Paddy McGuinness has a hidden connection to Joe Biden, it has emerged.
The presenter who is set to appear on the BBC programme, Who Do You Think You Are? delved into his ancestry and travelled across the Irish Sea to Ireland. Paddy, 50, opened up about his Irish surname, admitting he felt "ignorant" when visiting the Emerald Isle due to the lack of knowledge he had about his heritage.
Paddy, admits to always feeling "a connection" to Ireland but couldn't believe it when he discovered his hidden connection to President Biden, who recently announced he was stepping down from the race to be elected as the 47th President of the United States. Instead, his current Vice President, Kamala Harris, is now in the running, hoping to be elected the first female President.
During the programme, Paddy learns that his great-grandmother, Bridget McGuinness had been baptised in the local parish church in County Mayo to her parents, Paddy's great-great-grandmother and grandfather, Mark McGuinness and Winifred Malloy. They lived close to Biden's ancestor, Edward Blewitt, in Ballina.
Last year, President Biden visited Co Mayo and was presented with a brick, removed from the site of his ancestral home in the town which was believed to date back over 200 years. While in Co Mayo, Biden said that he'd viewed a record from 1828 that stated Mr Blewitt was paid £21 and 12 shillings to help supply around 27,000 bricks for St Muredach's Cathedral.
Speaking on the programme, Lancashire-born Paddy said: "I do feel a real spiritual connection, even on this beach today, it's absolutely beautiful here on the west coast of Ireland they could have been playing on here as kids walking up and down here, who knows. It's quite a romantic thought, but I like it. It's just been one of them where there's so many lovely little surprises, my grandad on my mum's side with the Spitfire connection."
He went on to add: "My ancestors over here in Ballina who lived on the same street as Joe Biden's ancestors. I think the biggest highlight for me was actually seeing my granddad's war medal." He added: "That for me was a real moment where I felt like I was holding a piece of history in my hand, my dad would have loved to find more out about our Irish ancestors, and it had been nice to bring him out to Ballina and what have you, but I'll have a pint of the black stuff for him."
Previous bombshells on the programme include former EastEnders hardman Danny Dyer discovering that he was a descendent of royal blood. The actor found out he was related to the Tudor politician, Thomas Cromwell, as well as Kings Edward III, William the Conqueror and Henry III.
Who Do You Think You Are? starring Paddy McGuinness will air at 9pm on August 22 on BBC One.
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