This Is Your Life: James Herbert

James HERBERT (1943-2013)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - James Herbert, writer, was surprised by Michael Aspel at the London Dungeon, having been led to believe he was there to be interviewed about his latest thriller.

James, who was born in London and studied at Hornsey College of Art, initially worked in advertising as an art director. Seeking a fresh challenge, he decided to write a novel, and having been a fan of ghost stories and American horror comics as a child, he produced his first manuscript, a horror novel entitled The Rats. Published in 1974, the initial print run of 100,000 sold out in three weeks.

After the success of his second novel, The Fog, published in 1975, he went on to release a new novel virtually every year thereafter up until 1988, becoming Britain's number one bestselling writer and one of the world's top writers of thriller and horror fiction. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his novels have sold more than 54 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over 30 languages.

"You got the right guy?"

programme details...

Edition No: 916
Subject No: 896
Broadcast date: Wed 12 Apr 1995
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 23 Nov 1994
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 35
Edition: 24
Code name: Fright

on the guest list...

Eileen - wife
Kitty - mother
Kerry - daughter
Emma - daughter
Casey - daughter
Anthony Andrews
Georgina Andrews
Peter - brother
John - brother
Denis Barker
Cyril Vickers
Tim Rathbone
Bob Tanner
Eddie Bell
Jenny Hanley
Bob Young
Betty Shine
Mike Berry
Lancelot Gribbin
Jeffrey Archer
Stephen King

production team...

Researcher: Elizabeth Ross
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

related pages...

A Novel Life

a page-turning good read

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Anthony Andrews

Screenshots of James Herbert This Is Your Life

Craig Cabell recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, James Herbert: Devil in the Dark...

During the promotion of The Ghosts of Sleath, Herbert was persuaded by Eileen to do an interview at the London Dungeon to promote the book. Tony Mulliken of Midas Public Relations, Herbert's friend and publicist for almost 20 years, organised the television coverage with the BBC. To be interviewed at the London Dungeon was not something Herbert was keen to do, but he acquiesced on this occasion.

In a darkened East End set, Herbert proceeded to talk about his youth, with the giant rats and cats crying out like tortured children ... Then a figure in a black cloak stepped up beside him. The spectral, Ripper-like character (with an uncanny resemblance to Michael Aspel) pulled out a blood-red book and told the horror writer: 'James Herbert, this is your life.'

Herbert was very surprised. 'Have you got the right guy?' he asked. 'Sorry to scare you,' Aspel said, leading Herbert into a cloud of swirling fog with fiendish, exaggerated laughter.

Herbert's This Is Your Life appearance was broadcast on 12 April 1995, shortly after his 52nd birthday. Family, friends, colleagues, editors and even the obligatory school teacher turned up on the show, and Herbert passed many a comment about the photographs of his younger self with Beatles-style haircut and slick black glasses.

A good time was had by all. 'That should have been it,' says Herbert. 'It was a great accolade. But that should have been the end of my career. How can you top that?'

In truth, Herbert was far from giving up his day job.

Series 35 subjects