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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Helen Shapiro, singer and actress, was surprised by Michael Aspel outside Thames Television's Teddington Studios, having been led to believe she was there to take part in a programme devoted to Humphrey Lyttelton.

Helen, who was born in London, made her name as a pop star while she was still at school. Her debut single, Don't Treat Me Like a Child, released in 1961, was followed the same year by two number one hits, You Don't Know and Walking Back To Happiness, making her the youngest female chart topper in the UK.

She toured widely across the UK and abroad, including Japan, where she became the first British artist to top their charts, and the US, where she appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. After her pop career ended, she went on to appear in musical theatre, in addition to touring extensively with the British jazz trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton and his band, whilst still performing her own jazz and pop concerts.

"Oh my goodness!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 920
• Subject No: 899
• Broadcast date: Wed 17 May 1995
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Mon 24 Apr 1995
• Venue: Teddington Studios
• Series: 35
• Edition: 28
• Code name: Walk

on the guest list...

• John Judd - husband
• Humphrey Lyttelton
• Alan Freeman
• Susan Singer - cousin
• Geoff Cohen
• John Schroeder
• Mike Hawker
• Joyce Mumby
• Craig Douglas
• Tony Barrow
• George Layton
• Benny Green
• Ken Bruce
Filmed tributes:
• Cliff Richard
• George Melly

related appearances...

• Cathleen Nesbitt - May 1980
• Lewis Collins - Dec 1982
• Alan Freeman - Oct 1987
• Benny Green - Feb 1996
• George Layton - Jan 1999

production team...

• Researcher: Mandy Nixon
• Writer: Norman Giller
• Director: Brian Klein
• Associate Producer: John Graham
• Executive Producer: Peter Estall
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

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

All that Jazz

covering all the notes

Top of the Pops

charting the pop stars

Alan Freeman

George Layton

Humphrey Lyttelton

Screenshots of Helen Shapiro This Is Your Life