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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Fred Housego, taxi driver, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews having picked him up – in disguise – in his taxi at Waterloo Station and dropping him off on Kingsway in central London, having been led to believe he was being filmed for a different programme demonstrating his knowledge of London.

Fred, who was born in Dundee but grew up in London, had various jobs, including copywriter and postman, before learning the Knowledge to become a London taxi driver in 1972 and a registered London Tourist Board tour guide in 1977.

Despite leaving school with only one O-level in British Constitution, Fred won the notoriously difficult BBC television quiz Mastermind in 1980, leading to the start of a media career, in particularly regular appearances on BBC Radio 4’s discussion programme Start the Week.

"You've taken a right liberty! I don't believe this!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 564
• Subject No: 560
• Broadcast date: Wed 4 Feb 1981
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Wed 21 Jan 1981
• Venue: Royalty Theatre
• Series: 21
• Edition: 17
• Code name: Chair

on the guest list...

• Pat - wife
• Kate - daughter
• Abigail - daughter
• Magnus Magnusson
• Fred - father
• Hilda - mother
• Jim Buck
• Terry Buck
• Cyril Bernard
• Nick Lynch
• John Mossfield
• John Wheeler
• Tony Sykes
• Clive Hunter
• Dave Jackson
• Chris Hardy
• Leighton Lewis
• Barry Quill
• Kingsley Ward
• Julie Ward
• Sam Mortimer
• Ingram Wilcox
• John Keogh
• Rene Sharrat - cousin
• Sally Fraser
Filmed tribute:
• Richard Baker

related appearances...

• Danny Baker - Dec 1994
• Magnus Magnusson - Sep 1997

production team...

• Researchers: Brian Klein, Tom Wettengel
• Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
• Directors: Stuart Hall, Terry Yarwood
• Producer: Jack Crawshaw

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

Jack of all Trades

from domestic cleaner to teacher

Eamonn's surprising disguises

TV Times feature on some bizarre outfits

Magnus Magnusson

Screenshots of Fred Housego This Is Your Life