This Is Your Life: Bill Beaumont

Bill BEAUMONT (1952-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Bill Beaumont, rugby union player, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - and his England Rugby team mates sat on the roofs of a fleet of Minis in Battersea Park, London, having been led to believe he was on his way to a business meeting at Lords Cricket Ground.

Bill, who was born in Addlington, near Chorley, studied at Ellesmere College in Shropshire and joined Fylde Rugby Club in Lancashire in 1969, age 17. Playing in the lock position, Bill made his international debut in 1975 and took over as England captain in 1978.

He led the England team to their first Grand Slam victory for 23 years in 1980, and in the same years captained the British Lions tour to South Africa, becoming the first English player to be chosen to captain the Lions for 50 years.

"You've got me now!"

programme details...

Edition No: 541
Subject No: 538
Broadcast date: Wed 9 Apr 1980
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Mon 31 Mar 1980
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 20
Edition: 20
Code name: Bees

on the guest list...

members of England rugby union team
Hilary - wife
Ron - father
Joyce - mother
Alison - sister
Joe - brother
Evelyn Burchill
Margaret Harwood
Mick Weir
Joe - uncle
Lesley - aunt
Rob Gregory
Paul Mariner
Gray Prest
Ann Prest
Tony Neary
Margaret Simpson
Jeff Squire
John Beattie
Rodney O'Donnell
John O'Driscoll
Colm Tucker
Allan Martin
Graham Price
William - grandfather

production team...

Researchers: Brian Klein, Robin Ellis-Bextor
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related page...

Up and Under

tackling rugby's top names

Screenshots of Bill Beaumont This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Bill Beaumont had captained England's first rugby Grand Slam victory for twenty-three years when we surprised him with a bizarre pick-up.

Burly Bill had once told his team mate his mini was too small for him to fit inside, but he would accept a lift on the roof rack.

On 31 March 1980, Bill was on a business trip to London. Unknown to him, we had arranged for his driver to take him through Battersea Park. And there he was surrounded by a 'scrum' of minis - a motorcade with his Grand Slam-winning team mates on the roof racks.

Series 20 subjects