Discovering I'm Toby Jones' Long-Lost Cousin—What a Wild Twist!

Ben Miller, who works as a curator at the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, recently discovered something amazing about his family. While filming an episode of the BBC One show Who Do You Think You Are? , Ben found out that he is related to the well-known actor Toby Jones. The show explores the family histories of famous people, and this time, it was Toby Jones's turn to learn about his ancestors. Ben and Toby met at the museum, where they stood together in a pottery gift shop, talking about their families and the history of pottery in the area.

During the episode, Ben revealed to Toby that they are third cousins, once removed, on Ben's mother's side of the family. This means they share a common ancestor, but from different generations. Ben described the discovery as a 'crazy coincidence' and said it was a nice surprise. He explained that he had no idea about the family connection when the TV production company first contacted the museum to ask if they could film there. It was only later, when Ben's mother showed him a letter from the same company, that he realized there might be a link between his family and Toby's. The letter mentioned a connection between the Leese family, which is Ben's mother's maiden name, and the Jones family.

On the day of filming, Ben decided to share the news with Toby. The show's team checked the family trees and confirmed that Ben and Toby are indeed related. They captured the moment on camera, making it a genuine surprise for Toby. Ben said it was a memorable day and that the experience helped him learn more about his own family history, including rumors about connections to India. Since filming, Ben and Toby have kept in touch through email, and they both support Stoke City football club. Ben hopes they can meet again, maybe at a football match. Toby Jones is known for his roles in shows like Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Detectorists, and Indiana Jones. He also supports local arts as a patron of Claybody Theatre and played Neil Baldwin in the Bafta-winning film Marvellous. Toby's father, Freddie Jones, was also an actor and worked in ceramics before his acting career. This story shows how exploring family history can lead to unexpected and meaningful connections.