This Is Your Life: Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe

Cliff MICHELMORE CBE (1919-2016) and Jean METCALFE (1923-2000)

Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe This Is Your Life

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe, husband and wife broadcasters, were surprised by Eamonn Andrews at BBC Broadcasting House in central London, having been led to believe they were there for an interview.

Cliff, who was born in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, was a squadron leader in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and began broadcasting on the British Forces Network radio. Jean, who was born in Reigate, joined the BBC as a secretary before becoming an announcer for the new BBC General Forces Programme.

They met while presenting Family Favourites, the radio request programme designed to link families at home in the UK with British Forces serving overseas. Jean presented from London, while Cliff broadcast from Hamburg. Having relocated to the UK, Cliff married Jean in 1950 and worked as a sports commentator and news reporter before becoming an anchor in 1957 for BBC Television's weekday magazine show Tonight, while Jean presented BBC Radio's Woman's Hour throughout the 1950s.

Jean: "I can't believe it! I'm absolutely speechless!"

programme details...

Edition No: 716
Subject Nos: 712-713
Broadcast date: Wed 31 Dec 1986
Broadcast time: 8.00-9.00pm
Recorded: Wed 10 Dec 1986
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 27
Edition: 12
Code name: Favourites

on the guest list...

Bill Crozier
Paul Hollingdale
Tim Gudgin
Dennis Scuse
Sandi Jones
Robin Boyle
Peter Donaldson
Ted King
Jean Challis
Pam Fox
Judith Chalmers
David Jacobs
Keith Fordyce
Ed Stewart
Robert Dougall
The Beverley Sisters
Mike Sarne
Lita Roza
Stanley Rose
Dorothy Newton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Frank Chacksfield
Acker Bilk
Derek Jones
Guy Michelmore - son
Jenny - daughter - live link
Danny - Cliff's great nephew
John - Cliff's nephew
Maureen - Cliff's niece-in-law
Carl - Cliff's great nephew
Christopher - Cliff's great nephew
Don Butchers
Rose Butchers
Danny Butchers
June Butchers
Phillip Butchers
Adam Butchers
Charlotte Butchers
Mike Mescal
Valerie Mescal
Karen Mescal
Nicola Mescal
Mark Michelmore
Helen Michelmore
Colin - Jean's brother
Alma - Jean's sister-in-law
Susannah - Jean's niece
Jean Sammes
Colin McKenzie
Alfred Aldridge
Adza Vincent
Jill Volcan
Elizabeth Jane Howard
Margaret Hubble
Joan Edgar
Georgie Henshall
Barbara McFadyean
Mary Malcolm
Marjorie Anderson
Vera Lynn
Alec Sutherland
Robin Hall
Jimmie MacGregor
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
Trevor Philpott
Chris Brasher
John Morgan
Polly Elwes
Julian Pettifer
Ned Sherrin
Jack Gold
Donald Baverstock
Fyfe Robertson
Larry Grayson
members of the Reigate Club for the Blind
Joe - Cliff's brother-in-law
Biddy Bass
Alan Whicker

production team...

Researcher: Claire Jenkinson
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D Kent
Associate Producer: Brian Klein
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Radio Times

tuning in the broadcasters

A Double Life

two's company

Family Life

keeping it in the family

Extended Life

the special editions

Obituaries: Roy Bottomley

Press obituaries for This Is Your Life scriptwriter

Screenshots of Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe 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...

Presenter of Tonight Cliff Michelmore featured as a joint Life with his wife, Jean Metcalfe, and we opened with Eamonn Andrews on the roof of Broadcasting House as the signature tune of Two-Way Family Favourites, 'With a Song in my Heart', faded up.

In 1945 the programme linked loved ones long parted by the war. Sunday at noon was a special time for millions. It also proved to be a special time for Cliff and Jean, two people who had never met, but who found a song in their hearts.

Jean presented the programme in London, and Sergeant Derek Jones was in Hamburg. But one day Derek was taken ill and had to go to hospital. A certain Squadron Leader Cliff Michelmore was his stand-in and fell for the girl 'with a lilt and smile in her voice'.

On leave in London, Cliff finally got to meet Jean, in the basement studio from where she worked. We had arranged for the BBC to return them there for a sentimental journey and a radio interview.

With Eamonn were old Family Favourites colleagues, including Bill Crozier, Paul Hollingdale, Brian Matthew and Tim Gudgin [Bigredbook.info editor: Brian Matthew was not on the programme]; waiting in the studio were Judith Chalmers, David Jacobs, Keith Fordyce, Ed Stewart and Robert Dougall.

We had also invited some of the stars whose records had been requested so frequently: the Beverley Sisters, Lita Roza, Humphrey Lyttelton and Acker Bilk.

From the Tonight show there was quite a reunion, with Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith MP, Chris Brasher, John Morgan, Polly Elwes, Julian Pettifer, Fyfe Robertson, Ned Sherrin, Jack Gold and Donald Baverstock.

And, of course, Alan Whicker – but he said hello to his old pal from Perth, Western Australia.

Series 27 subjects