Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Norman Croucher, mountain climber, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the Sobell Sports Centre in Islington, London, having been led to believe he was there to be interviewed about his new book, High Hopes.

Norman, who was born in Cornwall, lost both his legs in an accident with a goods train when he fell down an embankment onto a railway line in Wiltshire in 1960 at the age of 19. Although he initially trained as a teacher and later qualified as a social worker, he was determined to pursue his love of mountaineering despite his disability.

In 1969 Norman became the first person fitted with artificial limbs to walk the 900 miles from John O'Groats to Lands End. Six months after the walk, he climbed Switzerland's Jungfrau and Mönch mountains. He scaled the treacherous west flank of the Eiger in 1972 and conquered the Matterhorn two years later.

"Well this is a surprise!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 440
• Subject No: 437
• Broadcast date: Wed 5 May 1976
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Wed 14 Apr 1976 7.00pm
• Venue: Euston Road Studios
• Series: 16
• Edition: 26
• Code name: Horn

on the guest list...

• Judy - wife
• Ueli Sommer
• Margaret - sister
• Sonia - sister
• Joan - mother
• Emry - father
• Heather Flowerdew
• John Dudney
• Dave Kitchen
• Jim Smith
• Fred Green - uncle
• Michael Cape
• Dave Parsons
• Len Dacey
• Hans Kaufmann
• Eddy Petrig
• Alfred Morris
• Renny Nancholas
Filmed tribute:
• Lord Hunt

related appearance...

• The Night of 1000 Lives - Jan 2000

production team...

• Researcher: unknown
• Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
• Directors: Mike Dormer, Philip Casson
• Executive Producer: Jack Andrews
• Producer: Jack Crawshaw

Life on Earth

an uncharted adventure

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Magic Book That Opens New Chapters Of Life

TV Times feature on 'The Unsung Heroes'

Interviews

Norman Croucher recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in March 2010

Screenshots of Norman Croucher This Is Your Life - and Norman Croucher photographed at his home with his big red book in March 2010