This Is Your Life: Alan Rudkin

Alan RUDKIN (1941-2010)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Alan Rudkin, boxer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - with the help of presenter Dickie Davies - at the Board of Control gym above the Noble Art pub in Hampstead, London, having been led to believe he was there for a televised training session for ITV's World of Sport.

Alan, who was born in north Wales, but grew up in Liverpool, was unable to walk for 18 months as a young child after being struck down with a crippling bone disease. Although his family were warned by doctors that he might never walk, he recovered by the age of four and, as he grew up, developed an affinity for sport, especially boxing.

Having achieved a considerable reputation as a talented amateur boxer, he turned professional in 1962. He won 18 of his first 19 professional fights, took the British and Commonwealth bantamweight title in March 1965, won the European bantamweight title in February 1971, and held the record of Britain's longest reigning title holder - retaining his British title five times.

programme details...

Edition No: 326
Subject No: 327
Broadcast date: Wed 15 Mar 1972
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 1 Mar 1972 7.00pm
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 12
Edition: 18

on the guest list...

Cathy - wife
Anne - mother
Peter - father
Peter - brother
Pauline - sister
Gerry Marsden
members of the Liverpool Football Supporters Club - in audience
John Peers
Frankie Taylor
Brian McCaffrey
Rose Bassett
Tommy Bassett
Bobby Neill
Johnny Caldwell
Henry Cooper
Alan - son
Jeremy - son
Timothy - son
Tony Booth
boys from the Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Club
Fighting Harada
Bill Shankly
members of the Liverpool FC team

production team...

Researchers: Sarah Dickinson, David McFarlane
Writer: Jack Crawshaw
Director: Margery Baker
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

with thanks to Cathy Kinsey (formerly Rudkin) and Alan Rudkin Jr for their contribution to this page

related pages...

Life In The Ring

from flyweight to heavyweight

the programme's icon

Cathy Kinsey and Alan Rudkin Jr, former wife and son of Alan Rudkin, recall this edition of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in November 2015

Alan Rudkin This Is Your Life Big Red Book

Photographs of Alan Rudkin This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Alan Rudkin's big red book

Series 12 subjects