16 January 1961

The novelist, playwright, poet and law reform activist - who was an Independent MP for Oxford University between 1935 and 1950 - was surprised by Eamonn on-board the HMS President, docked downstream from London's Westminster Bridge.
Among those paying tribute are the politician Lord Boothby and actress and singer Evelyn Laye.

24 April 1961

The politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled people, who had been a Conservative MP for Liverpool Fairfield between 1918 and 1931, was surprised by Eamonn at his home in London's Portland Place.

12 February 1962

The serving Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown was also an author and explorer, and had acted as Polar Advisor to director Charles Frend for the 1948 film production of Scott of the Antarctic.
He was surprised by Eamonn at London's Victoria Station.

17 October 1963

The controversial Conservative MP for East Aberdeenshire - who held the seat for over 30 years before being made a life peer in 1958 - was surprised by Eamonn at the BBC Television Centre.
Lord Boothby was a prominent commentator on public affairs on radio and television, and his tribute includes a recorded message from Noel Coward.

28 November 1973

Eamonn surprised the recently retired General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress at the offices of Punch magazine in London.
Something of a 'character' in public life, Vic was often imitated by Mike Yarwood, who is a guest on the show, along with the manager of Leeds United Football Club, Don Revie.

10 October 1974

In an edition billed as an Election Night special, the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South was surprised by Eamonn in the back garden of his Epsom home. Jack became profoundly deaf as a result of complications from a routine ear operation in 1967, just as his political career was starting to blossom, but continued to serve as the UK's first totally deaf Member of Parliament.

14 January 1981

The former Conservative MP for Louth was surprised by Eamonn - along with the Somerset county cricket team - while out jogging on London's embankment.
Elected in 1969, Jeffrey resigned in 1974 - a casualty of a fraudulent investments scheme. This led to his new career as a novelist, with the publication of Not A Penny More, Not a Penny Less.

3 March 1982

The retiring President of the National Union of Mineworkers was surprised by Eamonn - accompanied by a brass band - on a street in Victoria in London.
Joe became a miner at the age of fourteen, and after several years as a trade union official, he worked his way up to general secretary of the North West region, before being elected leader of the NUM in 1971.

2 March 1983

Eamonn gatecrashed the studios of TV-AM to surprise the former leader of the Liberal Party, on the eve of his retirement following 33 years service as an MP for Orkney and Shetland.
Guests paying tribute include broadcaster Ludovic Kennedy and his actress wife Moira Shearer, and Jo's successor as Liberal Leader, David Steel.

7 December 1983

The Labour politician - recently retired as Speaker of the House of Commons, a post he had held since 1976 - was suprised by Eamonn during a charity event at London's Royal Albert Hall. George - who was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Tonypandy on his retirement - recieves messages from former Prime Minister, Harold Wilson and HRH Prince Charles.

11 April 1984

Eamonn surprised the former Royal Air Force Officer at London's Park Lane Hotel.
At the age of just twenty-six Laddie led the top-scoring 249 Squadron during the Battle of Malta. After the war he served for nine years as a Conservative MP for Brentford and Chiswick and later wrote numerous bestselling books based on his exemplary war service.

12 December 1984

Eamonn surprised the politician and former soldier at Teddington Studios with the help of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Fitzroy was Conservative MP for Bute and North Ayrshire between 1959 and 1974. Previously a diplomat, he became one of the few people who entered the Second World War as a private and left having risen to the rank of Brigadier.

14 December 1988

The former Labour MP for Buckingham was surprised by Michael in the unlikely setting of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Awarded the Military Cross for war action, Robert went on to build an extensive publishing empire which included the Mirror Group Newspapers. Among his guests is the former Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

8 February 1989

Denis - the Labour MP for Leeds East since 1955 and the former Chancellor of the Exchequer under the Wilson and Callaghan administrations - was surprised by Michael while being interviewed about his passion for photography at Teddington Studios. Among those paying tribute are Henry Kissinger in Washington and from Bonn, former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

15 November 1989

Liberal MP for Rochdale 1972-1992

14 December 1998

Bill - still working at the age of 85 - was surprised by Michael while interviewing former footballer David Ginola at the Tottenham Hotspur FC training ground in Enfield. Lord Deedes - the only person to have been a member of the cabinet and an editor of a daily newspaper - was greeted by Denis Thatcher and Alan Whicker, among others.

31 October 2001

The recently retired MP for Yeovil - and former Leader of the Liberal Democrats - was surprised by Michael in the foyer of the BBC Television Centre.
The former Royal Marine who was made a life peer was reunited with colleagues from all corners of the political spectrum, including Denis Healey, Kenneth Clarke and Roy Jenkins.

9 January 2003

Michael surprised the former Labour MP during a recording of the BBC television comedy show Shooting Stars. As Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo was influential in securing the Good Friday Peace agreement in 1998, while recovering from a brain tumour.
Among those paying tribute, in an emotional show, was Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton.