This Is Your Life: Mike Tetley

Mike TETLEY MBE (1930-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Mike Tetley, physiotherapist, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews on a central London street, having been led to believe he was being filmed for a news programme about his recent climb of Mount Everest.

Mike, who was born in Nairobi, Kenya, qualified as an engineer after studying in South Africa. He enlisted with the King's African Rifles to help fight in the Mau Mau rebellion uprising and was blinded in action in February 1954. After rehabilitating at St Dunstan's in Brighton, Mike trained to become a physiotherapist with the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London.

Despite his disability, he worked at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital for five years before establishing his own practice. In addition, Mike represented England at international swimming events, won a gold medal for curling and climb both Ben Nevis and Mount Everest.

"Oh, you miserable old devil!"

programme details...

Edition No: 542
Subject No: 539
Broadcast date: Wed 16 Apr 1980
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 26 Mar 1980
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 20
Edition: 21
Code name: Tea

on the guest list...

Selma - wife
Mary - daughter
Sue - daughter
Lyn - daughter
Rex - father
Mike Higgins
Sarah Higgins
Maj Harry Hawkins
Jane - sister
Rita Jones
David Scott Blackhall
George Mayer
Edwin Rodriguez
Brian Higgins
Reg Denning
Ex Corp Reguton

production team...

Researchers: Katie Lander, Vivien Lind
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 pages...

Military Life

saluting the armed forces

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Screenshots of Mike Tetley This Is Your Life

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website (csp.org.uk): Frontline Magazine 25 February 2020

Being a media star

I was on This Is Your Life in 1980. I nearly didn't go because a patient rang up in terrible trouble, and I said I can't be bothered to go up to this BBC thing. And my kids were saying 'you've got to go dad' and I didn't know it was This Is Your Life. As I was crossing the street in the middle of London a bloke came up to me and said, 'Mike Tetley, this is Eamonn Andrews, this is your life.' And I said something rude.

Series 20 subjects