Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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This Is Your Life was created by Ralph Edwards, an American radio and television host. The concept originated on American radio in 1948 and successfully transferred to NBC television in October 1952.

The British version of This Is Your Life was launched in 1955 by BBC Television. It was initially broadcast monthly, then fortnightly, before becoming a regular weekly fixture in the television schedules by its third series. It ran on BBC Television for nine years before being axed in 1964.

The newly created London-based Thames Television revived the show in 1969 and broadcast weekly editions over the ITV network, producing an average of 26 shows a year. ITV continued to broadcast the programme until 1994 despite a change of presenter when Michael Aspel took over after the untimely death of original host Eamonn Andrews in 1987.

This Is Your Life returned to the BBC in 1994, produced by the newly independent Thames Television production company, and ran for nine years until the programme was axed again in 2003.

the facts and figures...

• 1130 Editions
• 1104 Subjects
• 825 Male subjects
• 279 Female subjects
• 42 Second timers
• 1 Third timer
• 15 Couples
• 3 Trios
• 4 Two-part editions

the presenters...

• Ralph Edwards: 1 edition
• Eamonn Andrews: 735 editions
• David Nixon: 1 edition
• Michael Aspel: 393 editions

The BBC Years: 1955-1964

The Thames Years: 1969-1988

The Thames Years: 1988-1994

The BBC Years: 1994-2003