Every Family Has a Secret

Siblings Jacquie Blatchford and Michael Damnjanovic try to uncover their French-born mother's mysterious past. Investigations reveal links to far-right political movements and also shed light on Michael's biological father.

On this episode of Every Family Has a Secret, host Noni Hazlehurst meets two women with amazing histories they need to unravel.

Two Melbourne women embark on a journey searching for their true identities. Melbourne academic Dr Sofia Rios Miranda examines whether there is any truth to persistent family rumours that her great grandparents abducted a British baby boy and changed his name, raising him as their own. Was it a kidnapping, or cruel gossip?

Meanwhile, adoptee Dr Penny Mackieson investigates how she was a victim of a baby swap at a Melbourne hospital in 1963. In her twenties Penny re-united with her birth mother and spent the next 20 years bonding with her. But then Penny's world was turned upside-down when a DNA test revealed that she had Greek heritage, challenging everything she believed about her identity. Now Penny is determined to re-unite with her true biological family.

Paula Morrison uncovers the truth about her Austrian-born father's upbringing and the abuse he suffered; siblings Rod Cordery and Sandra Rowlands look for answers about the identity of their biological father.

Historian Grace Karskens looks for answers about her father's brother and his links to Nazi Germany; retiree Ming Balintong tries to uncover his father's name, find a photograph of him and learn more about his life.