'Bonding With Mum Was Wonderful'

Countryfile star Anita Rani was in for a very emotional experience when she went back to her roots to uncover the heartbreaking story of the partition of India in an incredible new two-part documentary airing this week. We caught up with the presenter, 39, who is married to technology director Bhupi Rehal, to find out more

- Kerrina Gray

Hi Anita! You’ve been on an incredible trip to Pakistan…

I made my Who Do You Think You Are? two years ago and I discovered some stuff about my family. The backdrop of the story is the partition of India – it’s a huge moment in global history where Pakistan was created and, in the process there was a huge amount of violence, the largest mass migration in recorded human history and a million people died – and that’s just a conservative estimate.

Did you get emotional?

Yes! Because I make programmes where I normally interview people, I thought, ‘They’re not going to make me cry.’ Then it just came from such an authentic place. Not only am I telling my family’s story, but it’s such an exposing experience for me, because I’m really putting myself on the front line. Have the tissues ready!

And the show was your own idea?