Nick ROSS (1947-)

Nick Ross This Is Your Life

programme details...

  • Edition No: 1093
  • Subject No: 1068
  • Broadcast date: Thu 14 Feb 2002
  • Broadcast time: 8.30-9.00pm
  • Recorded: Fri 1 Feb 2002
  • Venue: BBC Television Centre
  • Series: 42
  • Edition: 14
  • Code name: Near

on the guest list...

  • Joy - mother
  • Judith - sister
  • Jerry - brother
  • Sarah Caplin - wife
  • Adam - son
  • Sam - son
  • Jack - son
  • Fiona Bruce
  • Sue Cook
  • Tim Backhouse
  • Bill 'Jock' Ireland
  • Anna Carragher
  • Roger Cook
  • Peter Bazalgette
  • Jenny Abramsky
  • Egon Ronay
  • Francis Wilson
  • Debbie Rix
  • Esther Rantzen
  • Gloria Laycock
  • Alan Farthing
  • Merlyn Nuttall
  • Terry Ogle
  • Filmed tributes:
  • David Hatcher
  • Dr Martin Haworth
  • pupils of Wallington Grammar School
  • Sir John Stevens
  • David Blunkett

production team...

  • Researcher: Kate Greer
  • Writer: Joe Steeples
  • Director: John Gorman
  • Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
  • Executive Producer: John Longley
  • Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
  • Producer: Sue Green
  • names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
related pages...

Presenting Life

celebrating the hosts


Roger Cook

Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life Nick Ross This Is Your Life

Screenshots of Nick Ross This Is Your Life

Nick Ross recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in this exclusive contribution to the BigRedBook website...


What the website does not seem to look into is the sometimes hidden secret about This Is Your Life: that some well-known people didn't want to go on it. You might have thought being presented with the red book was hugely flattering, but in reality not all celebrities have earned celebrity by being extroverts. Some, athletes, for example, had fame thrust upon them; and even journalists and other factual broadcasters are not natural showbiz types, more comfortable with interviewing others or storytelling to a camera lens than performing on a stage. Others simply resented being ambushed. It's well known that the footballer Danny Blanchflower refused to appear and that author Richard Gordon and comedian Bill Oddie also said no, although they both later changed their minds. I am sure many others were reluctant to take part.


In my own case, and long before I was waylaid by Michael Aspel, my wife had casually inquired what she should say if approached by a show like This Is Your Life. I thought about it and said no, I'd rather not, and promptly forgot about the conversation. So when a year or so later a police car raced up to me as I emerged from a Crimewatch cutting room and Michael Aspel leapt out brandishing the book I was not just dumbfounded but, to be honest, appalled. That sounds ungenerous – after all a lot of people had gone to a lot of trouble making a show that was entirely flattering and celebratory – but I felt I was being dragged without consent into a circus ring. I made excuses not to go with Michael to TV Centre and travelled home, hugely undecided. When my wife rang, pretending nothing unusual was going on, I pretended just the same – until she told me the whole studio was waiting and I grudgingly relented.


As no doubt with Richard Gordon or Bill Oddie, the joke was on me. As soon as the door in the studio set slid open and I walked into the lights it was clear my reluctance had been absurdly self-indulgent. My whole family had gathered, friends and colleagues from decades past, even an old teacher – and there was the home secretary - all singing my praises. What's not to like? It turned out to be quite the joyous occasion it looks like on the telly.


But I think you'd be surprised how many people, like I did, had reservations.

Series 42 subjects

Michael Winner | Shaun Williamson | Paddy Ashdown | Tim Smit | Babs Powell | Saeed Jaffrey | Paul Young | Julian Clary
Jonah Lomu | Rosemary Conley | Ian Woosnam | Bill Oddie | Fern Britton | Nick Ross | Ray and Trevor Powles
Stephanie Cook | Ian Lavender | Jenny Seagrove | Anita Dobson | Henry Sandon | Linda Barker | Brigit Forsyth
Christina Noble | Claire Sweeney | Lloyd Scott | Julian Fellowes