Paul McDermott

Entertainer Paul McDermott found fame with the musical comedy group The Doug Anthony All-Stars and established a career as a TV host on shows such as Good News Week. In more recent years he has stepped out of the limelight to pursue his passion for art. But his own family history remains something of a blank canvas. Paul does know that his mum, Betty, was adopted and raised by relatives and that her parents both died while she was still a toddler. Paul follows the trail back to his birth place in Adelaide, to the early 20th century and a family torn apart by poverty and a decimating epidemic. He also uncovers a tale of hard times and great expectations in colonial Adelaide.