Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
30 September 2000
a career review
his 1980 This Is Your Life appearance
a brief biography
BYLINE: Marion Mcmullen
1. THE silver-haired presenter is taking over from Hugh Scully on BBC1's Antique Roadshow tomorrow.
2. THE 67-year-old says: "I'm more nervous about doing this than anything I've ever done before because it is so prestigious."
3. THE professional soldier's son worked in a department store after finishing his two years' National Service. He also laid drainpipes and sold advertising before beginning his career as a radio actor with the BBC in Cardiff in 1954.
4. HIS first role was as a villain in a Children's Hour play.
5. ASPEL became BBC Wales's first newsreader in 1957 and went on to host TV programmes such as Family Favourites, Crackerjack, Aspel And Company, Ask Aspel, Give Us A Clue and Come Dancing.
6. HE also took over This Is Your Life following the death of Eamonn Andrews.
7. THE presenter was awarded the OBE for services to broadcasting in 1993.
8. THE three-times married father of five is partial to pre-Raphaelite paintings and Georgian silver, but says he doesn't collect seriously anymore after suffering a string of burglaries. "I still buy nice pieces," he says, "but at the moment they're presents for other people."
9. THE 23rd series of Antiques Roadshow covers everything from the Victoria And Albert Museum in London to Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen Mother.
10. ASPEL says: "I'd seen the Roadshow like everybody else and always admired it. It's a perfect programme and Hugh did a perfect job. People ask if it's difficult to follow him - it's impossible. When I was introduced to the crew on the first occasion, I told them I didn't expect to enhance it - I'd just try not to damage it."