Valerie Bertinelli Learns That Her Grandpa Had a Secret Second Family on “Finding Your Roots”

The Food Network host uncovers a century-old secret during Tuesday's episode of 'Finding Your Roots'

Valerie Bertinelli just learned about a 100-year-old family secret.

The Food Network star, 63, is set to appear on PBS' Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on Tuesday. There she learned of her grandfather's past.

After researching Bertinelli’s family tree, Gates Jr. uncovered that Bertinelli’s paternal grandfather, Nazzareno Bertinelli, was married once before — and within the same year that he immigrated from Italy to Scranton, Penn. in 1922.

The episode reveals that Valerie’s grandfather married after he returned from World War I and proceeded to marry his first wife, with whom he had another family.

Angelina Crosa was the One Day a Time actress’ paternal grandmother, whom she knew about. But her grandfather first married Dominica Cellerani and they shared a child who remained in Italy, while Valerie’s family planted roots in the U.S.

As the Food Network host began to read Gates Jr.’s findings aloud, she quickly pieced together her grandfather's first wife: “Appeared Nazzareno Bertinelli, Bachelor, Age 24, and Dominica Cellerani.”

“Yes,” encouraged Gates Jr., with Valerie quickly shouting, “Whoa, wait! That’s not Angelina...”

“No,” confirmed the Finding Your Roots host. Before Gates Jr. explains to Valerie who the woman is, she’s filmed quietly whispering “Dominica” to herself in astonishment.

“This is a record of your grandfather marrying a woman named Dominica Cellerani on September 14, 1922, about two years after he left the military. This is your first time of hearing of Dominica?”

“Um, Yeah,” confirmed the actress.

Dominica and Nazzareno had a son, Ernesto, Valerie's half uncle, who tried to contact his American family before his death in 2004.

Related: Valerie Bertinelli’s Cookbook Indulge Celebrates Her Healthy Relationship with Food — See the Cover (Exclusive)

While Valerie has just uncovered her ancestors, recently she's been celebrating the growth of her immediate family. In October 2023, Valerie’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, married his longtime love, Andraia Allsop.

Ahead of Van Halen and Allsop’s wedding, Valerie shared with PEOPLE that her late ex husband, Eddie Van Halen, would’ve been “absolutely beaming and so, so proud of the man Wolfie has become and is becoming.”

She added how “happy” Eddie would be that their son “found someone who really understands Wolfie, who he is and who he wants to be, and supports him wholeheartedly,” Bertinelli told PEOPLE ahead of her son's nuptials.

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Finding Your Roots airs Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 8/7c on PBS.

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