... a simple premise for a television show. A surprise encounter and an unexpected reunion. The host reveals the life story of the unsuspecting ‘subject’ with the help of a Big Red Book and a gathering of family and friends.
That formula became one of the most popular programmes on British television ever, running almost 50 years, producing over 1000 editions, and, in the process, becoming a British institution.
At the peak of its popularity, in the 1970s and 80s, millions of television viewers regularly tuned in every Wednesday at 7pm with excited anticipation of whose name would be embossed on that week’s Big Red Book...
This website is a celebration of the show and the lives it honoured. Open the Big Red Book to reveal a record of every UK edition from 1955-2003 and learn about the series, the subjects and the sets as we turn back the pages of one of the best loved television treasures of all time.
So, as the man said ... “if you look at that screen over there...”
Jack Crawshaw - former researcher, writer, and producer of This Is Your Life:
"Big Red Book is a living archive - a unique and illuminating document, which combines a mass of historical data with a fund of fond memories of our much loved programme.
A well researched, and conscientiously collated, This Is Your Life, This Is Your Life."
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| Liza GODDARD The actress recalls her 1984 tribute in an exclusive interview |
Alvin STARDUST The actor and rock singer - and husband of Liza Goddard – was surprised a year later, in 1985 |
Alex NORTON Scottish born actor who was the last actor handed the Big Red Book in the programme’s final series in 2003 |
Paul DANIELS A magical surprise from 1988 for television’s top rated magician |
Hylda BAKER The comedienne and former music hall performer honoured in 1972 |
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| Ranulph FIENNES The explorer was surprised shortly after his return from his three year long Transglobe Expedition in 1982 |
Graham COLE A 1997 edition featuring the actor best known for his role in ITV’s police drama series, The Bill |
Ian OGILVY The actor - currently enjoying success as television's Simon Templer in The Saint - was caught out in 1979 |
Frazer HINES A 1992 edition paying tribute to the actor best known for television’s Doctor Who and Emmerdale |
Dale WINTON The television presenter was the first subject of the new millennium broadcast in January 2000 |
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| Recent additions... | subjects from the 1975-6 series... | |||||||
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| Mike HAILWOOD Mike's wife Pauline recalls 'one of the greatest Grand Prix racers of all time' in an exclusive interview |
Betty DRIVER In another exclusive interview the Coronation Street favourite is remembered by award winning writer Stephen Bourne |
Ray MILLAND Welsh-born actor - best remembered for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend |
Gareth EDWARDS Welsh rugby union scrum-half, described by many as “arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey” |
Bill TIDY Newspaper cartoonist - best known for his comic strip The Cloggies |
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| Windsor DAVIES Actor – best known as the bullying Sergeant Major Williams in the BBC sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum |
Ray REARDON The first snooker player to be a This Is Your Life subject |
Patrick MOWER Actor who had scored success in television's Callan and Special Branch |
Alberto REMEDIOS Operatic tenor - noted for his interpretations of Wagner’s roles |
Percy THROWER The leading face and voice of British gardening on television and radio |
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| Contents: | ||||||||
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| SERIES Check out the subject lists year by year - from series 1 to 43 |
SUBJECTS Search the full A-Z list of 1104 subjects from Abbot to Zarb |
FEATURES Discover more about the show and lives of those it featured |
ARTICLES Delve into the archives for more insight into the show's history |
INTERVIEWS An expanding online archive of exclusive interviews |
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| Spotlight: | ||||||||
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| Series 16 The full line up of subjects from the 26 episodes of This Is Your Life produced by Thames Television between 1975-76 |
Timeline A chronology of the show's fifty year history |
The first BBC period There's now an entry for every one of the 256 subjects featured between 1955 and 1964 |
A Life Refused: A look at the names who said 'No' to the Big Red Book. |
Behind The Scenes: Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley reveals the show's best kept secrets |
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| From the archives: | ||||||||
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| Jean KENT The actress remembered for her roles in many British films of the 1940s - recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in an interview from 2011 |
Vince HILL Popular singer and songwriter interviewed in 2010 |
Sylvia YOUNG In an interview recorded in 2013 the founder and principal of the famous theatre school recalls her appearance on This Is Your Life |
Stirling MOSS The Formula One racing driver recalls his 1959 tribute in an interview recorded in 2013 |
Nicholas PARSONS Television presenter and actor - best known for presenting the ITV game show Sale of the Century - interviewed in 2015 |
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