Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
TV Times magazine previewed the launch of the new series with an article featuring five subjects from the last couple of series, which examined the difficulties faced by the This Is Your Life production team where the main requirement is complete secrecy.
For only the second time in 600 editions, This Is Your Life broadcast four consecutive editions that celebrated women's lives. And one edition, which featured one of those high-profile women, was the focus of a lengthy feature in TV Times magazine - as the production team pulled out all the stops to surprise her - who happened to be one of the magazine’s own columnists - in the Italian capital city of Rome.
Malcolm Morris returned to take over the reins as the producer of This Is Your Life, having previously left the programme in 1974. He remained with the programme until 1996, overseeing the show through some of its most challenging times.
The series ended with another specially extended edition which paid tribute to one of Britain’s most popular comedians.
related pages...
the show's fifty year history
TV Times looks at some 'unplanned' incidents
TV Times feature on Katie Boyle
| Ranulph FIENNES | Explorer | 20 October 1982 |
| Diana DORS | Actress | 27 October 1982 |
| Joan COLLINS | Actress | 3 November 1982 |
| Katie BOYLE | Actress, writer and television personality | 10 November 1982 |
| Diane KEEN | Actress | 17 November 1982 |
| Brian JOHNSTON | Broadcaster and writer | 24 November 1982 |
| Leslie MITCHELL | Broadcaster | 1 December 1982 |
| Lewis COLLINS | Actor | 8 December 1982 |
| Marty WILDE | Singer and musician | 15 December 1982 |
| Catherine COOKSON | Novelist | 22 December 1982 |
| Allan WELLS | Olympic athlete | 29 December 1982 |
| Stan STENNETT | Actor and comedian | 5 January 1983 |
| Gloria HUNNIFORD | Irish broadcaster | 12 January 1983 |
| Robert CARRIER | American chef | 19 January 1983 |
| Johnny BRIGGS | Actor | 26 January 1983 |
| John P SPENCER | Winchman | 2 February 1983 |
| Eva TURNER | Opera singer and teacher | 9 February 1983 |
| Kenny DALGLISH | Footballer | 16 February 1983 |
| Gerald DURRELL | Naturalist and author | 23 February 1983 |
| Jo GRIMOND | Politician | 2 March 1983 |
| Anna NEAGLE | Actress | 9 March 1983 |
| Kitty WILSON | Foster carer | 16 March 1983 |
| Charlie MAGRI | Boxer | 23 March 1983 |
| Sandy GALL | Journalist, author and TV newsreader | 30 March 1983 |
| Arthur MARSHALL | Writer and broadcaster | 6 April 1983 |
| Jimmy TARBUCK | Comedian | 13 April 1983 |
Broadcast details
Thames Television production for ITV26 editions | 25 x 30 minutes | 1 x 60 minutes
Wednesday | 7.00pm x 25 | 8.00pm x 1
Production team
Producer: Malcolm Morris | Directors: Terry Yarwood, Paul Stewart Laing, Mike Lloyd | Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy BottomleyResearchers: Charmaine Carter, Tom Wettengel, Laura Hayden, Vivien Lind, Michael Waterhouse
Programme Consultants: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley | Programme Associates: John Graham, Brian Klein
Production Assistants: Irene Clark, Claire Jenkinson
Designers: Peter Joyce, Jack Robinson, Chris Cook, Graham Guest, Spencer Chapman