaries include a special on Fiona Phillips and coping with the realities of her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
The 62-year-old broadcaster revealed last year that she was diagnosed with the disease after being stricken with months of brain fog, anxiety, and forgetfulness.
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Speaking about the project, she told The Mirror: ‘I want to go out and I want to work. I’ve just got to get on with it.
‘I mean, what’s the alternative, to lie down and give up?’
Born From The Same Stranger starts on ITV and ITVX on January 22 at 9pm.
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