Life on the Ocean Wave
This Is Your Life: Life on the Ocean Wave feature
Roy Gill This Is Your Life Roy Gill This Is Your Life Roy GILL

20 April 1959

In an edition recorded on board the Cutty Sark, from its docked home in Greenwich, London - the programme's most ambitious location to date and the first to be a genuine 'outside' broadcast - Eamonn surprised the retired Royal Navy Reserve officer, who is now the master of the historic sailing ship.

     
     
  This Is Your Life Big Red Book Thomas Cosmo JONES

27 March 1961

The former seaman - described as 'King of the Rivers who spent many years at sea, including 12 years as the Buoyage and Transport Officer on the Niger and Benue Rivers for the Nigerian Government between 1946 and 1958 - was surprised by Eamonn at the stage door of the BBC Television Theatre.

     
     
Uffa Fox This Is Your Life Uffa Fox This Is Your Life Uffa FOX

29 January 1963

The boat designer and sailing enthusiast was surprised by Eamonn while entering a Bristol theatre. Uffa is responsible for many of the developments which have contributed to the modern popularity of Dinghy sailing, and designed many of the significant classes of boats around today.
His guests include conservationist Peter Scott.

     
     
  This Is Your Life Big Red Book John FAIRFAX

7 January 1970

Eamonn surprised the rower and adventurer - who in July 1969 became the first person ever to row solo across an ocean - having rowed across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Florida in 180 days.

     
     
Chay Blyth This Is Your Life Chay Blyth This Is Your Life Chay BLYTH

27 November 1974

The Scottish yachtsman and rower - the first person to sail single-handed around the world against the oncoming winds in a boat less than sixty feet long called British Steel - was on his boat, moored at Westminster Pier in London when Eamonn surprised him.

     
     
Robert Arnott This Is Your Life Robert Arnott This Is Your Life Robert ARNOTT

14 December 1977

Eamonn and the crew stowed away on the ocean cruiser Queen Elizabeth II - or QE2 as she was commonly known - in order to surprise the ship's current Captain in the stately Queen's Room.
Guests on board include singer Moira Anderson and band leader Joe Loss.

     
     
Naomi James This Is Your Life Naomi James This Is Your Life Naomi JAMES

10 January 1979

Eamonn winched his way across the rafters of the Earls Court Boat Show to surprise the first woman to sail single-handed around the world via Cape Horn. During her record breaking voyage Naomi capsized, had no radio for several weeks and once nearly lost her mast.
Paying their tributes on the show are fellow sailors Chay Blyth and Alec Rose.

     
     
Clare Francis This Is Your Life Clare Francis This Is Your Life Clare FRANCIS

12 March 1980

Clare was surprised by Eamonn while dining at London's Savoy Hotel.
A highly successful yachtswoman and writer, Clare set a new women's record for a single-handed voyage across the Atlantic in the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race in 1976.

     
     
Mike Spring This Is Your Life Mike Spring This Is Your Life Mike SPRING

29 February 1984

Eamonn disguised himself as a viking in order to surprise Mike - known as 'Captain Courageous' - on the banks of the River Thames in Kingston.
Paralysed in a car crash, Mike had recently raised £35,000 for charity by sailing solo from the UK to the Azores - and back again!

     
     
Tom McClean This Is Your Life Tom McClean This Is Your Life Tom McCLEAN

13 January 1988

Eamonn surprised the British Army veteran as he sailed up the River Thames to attend a party to celebrate the publication of a new book by yachtswoman Naomi James.
Tom, a renowned survival expert, became the first man to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1969 - the first of his four Atlantic crossings.

     
     
Tracy Edwards This Is Your Life Tracy Edwards This Is Your Life Tracy EDWARDS

21 November 1990

Tracy was surprised by Michael during a photo shoot in London's St Katharine's Dock onboard Maiden, the boat on which she had recently skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
Tracy's show includes tributes from pop star Simon le Bon, sailor Robin Knox-Johnston and King Hussain of Jordan.

     
     
Lisa Clayton This Is Your Life Lisa Clayton This Is Your Life Lisa CLAYTON

13 September 1995

Michael travelled to Birmingham city centre to surprise the first British woman to circumnavigate the globe from the Northern Hemisphere - alone, unaided and without stopping.
On her 38 foot yacht, the Spirit of Birmingham, Lisa survived the 31,000 mile journey, despite capsizing seven times.

     
     
James Hatfield This Is Your Life James Hatfield This Is Your Life James HATFIELD

13 October 1997

James - born with a hole in his heart - successfully skippered the boat Tide and Tide in the 1996 BT Global Challenge with the first disabled crew to ever compete in such a race. Michael surprised the sailor and charity fundraiser during a book signing at the Southampton Boat Show for a tribute that included sailor Chay Blyth and journalist Michael Nicholson on the guest list.

     
     
Jim Shekhdar This Is Your Life Jim Shekhdar This Is Your Life Jim SHEKHDAR

25 April 2001

The engineer and water polo champion was surprised by Michael at a central London hotel. Jim became the first person to complete a solo unassisted non-stop crossing of the Pacific Ocean, setting off from Peru and arriving in Australia, having rowed almost 8000 miles in 274 days. He survived ten encounters with sharks, a near miss with a tanker and almost ran out of food.

     
     
Babs Powell This Is Your Life Babs Powell This Is Your Life Babs POWELL

15 November 2001

The former dancer with Pans People, and wife of actor Robert Powell, was surprised by Michael during a fundraising lunch held in her honour at St Katharine's Dock in London.
Babs, who recently took part in the BT Global Yacht Challenge - a round the world yacht race - is greeted by, among others, sailors Tracy Edwards and Chay Blyth.

     

* the pre-1970 subjects were surprised by a different coloured book - see the Big Red Book feature for full details