This Is Your Life: Nigel Havers

Nigel HAVERS (1951-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Nigel Havers, actor, was surprised by Michael Aspel on his way to watch a preview of the first episode of his new television series Good Guys at Twickenham Film Studios.

Nigel trained at the Arts Educational School in London. After appearing in a number of television dramas in the 1970s, including the leading role in the BBC adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby in 1977, his big break came with a role in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, which earned him a BAFTA nomination.

He went on to appear in the films A Passage to India and Empire of the Sun, and starred in a succession of roles on television, including the BBC sitcom Don't Wait Up between 1983 and 1990, and the ITV drama series The Charmer in 1987, for which he won the TV Times actor of the year award.

"The perfect wind up!"

programme details...

Edition No: 823
Subject No: 813
Broadcast date: Wed 8 Jan 1992
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 25 Sep 1991
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 32
Edition: 13
Code name: Hero

on the guest list...

Michael Whitehall
Keith Barron
Martin Jarvis
Rosalind Ayres
Leslie Grantham
Angela Thorne
Hilary Gish
Polly - wife
Phillip - brother
Kate - daughter
Lord Havers - father
Lady Havers - mother
Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss - aunt
Fiona Fullerton
Noel O'Neill
Dinah Sheridan
Jenny Seagrove
Tasha the dog
Warren Clarke
James Fox
Richard Marsh
Julian Mellor
Charles Blackburn
Neville Blackburn
Jane Seymour
Jimmy Young
Simon Williams
Tony Britton
Jack Thompson

production team...

Researcher: Sue Green
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Directors: Brian Klein, Paul Kirrage
Associate Producer: John Graham
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

An Actor's Life For Me

spotlight on the stars

Behind the Scenes

the programme's best kept secrets

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Nigel Havers recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in October 2015

Screenshots of Nigel Havers This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

One of our most experienced researchers, Sue Green, has produced a 'feeza' on heart-throb actor Nigel Havers, who charmed millions as The Charmer. Her first call is to Nigel's wife, Polly, a former model. They arrange to meet for a strictly confidential lunch. She is on delicate territory because Nigel's divorce from his first wife hit the headlines.

During lunch, Polly advises Sue to contact Nigel's agent and production company business partner, Michael Whitehall. They have an exciting new project in the pipeline called Good Guys, co-starring Keith Barron, with a host of big name guest stars.

Nigel's parents, too, must be contacted before they leave for a holiday in the South of France. Lord Havers was a former Attorney-General, and very much in the public eye. Again a delicate situation. He may not wish for the kind of TV exposure This Is Your Life gives.

Sue Green is greatly relieved when Lady Havers turns out to be cheerfully co-operative. Sue told me, 'When Lady Havers said, "Sue, just call me Carol," I knew we were going to be all right. She is such a sweet lady.'

Sue is well into the research when she takes a call from the south of France. Lord and Lady Havers are having second thoughts. Sue arrives at a compromise. Director Brian Klein will make sure the cameras do not linger on them, nor do they have to speak, so minimising any attention they will receive. Sue puts down the phone and stares into space. 'Phew' is all she can manage.

The next stage is the researchers starting to type up their findings, from newspaper cuttings, books, interviews with relatives and friends. Who haven't our subjects seen for a long time, but would genuinely love to see again? Answers range from school teachers who first inspired them to old pals from the Services. Two teacher brothers at his prep school first fired Nigel Havers's acting ambitions.

Michael Whitehall can get Nigel to a preview of the first episode of Good Guys at nearby Twickenham Studios. Keith Barron will be there, and so will Martin Jarvis, Angela Thorne, Hilary Gish and former Eastenders star Leslie Grantham. An unexpected guest will be Michael Aspel.

A bit of light relief comes from Sue Green, who has been talking to actress Jenny Seagrove about coming on the Nigel Havers Life.

She played his wife in Hold The Dream. Said Sue: 'Jenny would like her dog, Tasha, to be on the show.'

She knows the reaction this will get from Malcolm. 'No, no,' he grimaces. 'You know what they always do...'

I talk him round when I suggest a gimmick entrance.

Instead of giving Jenny the voice offstage, we give it to the dog. On the show, after a clip of Hold The Dream Michael says, 'A glamorous star with you there. You may recognise this voice, too...' And I scripted:

TASHA (THE DOG) V/O

'WHOOF, WHOOF, WHOOF...'

It took a while to get the perfect recording, but Jenny was happy, and so was Tasha. And very well behaved, too, much to Malcolm's relief, if that's the right word.

Series 32 subjects