LINKS between a famous American actor and the head of the Berkeley family at the time of its most famous event have been drawn in a new television programme.

‘Friends’ star Courteney Cox visited Berkeley Castle last year after 700-year old documents enabled her to trace family links all the way back to her 18-times great-grandfather Thomas III Lord Berkeley, third baron of Berkeley.

Filming for the American version of ancestry series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ she spent a day at the castle in August as she traced her roots back seven centuries to the most infamous moment in the history of the Berkeley family.

Thomas de Berkeley, was the owner of Berkeley Castle in 1327 when it was used to imprison the deposed king Edward II who had been usurped by his son.

During his five-month stay at the castle, it is believed that Edward II, after a short-lived escape, was killed on September 21 although the official report at the time was that he had suffered an accident.

Thomas de Berkeley was later charged with his murder but cleared of all charges.

Nearly 700 years later his 18-times great-granddaughter Courteney Cox made a visit to the castle where she examined two Latin documents which shed some light on her relative’s work to keep him captor.

In clips of the show, she is shown the parchment manuscripts detailing Edward II being at the castle and iron bars, locks and bolts being bought for his chamber.

Summing up her relative’s involvement with the former king in the show, the actress said: “My 18-times great-grandfather is holding the king’s father prisoner?”

After being told that that was the case, she added: “Well, this is getting juicy.”

Courteney Cox visited the castle to film the show on August 22 where she ate lunch in its yurt tearoom.