NBC picked up Who Do You Think You Are?, an alternative program based upon a British Broadcasting Corp. documentary series.
The show will trace the family ancestries of celebrities, revealing previously unknown stories about their ancestors.
Friends star Lisa Kudrow will executive-produce the series through her production company Is or Isn’t Entertainment, in conjunction with the creators of the show at Wall to Wall productions.
"The show's combination of wonderful storytelling and powerful emotion has made it a breakout hit with British viewers, and we're sure American audiences will love it, too," creator and executive producer Alex Graham said in a statement. "We're thrilled that a star of the caliber of Lisa Kudrow has such faith in the show that she wanted to be a part of the creative team. We're looking forward to a great relationship with Lisa's company and with NBC."
Geneaology is an underlying theme of the series, and the network hopes viewers take a cue from the show and look into their own family histories.
"I think at the heart of every American is the burning desire to understand who you are and where you came from. We hope this series will inspire our viewers to investigate their own intriguing past," said Craig Plestis, executive vice president of alternative programming, development and specials for NBC.
