This Is Your Life: Bob Wilson

Bob WILSON (1941-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Bob Wilson, broadcaster and former football goalkeeper, was surprised by Michael Aspel - with the help of television presenter Jill Dando - during a training session with Arsenal FC at their training ground near St Albans.

Bob, who was born in Chesterfield, trained as a teacher at Loughborough College before becoming a goalkeeper. He played as an amateur with Wolverhampton Wanderers before becoming a professional with Arsenal in March 1964. In 1971, he was named Arsenal's player of the year in their double-winning season, in which he played every first-team match in the League and Cup, culminating in the 1971 FA Cup Final win over Liverpool.

Bob also played internationally for Scotland before retiring in 1974 to become a successful goalkeeping coach. He then had a 25-year career with the BBC, hosting Football Focus and regularly presenting Grandstand, Match of the Day, Sportsnight, and the sports bulletins on Breakfast News during the early 1990s before moving to ITV in 1994.

"You've gotta be kidding! Oh no!"

programme details...

Edition No: 1009
Subject No: 984
Broadcast date: Mon 9 Nov 1998
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Mon 2 Nov 1998
Venue: unknown
Series: 39
Edition: 10
Code name: Sticks

on the guest list...

Anna - daughter
Robert - son
John - son
Glenn Hoddle
Bobby Gould
Pat Jennings
Alex Manninger
John Lukic
Arsene Wenger
Jill Dando
Helen Rollason
Megs - wife
David Seaman
Frank McLintock
George Graham
Peter Simpson
John Roberts
John Radford
Eddie Kelly
Peter Marinello
Pat Rice
George Armstrong
Sammy Nelson
Charlie George
Bob McNab
Hugh - brother
Jean - sister
Jack Hemmings
Nigel Seale
John Leobold
Mike Turvey
Henry Cooper
Tommy Docherty
John Motson
Brian Moore
Louis - grandson
Bert Trautmann
Johnny Mathis
George Best

production team...

Researchers: Kate Greer, Steven Lappin
Writer: Ian Brown
Directors: John Gorman, Steve Docherty
Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
Executive Producer: John Longley
Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
Producer: Sue Green

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Match of the Day

tackling football's top names

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

George Best

Henry Cooper

John Motson

Screenshots of Bob Wilson This Is Your Life

Bob Wilson recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, behind the network...

We agreed there should be no resuscitation and were told we could see Anna in intensive care very soon. We immediately phoned John, Robert and his partner Sarah telling them to get to the hospital as soon as they could. Mitchell phoned his mum, dad and brothers. All had arrived by the time Mitchell, Megs and I were allowed to see Anna. She looked calm on the ventilator, there was no struggle for breath. Anna the invincible was now hanging on to life by the finest of threads.

Back with the rest of the family, we tried to console ourselves with the fact that Anna no longer had pain. We waited through the night and tried to rest, taking it in turns to visit intensive care where the staff were keeping Anna comfortable. At breakfast, just after I'd rung the closest of family and friends to warn them that Anna was expected to die, her physiotherapist ran towards us and said, 'You're not going to believe this but Anna's just opened her eyes. She's waving to everyone and wants to know where you are!'

She had defied all odds one more time but was soon aware of the drama that had occurred. Concerned for us that we should all have been through agonies, she asked, 'But did you have a laugh?' It was important for her to know that we hadn't given up on our sense of humour. We assured her that our time through the night had produced some amusing moments through the obvious hours of anxiety. While I left to fetch Mitchell and the boys, Anna continued to assure her mum that she would be OK and added, 'By the way, we are still going ahead with This Is Your Life aren't we?'

Behind my back, Anna, Megs and the boys had spent the last month working with the BBC team to piece together my story and find a convenient time in Anna's treatment to get Michael Aspel to present the famous red book. It was 2 November when Megs bade me farewell from home with the words, 'Have a nice day.' I found her choice of expression strange, but dismissed it, just happy that she could smile again since Anna's return home.

David Seaman told me, prior to training, that a BBC film crew were making a documentary about him. I was used to such minor distractions where he was concerned. During our warm-up session, the first-team squad ran as a tightly packed group towards the goal where I was coaching, which was unusual. When they stopped abruptly, I turned to see Jill Dando emerge from the middle of the pack.

'What on earth are you doing here?' I asked of my lovely friend.

Before she answered, I was astonished to see Michael Aspel appear behind her, clutching the big red book and saying the famous words at me. My mind was in turmoil. This Is Your Life at a time when Anna's life seemed to be fading fast. After smiling politely, I asked for the cameras to stop recording.

'I don't want to do this,' I said. 'Anna is too ill.'

But the reason Jill was part of the catch was precisely because Megs and Anna had anticipated my reaction.

'It's Anna who's planned it, Bob,' said Jill.

Moments later my mobile phone rang to confirm her words. The face of the phone showed 'Megs Mob' was calling me. It wasn't my wife on the other end but Anna, my mischievous, madcap, amazing Anna, saying, 'Dad, I'm ready to party.'

And party we did. As I stood behind the big screens with Michael, the title music playing, I took out my white hankie in readiness to wave should I lose control. I was confronted by a collection of family and friends led by John, Anna, Mitchell and Robert. As I hugged John, he fiercely whispered in my ear, 'Dad, don't cry.' It wasn't easy to obey. As I moved back from an embrace with Anna, her smile dissolved and her look of love and pride for 'Daddy, my Daddy?' gave way to emotion. Robert and Mitchell were as concerned as John at how we would all hold up to the occasion.

It was fantastic, simply fantastic. For the next forty minutes and at the big party that followed, we experienced shared joy that we couldn't have thought possible. During the programme, I was greeted, surprised, moved by tributes delivered by those who had played a part in my life - family, team-mates, college friends, TV colleagues and sporting heroes. It was an event at which Anna could be normal, join in the gossip, catch up with cousins and hold hands with her Grandpa Miles, Megs' dad. She was wheeled from group to group, laughing and smiling. I'm certain she knew that it would be the last time she would see most of her family.

Bob Wilson recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his book, Life in the Beautiful Game...

I have always wished that my dad had been with me at that moment, or on the other occasions when I have been able to spend time with Bert Trautmann. The last time was during the BBC's This Is Your Life programme of which I was the subject.

Twice during the recording of the show presenter Michael Aspel had made reference to Bert and I had instantly waxed lyrical. Both times I was left disappointed that he had not then appeared from behind the screens. Those in the know, however, knew how important Bert Traumann had been in my life. To my delight Bert was the last guest that appeared.

Such was my appreciation that I, unwittingly, clapped my hand behind his neck, that famous neck which had once been broken. With typical generosity Bert paid his tribute to me by complimenting 'Bob Wilson the footballer, Bob Wilson the television presenter and Bob Wilson the man'.

At the party that followed he charmed everyone and made me again wish that my dad had lived long enough to meet this hero of mine, who journalist Frank McGhee aptly described as: 'A man who insisted on keeping his German nationality because he felt that what a man is, is more important than where he is born.'

When on 2 November 1998 BBC TV sprung the This Is Your Life programme on me, Tommy Docherty was one of the main guests. Bright as a button, mischievous and entertaining, he told presenter Michael Aspel, 'The only problem I had selecting him was his name, so we called him Jock MacWilson!'

Money is of secondary importance to health and David (Seaman) recognised this as he shared our family's journey with Anna during five sad, yet enriching, years in her fight with cancer.

He and Debbie became friendly with our daughter and her husband Mitchell. They played a part in organising with Megs and the BBC the This Is Your Life programme which was sprung on me on 2 November 1998 at the Arsenal training ground. As I went out to coach David and the other keeper he told me that there would 'probably be another film crew around' that day. It was nothing new. He was the England keeper, a household name, famous throughout the UK. Sure enough, a BBC TV crew were in position as we began the session. It was interrupted by the entire Arsenal squad running unusually in a group towards our goalkeeping area. They stopped in front of a puzzled looking coach and from the middle of the pack there emerged my lovely Breakfast TV work friend, Jill Dando and Michael Aspel, who held in his grasp the famous red book. When I initially declined to go ahead with the programme because Anna's health was so poor, David helped persuade me that she was behind the surprise. Later that day he was the second guest to appear from behind the This Is Your Life screen. He remains a patron of the Willow Foundation set up in Anna's memory a few months after that extraordinary day.

Series 39 subjects