Will Young becomes tearful after discovering grandfather was not a ‘loser'

Glasgow Times

27-05-2025

The 46-year-old knew that Digby Young was a prisoner of war during the Second World War, after moving from Australia, but did not know many details of his life before taking part in BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?
To trace his history, he first speaks to his Aunt Wiggy who says her father died as a teenager, and remembers him as a kind man who was looked down on by some.
Will Young explores his family history in Who Do You Think You Are? (Ian West/PA)
Later Young discovers that Digby, a bomber pilot, was hit by fire and suffered engine failure, survived and was taken as a prisoner to the Luftwaffe-run camp, Stalag Luft III, in German-occupied Poland.
As the war ended, the British servicemen were marched in winter, and when a Nazi guard got frostbite, Digby used 'alcohol and a few kitchen knives' for an amputation, according to a fellow PoW's account.
Young said his grandfather saving the life of his captor, makes him a 'very remarkable man', adding: 'There is a sadness that comes with it, is that I think he was perceived as a bit of a loser after the war, by some of the family, this is the proper telling of a really decent man.'
'(An) extraordinary, man, I don't think has passed down to me through my father, and hasn't for my father,' he also said, breaking down.
'So this means so much to me and my dad, sorry, I feel quite emotional about it.'
Young also said he feels 'like (family) history has been a bit unkind to him, so it's nice that history is being kind'.
His grandfather escaped because the Russian head of a camp 'liked his liquor', and was bribed with a Rolex watch, and Digby was able to take off with a friend on a bike to where the American soldiers were.
After the war, he was a Squadron Leader flying jets, which Young says 'makes me really happy, because I think he really did find his vocation'.
'It's completely not how I saw him at all,' he added. 'I didn't know he went on to do any of this.'
'Now I feel like I've got another grandfather,' he added. 'I didn't feel like I had a right, really, to claim another grandfather, because I didn't know him.
'All he was was a picture and an early death, of which it was potentially quite sad circumstances. And now the picture and the death is not even part of his story.'
Later he shared that he got a tattoo of a plane and Digby's squadron number to remember him.
Young also learns from a historian that he is related to Colonel Sir Aretas William Young, who was named the protector of slaves in Guyana and was fired after a 'pretty damning' report on his prejudice, and later a governor of Prince Edward Island in Canada.
He also discovers his relation to Hugh Despenser, an adviser to King Edward II, who was executed as a traitor after greedily seizing land in South Wales, and becoming one of the richest men at the time, and Edward I.
The singer called it one of the most 'soul nourishing experiences I've ever had, I didn't expect it, my 20 times great-grandfather was Edward I, that's just bonkers, and then we move to the man, the myth, the legend, the horror that is Hugh Le Despenser, who's just an absolute monster of a man'.
Young has scored four UK number one singles and four UK number one albums since winning Pop Idol during its inaugural series in 2002.
He has authored two books about mental health and sexuality, appeared on The Masked Singer and Strictly Come Dancing and been nominated for an Olivier Award for the musical Cabaret.
Young's episode airs on June 3 on BBC One at 9pm.