This Is Your Life: Esther Rantzen

Esther RANTZEN (1940-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Esther Rantzen, journalist and television presenter, was surprised by Michael Aspel while recording the television programme Hearts of Gold at the BBC Television Centre.

Esther, who was born in Berkhamstead, studied at the North London Collegiate and Somerville College, Oxford, where she took part in cabaret and revues. After graduating in English, she joined the BBC, initially creating sound effects for radio drama before moving into television as a researcher on several current affairs programmes.

After a spell as a trainee director on the documentary series Man Alive, where she met her future husband, Desmond Wilcox, she received her first onscreen credit while working on the programme Braden's Week, which led to the birth of That's Life in 1973 - a consumer programme she wrote, produced and presented, which mixed humorous stories with serious campaigns, and which made her a household name.

"I don't believe it! My goodness me!"

programme details...

Edition No: 742
Subject No: 736
Broadcast date: Wed 16 Nov 1988
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Thu 10 Nov 1988
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 29
Edition: 5
Code name: Queen

on the guest list...

Maev Alexander
Bill Buckley
Gavin Campbell
Doc Cox
John Gould
Michael Groth
Paul Heiney
George Layton
Adrian Mills
Joanna Monro
Kieran Prendiville
Chris Serle
Mollie Sugden
Glyn Worsnip
Desmond Wilcox - husband
Emily - daughter
Rebecca - daughter
Joshua - son
Katherine - mother
Harry - father
Dame Janet Vaughan
Norma Shepherd
Thomas James Herbert
Valerie Howarth
Marti Pellow
Neil Mitchell
Gloria Hunniford
Jan Leeming
Sir Roy Calne
Ron Hardwick
Andrew Hardwick
Sue Lawley
Cilla - sister
brother-in-law
Kate - niece
nephew
Daniel - nephew
Cyril Fletcher
Kenneth Clarke

production team...

Researchers: Louise Clover, Tom Wettengel
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Director: David Clark
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Presenting Life

celebrating the hosts

Family Life

keeping it in the family

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Behind the Scenes

the programme's best kept secrets

Secrets Of The Big Red Book

TV Times launches another new series

George Layton

Mollie Sugden

Desmond Wilcox

Screenshots of Esther Rantzen 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...

Esther Rantzen was at BBC Television Centre presenting her new programme Hearts of Gold on 10 November 1988, when Michael Aspel returned to his old BBC stamping ground, walking into Esther's studio to surprise her in front of the audience.

'Let's go before they ask me to stay and read the news.' said Michael.

Waiting for Esther on the Life set back at Teddington Studios were members of her That's Life team going back fifteen years: Maev Alexander, Gavin Campbell, Bill Buckley, Doc Cox, John Gould, Michael Groth, Paul Heiney, George Layton, Adrian Mills, Joanna Monro, Kieran Prendiville, Chris Serle, Mollie Sugden and Glyn Worsnip. Plus, of course, Esther's documentary-maker husband Desmond Wilcox. Cyril Fletcher greeted his old That's Life team mates from his home in Guernsey.

From her first job in radio – rattling Mrs Dale's tea-cups in the sound effects department on Mrs Dale's Diary – to that year's Richard Dimbleby Award at BAFTA, Esther had come a long way.

Sue Lawley, who had presented the award, came along in person to pay tribute to her then BBC colleague.

Series 29 subjects