This Is Your Life: Jane Rossington

Jane ROSSINGTON (1943-)

The last edition recorded with Eamonn Andrews as presenter

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Jane Rossington, actress, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at a central London hotel while on her way to Thames Television's Teddington Studios, having been led to believe she was due to appear on The Des O'Connor Show.

Jane, who was born in Derby but grew up in Sutton Coldfield, trained at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, having initially acted in amateur dramatics. She worked in repertory theatre in Sheffield and York before making her television debut in 1963 in the ITV medical drama series Emergency Ward 10.

In 1964, she won the role of Jill Richardson in ITV's new soap opera Crossroads - delivering the first words of the first episode. Without a permanent contract, she had time to pursue other roles, including a minor role in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers. However, her role in Crossroads became an integral part of the programme, and she played Jane for 24 years until ITV announced in 1987 that the series was ending.

"Gosh - I don't believe it!"

programme details...

Edition No: 737
Subject No: 731
Broadcast date: Wed 20 Jan 1988
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Fri 30 Oct 1987
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 28
Edition: 7
Code name: Oak

on the guest list...

Tony Adams
Dee Hepburn
Al Ashton
Alison Dowling
Christopher Duffy
Valerie Holliman
Meryl Hampton
Kathryn Hurlbutt
Elsie Kelly
Ashok Kumar
Shona Lindsay
Karen Murden
Jeremy Nicholas
Steven Pinder
Glyn Pritchard
Graham Seed
Margaret Stallard
Tara Shaw
David Dunger - husband
Sorrel - daughter
Henry - son
John - brother
Brenda - sister-in-law
Richard - nephew
Hilary - niece
Rosamund - niece
Diane Abbott
Jill Browne
Sue Nicholls
Patricia Greene
Elizabeth Marlowe
June Spencer
Norman Painting
Anthony Morton
Gillian Betts
Deke Arlon
Carolyn Lyster
Graham Weston
Pamela Greenall
Jeremy Sinden
David Fennell
Charles Stapley
Peggy Aitchison
Andrew Ray
Andrew Shearer
Elisabeth Croft
Fiona Curzon
Peter Brookes
Angus Lennie
Carolyn Jones
Janet Hargreaves
Sandor Eles
Sue Lloyd
Ronald Allen
Sonia Fox
Paul Henry
William Gaunt
Sue Hanson
Reg Watson

production team...

Researchers: Louise Clover, Tom Wettengel
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Directors: Stuart Hall, Terry Yarwood
Associate Producer: Brian Klein
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Motel Life

Crossroads' finest

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Timeline

the show's fifty year history

New Lease of Life

the programme's relaunch

This Was Your Life!

The Sun's coverage of the death of Eamonn Andrews

BBC axes This Is Your Life

Press coverage of the BBC's announcement

Interviews

Jane Rossington recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2010

Screenshots of Jane Rossington This Is Your Life - and Jane Rossington photographed at her home with her big red book in April 2010

The Sun article: Jane Rossington This Is Your Life

The Sun 6 November 1987

EAMONN THE CHARMER BY HIS LAST TELLY VICTIM

Exclusive By JOHN SCOTT

The last name in tragic Eamonn Andrews's star-studded big red book was Crossroad's actress Jane Rossington. She was added to Britain's most famous role of honour last Friday.

Jane thought she was going to London to appear in the Des O'Connor show when she came face to face with the charming television trickster.

"It was the biggest shock in my life when Eamonn suddenly appeared," she said last night. "It was a dream come true for me. I think it is the biggest tribute an actress could have. I am so grateful I was able to receive it before his death."

One person who was on the This Is Your Life set for Eamonn's last recording said: "I was surprised how tired he looked. He just hadn't got his normal, twinkle, bubble and sparkle. Eamonn definitely looked haggard but he certainly did not look at death's door."

Jane, who has starred in Crossroads since the TV soap started 23 years ago, had appeared on This Is Your Life five times before – but only as a guest in other people's life stories.

She had also seen Eamonn many times at celebrity bashes.

Jane said: "I knew him quite well and, although I was totally bewildered by the occasion, I did not think he looked himself on Friday."

Surprise

"I thought he had lost weight and might have had a cold or something like that. But he didn't look seriously ill."

"After he had sprung the surprise on me we sipped champagne together in the taxi taking us to the studios where the show was recorded."

"I remember looking across into his big blue eyes and thinking, 'Gosh, you are a charmer!'"

"If he was not well, then he was also a marvellous actor."

"As soon as the cameras started rolling he was the Eamonn we all know and love."

"Whatever it is that makes a TV great – he had it."

Love

"Starring in This Is Your Life with him was the greatest moment of my professional life."

"We watched the recording together afterwards. I was thrilled with the show – but more importantly so was he."

"He said it was super television. He was delighted with the programme."

"Looking back on it I am so pleased that his last show was a fitting tribute to him and all he stood for."

"The programme had gone just as he hoped it always would – like a dream."

"He was so kind and charming to everybody."

"If he was unwell that is all the more remarkable. He spent five minutes after the show had been recorded just chatting casually to the audience."

"Then he came to the marvellous backstage party laid on for me, my friends and family and spent an hour talking to us."

"He was particularly taken by my nine-year-old son, Harry. They got on famously."

Party

"Eamonn obviously thought Harry had been the star of the show and he arranged to have a special red This Is Your Life autograph book signed by everybody involved in the show."

It is Jane's only momento of the show at the moment. The big red book is not sent to the star until after each programme has been screened.

Eamonn's signature appears inside the front cover of the little autograph book under the inscription: "All happy days Harry (the star)."

Jane, 42, has been married to husband David for 15 years and they and 13-year-old daughter Sorrell live in a village near Lichfield, Staffs.

Jane spoke the first words in Crossroads 23 years ago and she will be in the series until it ends.

The final episode will be screened in the spring, although recording finishes at Christmas.

A date has not been fixed for the broadcasting of her This Is Your Life.

Ironically, it might never have been made.

Moved

It was scheduled for recording later this month.

But then it was suddenly moved forward to last Friday.

Jane said: "I had to pinch myself when I woke up on Saturday morning and asked myself, 'Did all that really happen to me?'"

"I was on cloud nine all day, still in a dream."

"But on Sunday I wrote a thank you letter to Eamonn and posted it the following day."

"I just had to put my thanks to him in writing."

Dream

"I only hope it reached him in time and that he knew how happy he had made me and my family."

Jane has been touched by tragedy before, with the deaths of Crossroads co-stars Roger Tonge and Noele Gordon.

But nothing could prepare her for the shock she got as she turned on her radio yesterday morning.

She said: "When I heard Eamonn was dead I just burst into tears. I couldn't believe what I was hearing."

"If my show with him had been recorded a long time ago it might have been easier to take in."

"But for him to die so suddenly, so quickly after our unforgettable show together, was more than I could bear."

Jane recalled the times she was a guest on other stars' This Is Your Life shows and said: "I will never forget the look on Noele Gordon's face when she was caught out."

"But nothing could prepare me for the surprise Eamonn gave me."

"I don't want to give the details away because that would spoil it if and when the programme is broadcast."

Treat

"A lot of time and trouble goes into planning "The Hit" and it worked a treat with me."

Husband David, also 42, said: "I have never seen Jane look so shocked as when Eamonn came face to face with her."

"It had been terrible keeping the secret but it was worth it just to see that look."

"There was a rehearsal of the programme on Friday afternoon, when Jane was still travelling down to London."

"Eamonn was incredible. He wasn't satisfied with the way people were coming on and off, so there was a second rehearsal. He was so professional it was amazing."

"I was down there with the This Is Your Life team for two days before the show and nobody gave any indication of Eamonn being unwell."

"It was just business as usual."

"There was no mention of there being anything out of the ordinary – and that made the news of his death so much more of a shock for both of us."

Series 28 subjects