‘What I discovered explains so much…’ Lisa Wilkinson is ‘heartbroken’ after her appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? uncovers dark family secrets
Lisa Wilkinson’s upcoming appearance on the SBS genealogy series Who Do You Think Your Are? has unveiled some disturbing truths about her family.
According to a report by Woman’s Day on Monday, the 60-year-old media personality was left ‘heartbroken’ after discovering her ancestors had been trialled for murder.
Relatives of her late mother, Beryl, were accused of murdering their baby in the 1800s during a drunken night at home.
History lesson: Lisa Wilkinson’s upcoming appearance on the SBS genealogy series Who Do You Think Your Are? has unveiled some disturbing truths about her family
Lisa discovered that her three-times-great-grandmother Eliza O’Brien found herself embroiled in a violent brawl with her husband, Edmond Duggan in 1835.
A terrified Eliza – who arrived in Australia as an Irish convict – then fled to a neighbour’s home, clutching a knife and the couple’s baby, Elizabeth, who was bleeding from the temple after sustaining a head wound.
The baby later died, and her parents were trialled for murder, before it was discovered she had succumbed to syphilis, which had been transmitted to her by her mother during childbirth.
Shocking: According to a report by Woman’s Day on Monday, the 60-year-old media personality was left ‘heartbroken’ after discovering her ancestors had been trialled for murder
‘I’m heartbroken. I look at their lives and think I don’t think I would have coped,’ admitted Lisa after learning about her ancestry.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald last week, Lisa revealed her mother, who passed away in 2018, had endured a difficult upbringing after being born out of wedlock.
She said Beryl never knew her father, and her mother turned to alcohol and became addicted to medication.
Hard life: In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald last week, Lisa revealed her mother, Beryl (pictured), who passed away in 2018, had endured a difficult upbringing after being born out of wedlock
‘She was thrown into orphanages at the drop of a hat,’ Lisa revealed.
‘When you’re as deprived of love as my mother was, it’s difficult to unlearn a lot of that upheaval and unrest.’
Lisa spoke more about her appearance on the show on Instagram on Sunday, revealing she had no idea what would be uncovered.
‘I’m heartbroken. I look at their lives and think I don’t think I would have coped,’ admitted Lisa, who’s genealogy story took her to India
‘What I discovered explained so much for me and took me to places that broke my heart,’ she wrote.
‘To be honest I’m feeling very nervous about it all because TV doesn’t get more raw or real than this… but it’s my story with all its missteps and flaws, but one that’s also full of acts of bravery and the unending resilience of my ancestors.’
Who Do You Think Your Are? airs Tuesday at 7.30pm on SBS
‘What I discovered explained so much for me and took me to places that broke my heart,’ she wrote on Instagram