Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Wilfred Pickles, actor and radio presenter, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while filming on location for the ITV sitcom For The Love of Ada.

Wilfred, who was born in Halifax, first began performing in amateur theatre before finding work on radio. Having been selected by the BBC as an announcer for its North Regional radio service in the early 1940s, he read the news on the BBC Home Service during the Second World War, making him the first newsreader to speak in a regional accent.

He later became a radio celebrity with his hugely popular show Have A Go, which ran from 1946 to 1967, attracted over 20 million listeners at its peak and transferred to television in 1954 as Ask Pickles. Wilfred also acted in various comedy roles on television and appeared in several films, such as Billy Liar and The Family Way.

programme details...

• Edition No: 297
• Subject No: 299
• Broadcast live: Wed 24 Feb 1971
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Venue: Euston Road Studios
• Series: 11
• Edition: 15

on the guest list...

• Irene Handl
• Mabel - wife
• Violet Carson
• Barney Colehan
• Arthur - brother
• Vera Lynn
• Beryl Reid
• Paul Hart
• Angela - niece

related appearances...

• Louie Ramsay - Jan 1958
• Harry Driver - Dec 1969

production team...

• Researcher: unknown
• Writer: unknown
• Director: Margery Baker
• Producer: Robert Tyrrell

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

• with thanks to George Pickles for his contribution to this page

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

The Big Red Book

the programme's icon

Beryl Reid

Vera Lynn

Photographs of Wilfred Pickles This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Wilfred Pickles's big red book