This Is Your Life titles

Eamonn Andrews

"Well, This Is Your Life has become so much part of my life, I wouldn't know what to do without it..."


Eamonn ANDREWS


This Is Your Life presenter 1955-1964 / 1969-1987






Remembering This Is Your Life - a compilation of memorable moments

This Is Your Life was a television institution.


One of the most popular programmes on British television, covering five decades of broadcasting and producing over eleven hundred editions.


The programme's premise was simple – an unexpected surprise for an unsuspecting subject, as the host opened the Big Red Book to reveal a life story told through a reunion of family and friends. Part biography and part celebration, each edition aimed to entertain in a warm-hearted and joyful way.


At the peak of its popularity, in the 1970s and 80s, audiences of up to, and sometimes more than,
20 million viewers regularly tuned in every Wednesday at 7pm in anticipation of whose name
would be embossed on that week's Big Red Book...


Open this Big Red Book to discover a record of every edition broadcast in Britain between 1955 and 2003, and learn about the series, the subjects and the secrets, as we turn back the pages of one of the best-loved television treasures of all time... and celebrate the show and the lives it honoured.

Michael Aspel

"...the book is the amulet...
that is what makes the show work. I could be wearing a barrel –
it's the red book they see –
and they go crazy..."


Michael ASPEL


This Is Your Life presenter 1988-2003







An extract from TV's Biggest Blockbusters, first broadcast on ITV in July 2012, featuring This Is Your Life at the number two position

Jack Crawshaw

"Big Red Book website is a living archive - a unique and illuminating document, which combines a mass of historical data with a fund of fond memories of our much-loved programme.


A well-researched and conscientiously collated, This Is Your Life, This Is Your Life."


Jack CRAWSHAW


This Is Your Life producer 1974-1982 / series producer 1997-2003



Producer Jack Crawshaw recalls This Is Your Life in a clip from Channel 5's Top of the Box, initially broadcast in June 2018, which highlights a year in the show's history - 1978






The Big Red Book website is an independent research project which receives no official funding and is free of advertising. A true labour of love - online since 2010.


If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation - no matter how small - to help with the running costs - and keep the Big Red Book open!


Thank you - please enjoy the pages of the Big Red Book...


PayPal donate button




Contents...
                     
  This Is Your Life titles   Wendy Craig This Is Your Life   Timeline feature   Radio Times article   Anita Dobson This Is Your Life  
  SERIES   SUBJECTS   FEATURES   ARTICLES   INTERVIEWS  
  a year by year account of the show's history and subjects   an A to Z of the 1104 subjects from Abbot to Zarb   exclusive features on all aspects of the show's history   a growing collection of published articles   an expanding online archive of exclusive interviews  
                     
Exclusive new interviews...
             
  Rosemary Conley subject page   Bonnie Langford subject page   Richard Stilgoe subject page  
  Rosemary CONLEY   Bonnie LANGFORD   Richard STILGOE  
  the businesswoman, author and broadcaster recalls her 2002 tribute   the actress, singer and dancer recalls her 1986 tribute   the songwriter and lyricist recalls his 2001 tribute  
             
             
  Gerald Harper subject page   Lionel Jeffries subject page   Clive Mantle subject page  
  Gerald HARPER   Lionel JEFFRIES   Clive MANTLE  
  the actor recalls his 1980 tribute   Ty Jeffries recalls his father and his 1971 tribute   the actor remembers his 1996 tribute  
             
             
  Ronald Shiner subject page   Nick Ross This Is Your Life   Miriam Moses subject page  
  Ronald SHINER   Nick ROSS   Miriam MOSES  
  the son of the comedian and actor recalls his father's 1958 tribute   the broadcaster recalls his 2002 tribute   remembering the social reformer - honoured in 1958  
             
Recent updates...
             
  Steve Redgrave This Is Your Life   Gary Rhodes This Is Your Life   Toyah Willcox This Is Your Life  
  Steve REDGRAVE   Gary RHODES   Toyah WILLCOX  
             
             
  Freddie Young This Is Your Life   Jeremy Clarkson This Is Your Life   John Rands This Is Your Life  
  Freddie YOUNG   Jeremy CLARKSON   John RANDS  
             
             
  Jill Dando This Is Your Life   Don Black This Is Your Life   Sue Nicholls This Is Your Life  
  Jill DANDO   Don BLACK   Sue NICHOLLS  
             
             
  Lynn Redgrave This Is Your Life   Tanni Grey This Is Your Life   Noddy Holder This Is Your Life  
  Lynn REDGRAVE   Tanni GREY   Noddy HOLDER  
             
             
  Sam Torrance This Is Your Life   John Simpson This Is Your Life   Ross Kemp This Is Your Life  
  Sam TORRANCE   John SIMPSON   Ross KEMP  
             
             
  Julian Bream This Is Your Life   Les Dennis This Is Your Life   Justin Hayward This Is Your Life  
  Julian BREAM   Les DENNIS   Justin HAYWARD  
             
             
  Sian Phillips This Is Your Life   Chris Tarrant This Is Your Life      
  Sian PHILLIPS   Chris TARRANT      
             
             
From the archive...
             
  Matthew Kelly This Is Your Life   Googie Withers This Is Your Life   Nicholas Parsons This Is Your Life  
  Matthew KELLY   Googie WITHERS   Nicholas PARSONS