This Is Your Life: Carol Smillie

Carol SMILLIE (1961-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Carol Smillie, television presenter, was surprised by Michael Aspel while filming for the BBC television programme Changing Rooms on the outskirts of Bolton.

Carol, who was born in Glasgow, studied at the Glasgow School of Art before pursuing a modelling career through the 1980s. Her broadcasting career began on radio with West Sound Ayrshire, and her break into television came in 1989 when she won the role of hostess on the ITV game show Wheel of Fortune.

After leaving the show in 1994, she established a career on BBC television, initially as a reporter on The Travel Show and later as the main presenter on Holiday. Presenting the DIY programme Changing Rooms made her a household name, leading to other primetime shows, such as the National Lottery and a morning chat show, Smillie's People.

"I'm too young - you can't do this to me!"

programme details...

Edition No: 1001
Subject No: 976
Broadcast date: Mon 14 Sep 1998
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Fri 24 Jul 1998
Venue: BBC Manchester
Series: 39
Edition: 2
Code name: Happy

on the guest list...

Gordon Burns
Derek Smith
Valerie Smith
Dean Sullivan
Michael Starke
Alex Knight - husband
Anna Ryder Richardson
Graham Wynne
Andy Kane
George - father
Isobel - mother
Jim - brother
Margaret - sister
Pamela - sister
Jane Lockhart
Margaret Campbell
Violet-May Sweeney
Jenny Powell
Mickey Hutton
Christie - daughter
Robbie - son
Beverley Peberdy
John Peberdy
Patreascu
Luther Vandross
Kirsty Young
Carol Vorderman
Richard Whiteley
Esther Rantzen

production team...

Researcher: Kate Greer
Writer: Ian Brown
Directors: Chris Fox, David Jackson
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

Carol Vorderman

Richard Whiteley

Screenshots of Carol Smillie This Is Your Life

The Bolton News 4 February 1999

This Is Your Life surprise for changing room family

TWO Bolton couples got more surprises than they bargained for when they invited the hit TV show "Changing Rooms" to makeover their homes.

Valerie and Derek Smith and daughter and son-in-law Lesley and Rowland Cooper, who were seen on screen last night, spent an exhausting weekend with Carol Smillie and the gang last year.

After a couple of days of painting, panelling and flooring the family were ready to collapse into their beds for a rest.

But to their amazement their Sharples garden was suddenly filled with the stars of television soap Brookside, more cameramen and Michael Aspel appearing with his famous red book to say to Carol "This is your life."

Changed

"After they finished filming I walked into my kitchen and there was Michael Aspel, Jimmy Corkhill and Sinbad having a drink," said Valerie.

"You are like on cloud nine. I couldn't believe it was happening."

The family had just 20 minutes to find a babysitter for Lesley's children Ashley, aged seven and five-year-old Zoe, get washed and changed before they appeared on This is Your Life.

"I was sitting on the set and I looked down and I still had paint on my fingers," laughed Valerie.

The family partied until 2am with Carol and the This Is Your Life guests but any hope of a lie in the next day was short lived - at 9am the couples had friends and neighbours knocking on their doors wanting to see the finished rooms created by designers Graham Wynne and Anna Ryder Richardson! An appearance on "Changing Rooms" was a trip down memory lane for Valerie, a former foster mum, and freelance engineer husband Derek.

Lesley had bought their house in Greystoke Drive after her parents moved round the corner to a more modern house in Templecombe Drive.

Lesley, a teacher and personnel director Rowland have been gradually redecorating the 1960s detached house in their own taste and gave the TV programme and the Smiths the task of re-doing the living room.

So Valerie and Derek, with the help of Graham Wynne, had the job of ripping out the DIY and decor they themselves had lovingly installed over 25 years.

Out went the wood cladding, large stone fireplace and Valerie's beloved patterned carpet which Lesley hated.

"It was an expensive carpet and it was still immaculate," said Valerie.

And in came an up-to-date seaside look for the room.

Transforming

Meanwhile in the Smiths' 10-year-old detached home Lesley and Rowland were transforming the dining room with the help of Anna Ryder Richardson and one strict instruction - don't touch the furniture!

Luckily both families loved the finished results and since the filming only one thing has been changed - the wooden floor in the dining room has been replaced with a better quality one.

"We are very, very happy with it. I am still gob-smacked," said Valerie.

Unlike some of the previous couples who have appeared on the programme, Valerie says they would be delighted to repeat the experience.

"I definitely would. I loved every minute," she said.

Although the families might not have such expert help on hand in future, the designer and Handy Andy experience has given them the urge to wield the paint brush again.

"It has inspired me to do the hall now," laughed Valerie.

Series 39 subjects