Fay Ripley left ‘faint’ after learning truth about ancestry | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Fay Ripley was gobsmacked to discover the illustrious history of her forebears, rooted in the heart of London and uncannily intertwined with her contemporary life.

Participating in ITV’s DNA Journey with her Cold Feet co-star Hermione Norris, Fay found herself enthralled by the ancestral ties to St Paul’s Cathedral revealed right at the start.

Overwhelmed with anticipation, she declared: “I’m really excited.”

The 59-year-old star then uncovered a tale stretching back six generations about her relation to James Hardy, who belonged to a prestigious printing lineage.

His family of top-tier printers manufactured “premium” playing cards for King George and resided where part of St Paul’s Cathedral now stands. During their era, they would have witnessed state funerals of iconic figures such as Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington from the site of their printing operation, reports MyLondon.

“That is insane,” a flabbergasted Fay remarked. Delving deeper into her ancestors’ stories, she was struck by the “odd” coincidence that her son frequently skateboards in the very area connected to her past.

“This is brilliant, it blows my mind.”

Fay’s quest continued at Sadler’s Wells theatre in Islington, another locale with profound significance to her present-day existence; it’s just steps from where she and Daniel Lapaine tied the knot.

At the theatre, she learnt that the middle name “Deacon” of her brother traces back four generations to an ancestor named James Deacon, who owned a thriving pub nearby. Following his initial endeavour, he created a thriving music hall that saw the Deacon name prominently “emblazoned” across from Sadler’s Wells.

“Unreal, amazing, I would never have dreamed of this,” expressed Fay, with an added note of astonishment: “Right here is where I got married, isn’t that insane? And I knew nothing about that.”

The Deacon establishment housed 1,000 patrons at once and played an instrumental part in the entertainment scene of the era.

“That is you all around Fay, an entertainer, a proper entertainer,” Hermione effused with admiration.

Fay was then astonished to learn that James Deacon was the proprietor of Sadler’s Wells Theatre, leaving her reeling as she confessed: “I’ve become slightly faint.”

“It’s amazing,” she marvelled, considering the remarkable achievements of her lineage. Yet, this was just the beginning of her stupefaction, for there was more theatrical heritage to uncover.

A visit to the Victoria and Albert museum shattered Fay’s assumption that she was the sole thespian in her family.

She unearthed connections to Marian Ripley, a luminary of English theatre in the early 20th century, celebrated for her roles in West End spectacles like the polarising An Englishman’s Home.

“What an amazing thing, you’ve come from all of this incredible history,” Hermione enthused to Fay.

“I had no idea,” Fay responded, taken aback by the revelation.

DNA Journey airs on ITV1 on Thursdays at 9pm.