DNA Family Secrets: Who is my biological father?

As well as having the potential to track down absent dads, the recent popularity in DNA tests has uncovered a surprising statistic. Around 1 in 50 people do not have the biological father they think they have. 53-year-old Richard has recently discovered that he's not blood related to the man who raised him.

So, your father the man that brought you up.

Yeah.

You always thought he was your biological father?

Yes, yeah but he was a very good father, and I had some very good times with my father, me dad yeah. So as far as I know he was me dad.

After both of Richard's parents passed away, Richard was contacted by a man named Raymond, claiming that he'd been in a relationship with Richard's mother and thought he might be Richard's biological father. A DNA test with Richard's sister, proved they were only half siblings and that the man he always believed was his dad, wasn't.

So, you're now in a situation where you're 53 years old, both your folks have passed.

Yeah.

So, you can't ask either of them many questions?

No.

And you must have thousands of questions?

I know there's a, might be a possible brother involved there, so, that would be interesting.
Do you want him to be your brother?

Yeah, it would be quite nice, you know, I've just grown up like with my sister, so it would be quite nice to know there's a brother and that there.

Richards asked Brendan to join him for his DNA test results. Turi has been analysing both of their genetic codes, to determine if they actually are half-brothers.

Hello mate, how are you? We haven't met.

No, we've not met have we.

If they are, it means that Richard will finally know who is his biological father, because it will be the same as Brendan's. The plan is Rich, you're going to go next door and have a chat with Turi and then are you alright to come back in and let us know.

Yeah.

Alright.

Hello.

Actually, your case turned out to be really complicated, it took huge amounts of research for us to get to a point for you. But I know that your really big question was whether or not this man who contacted you, was actually your biological father and he had a son didn't he, Brendan. So, the question is are you half-brothers?

Okay, results. When we looked at your DNA, you didn't share a quarter of your DNA and if you look at your Y chromosomes, they are totally different. So, you are definitely not related, you don't have the same father.

Blimey.

So, I know it's not quite the answer that you were hoping for and certainly not, I mean as a team we would have loved….

This is completely…

Yeah…

Different, too anything, ah mate…

Not expecting this at all…

No, yeah, I thought it was quite a bit of similarities…

Yeah…

to be honest with you, I…

I think that's the thing though, the DNA is the poor reflection of that kind of emotional connection that you can get with somebody.

Okay.

Yeah.

Alright, okay…

We've got more news for you.

Okay.

So, the other thing obviously we were doing was we were looking in these DNA databases and we're looking for people whose DNA you match. So, we did that, and we came across a couple of paternal cousins and that led us to a woman called Ellen Charlotte Sell. She was born in 1912, she is your paternal grandmother.

So, we have got Ellen, she married a man called Alfred and they had five sons. It's hard to say for sure, but after speaking to one of your cousins, we think that her third son John is your biological father. He was born in 1946.

Jesus.

Sadly, he passed away in his 50s, from lung cancer, in 1988.

We can't absolutely confirm that he is your biological father because he didn't have any children, that we can use to test your DNA against, to be absolutely sure.

Oh mate.

I don't know…

It's a lot of information all in one go.

[helenweatherby]

The man who brought me up was not my biological father. He was the most generous, kind, wise, loving man, and it was a privilege to have been raised by him. Sperm does not make a Dad.

[marthadolezal]

A friend of mine found out her father wasn't her father. She found out he was a bronco rider and traveled the country going to rodeos. He apparently left a lot of pregnant women in his wake because so far, she has found 7 half-siblings...

[happydaylike]

The most important thing in life is unconditional love. I honor the man who was a man not a child who raised you. What a lovely and loving human being.

[johnbrereton]

At least he could meet his 4 remaining uncles and if they, unlike John, do have children, also his cousins. So it won't end as depressing as here depicted.

[elgee]

If John was born in 1946 and died in 1988, he was 42 when he died, not "in his 50s".

[MelliaBoomBot]

I found out 2 years ago that I had a biological father..I think the responsible thing to do from a health persepctive is to tell people their heritage, both my Dad and BF are still alive and in their 70's but my BF has had health issues which I;ve inherited and they were long overlooked....it;s almost negligent to not tell people their DNA background as far as Im concerned.

[kathe.o.]

Sometimes I think DNA info destroys peoples perception of who they are, where they come from in a destructive manner. He was happy with the sister & Dad he knew growing-up.

[juniormendez]

If that John was born in 1946 and died in 1988, he was only 42. He did not die in his 50s like she said. 🤷🏼

[ram]

Better off not knowing.... my father was a violent wife/child beating drunkard who abused us week in/week out, mental and physical torturer.. looking back I would have gone into care.... would rather of had no father

[jeanfrancis]

Turi's door makes me think of the Tardis.😍🤩

[shainazion]

What about testing the other 4 brothers, or their children, ruling out the other brothers??

[susiesantino]

I watched a few of these and none have ended up really good. I mean the folks find out some information but either parent is dead or remaining Bio Family don't want contact...

[robertshrewsbury]

It seemed like he may have met another good man, to have as a friend, even if they aren't DNA linked.

[sounsure]

1 in 50 that’s only 2% I think the per DNA test era we thought it was close to 10%

[cyirvine]

They should have therapist on site to make sense of this.

[nancygamez]

The man who raised you is your father. He loved and took care of you

[Kathleen]

So, where is the second part of this show? He was supposed to go back to the other gal after hearing this terrible news.

[tgees]

They draw it out it's a slow show

[DannaK]

I bet Richard is quite good looking under that heavy beard.

[patriciajrs]

I guess I liked this; well not enough to press the dislike button. I think you needed to finish this with the whole episode. Is the other man related to him at all? If not why was the other man there, and what did you tell him?