Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
At the halfway point of the 1980s, This Is Your Life continued to top the ratings in its new time slot of Wednesdays at 8pm.
TV Times published an article featuring the Irish home life of presenter Eamonn Andrews to launch the new series in their 13 October edition, expecting the new series to begin on 17 October. However, due to strike action at ITV, the start of the series was delayed by three weeks.
For the first time, the This Is Your Life team flew to Hollywood, where they surprised the popular star of numerous 20th Century Fox movie musicals. The programme returned to the film capital on several occasions in future series.
Unusually, two special hour-long editions were broadcast on consecutive weeks - the first honoured an actor, while the second, timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of VE Day, honoured a Second World War RAF flying ace.
And the second member of the British royal family was featured in this series - a first cousin to the Queen - honoured for his war service and support for the arts.
related pages...
the show's fifty year history
TV Times interviews Eamonn Andrews
Mrs Andrews' line is tops with the brides
TV Times feature on Eamonn's wife, Grainne
A feature from Television and Radio 1985
| Michael and Kevin DOHENY | Irish priests and charity workers | 7 November 1984 |
| Patrick MACNEE | Actor | 14 November 1984 |
| Vivian RICHARDS | West Indian cricketer | 21 November 1984 |
| Ruth MADOC | Actress | 28 November 1984 |
| Tessie O'SHEA | Welsh entertainer | 5 December 1984 |
| Fitzroy MACLEAN | Soldier, writer and politician | 12 December 1984 |
| Alice FAYE | Actress and singer | 19 December 1984 |
| Millicent MARTIN | Actress, singer and comedienne | 26 December 1984 |
| Bernard MILES | Actor | 1 January 1985 |
| Keith BARRON | Actor | 9 January 1985 |
| Bob GELDOF | Musician and charity organiser | 16 January 1985 |
| Bryan ROBSON | Footballer | 23 January 1985 |
| Jean ANDERSON | Actress | 30 January 1985 |
| Frank CARSON | Comedian | 6 February 1985 |
| Russell GRANT | Astrologer and TV personality | 13 February 1985 |
| Zandra RHODES | Fashion designer | 20 February 1985 |
| Lord HAREWOOD | Prisoner-of-war and opera philanthropist | 27 February 1985 |
| Harry ANDREWS | Actor | 6 March 1985 |
| Alvin STARDUST | Singer and actor | 13 March 1985 |
| H J SWEENEY | British Army officer | 20 March 1985 |
| Paul HENRY | Actor | 27 March 1985 |
| Peter ALLISS | Golfer and TV personality and commentator | 3 April 1985 |
| Jim BOWEN | Comedian and TV presenter | 10 April 1985 |
| Jack DOUGLAS | Comedy actor | 17 April 1985 |
| Dan MASKELL | Tennis commentator | 24 April 1985 |
| Donald SINDEN | Actor | 1 May 1985 |
| Johnnie JOHNSON | Royal Air Force officer and fighter pilot | 8 May 1985 |
Broadcast details
Thames Television production for ITV27 editions | 22 x 30 minutes | 3 x 60 minutes | 2 x 45 minutes
Wednesday | 8.00pm x 25 | 6.00pm x 1
Tuesday | 8.30pm x 1
Production team
Producer: Malcolm Morris | Associate Producer: Brian Klein | Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D KentWriters: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley, Norman Giller | Programme Consultants: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Researchers: Colin Williams, Miriam O'Callaghan, Caroline Blackadder, David Mason, Tom Wettengel, Angela Clark, Claire Jenkinson
Production Assistants: Irene Clark, Carole Anne Brown | Designer: Jack McAdam | Film Research: Susan Tiplady