... 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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| Jenny Seagrove The stage and screen actress recalls her This Is Your Life appearance from 2003 in an exclusive interview |
John Harris In a another exclusive interview the Welsh Paralympian recalls his 1986 tribute |
Frankie Vaughan The singer and entertainer - honoured with two Big Red Books - in 1970 and 1994 |
Max Boyce The Welsh comedian, singer and entertainer surprised for a 1978 broadcast |
Honor Blackman Actress – and another second timer with two Big Red Books - featured in 1969 and 1993 |
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| Des O’Connor Series 10: The popular entertainer was Thames Television’s first subject – broadcast in colour – when This Is Your Life returns after a five year absence |
Richard Evans Series 10: The recently retired Anglesey coxswain dubbed ‘a hero of the sea’ |
Bobby Charlton Series 10: Manchester United midfielder recently named Player and European Footballer of the Year |
Wendy Craig Series 10: The actress - best known for her television comedy series, such as …And Mother Makes Three |
Arthur Dooley Series 10: Liverpool born artist and sculptor famous for his religious works |
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| Alan Rudkin The boxer's family recall his 1972 This Is Your Life appearance in an exclusive interview |
Zsa Zsa Gabor A 1994 edition featuring the glamorous Hollywood actress and socialite |
Ronnie Dukes A tribute to the cabaret entertainer - surprised in 1975 |
Alan Freeman The Australian born disc jockey celebrated in a 1987 programme |
Leslie Crowther The entertainer - who was honoured with two Big Red Books - in 1973 and 1994 |
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| Matthew Lethbridge Broadcast in 1984 - a tribute to a courageous and award winning lifeboatman |
Cathleen Nesbitt The actress - whose career spans seven decades - surprised in 1980 |
Eddie Jordan Irish businessman and founder of Eddie Jordan Grand Prix celebrated in 2000 |
Desmond Llewelyn A 1995 edition pays tribute to the character actor - Q in the James Bond films |
Don Revie The Leeds United manager surprised at the city's Queens Hotel for a 1974 broadcast |
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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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| Series 10 The full line up of subjects from the first 26 episodes of This Is Your Life produced by Thames Television between 1969-1970 |
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 |
Muhammad Ali The heavyweight boxer - widely considered the greatest - who died in June 2016 |
Behind The Scenes: Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley reveals the show's best kept secrets |
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| From the archives: | ||||||||
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| Susan Masham Paralympian, life peer and noted champion for causes related to disability - recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in an interview from 2007 |
Valerie Singleton Popular television and radio broadcaster and former presenter of the BBC children's programme Blue Peter interviewed in 2010 |
Charlie Cairoli In an interview recorded in 2012 Charlie's son Charlie Jr recalls his father's career as Britain's most famous clown and his appearance on This Is Your Life |
Matthew Kelly The actor and television presenter recalls his 1983 tribute in an interview recorded in 2013 |
Norman Wisdom Nick Wisdom - interviewed in 2012 - recalls his father and his involvement with Norman's second This Is Your Life tribute |
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