This Is Your Life: JPR Williams

JPR WILLIAMS MBE (1949-2024)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - John Peter Rhys Williams, rugby union footballer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - and his fellow Welsh international team mates - at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios, having been led to believe he was there for a television interview.

John, who was born just outside Bridgend, was a talented tennis player in his youth, but shifted his focus to rugby union, which was an amateur sport, in order to pursue a career in medicine. He studied at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and qualified as a physician in 1973.

He played club rugby for Bridgend, and was first capped by Wales in 1969, aged 19, going on to earn 55 caps for his country - including five as captain - and eight for the British and Irish Lions. Playing in the position of fullback, he was noted for his aggressive attacking style, and with his long sideburns and socks around his ankles, JPR became an iconic figure winning three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns with the legendary 1970s Wales team.

"Oh, I don't believe it!"

programme details...

Edition No: 518
Subject No: 515
Broadcast date: Wed 4 Apr 1979
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 28 Mar 1979
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 19
Edition: 24
Code name: Arms

on the guest list...

John Dawes
John Taylor
Gerry Lewis
David Richards
Terry Holmes
John Richardson
Alan Phillips
Allan Martin
Elgan Rees
Gareth Davies
Mike Roberts
Gerald Davies
Scilla - wife
Sister Janice Rees
Peter - father
Margaret - mother
Phil - brother
Chris - brother
Mike - brother
Billy Morgan
Illtyd Williams
Rob Leyshon
David Lloyd
Dan Maskell
Neil Poulter
Phil Evans
Andy Goodall
Scott Fletcher
Andy Evans
Bob Burgess
Elaine - sister-in-law
Lauren - daughter
Annie - daughter

production team...

Researchers: John Graham, Tony Lee, Sue Jerrard, Catherine Parnall
Writer: John Sandilands
Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related page...

Up and Under

tackling rugby's top names

Screenshots of JPR Williams This Is Your Life

JPR Williams recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, Given The Breaks, reproduced here with kind permission of the author...

Bob Burgess was one of the few All Blacks whom we had got to know socially on the tour.

He seemed to spend more time with us than with his own team-mates at the after-match functions and so we were especially relieved to hear he had woken up in Wellington Hospital after the game with no long term injury.

My friendship with Bob was rekindled when he flew halfway around the world to recount this story in the This Is Your Life television programme that was recorded in my honour in 1979.

Appearing on This Is Your Life was very special.

I was tricked into going up to the Thames Television studios in London, supposedly for an interview with my old pal John Taylor, who had gone into broadcasting after his retirement from rugby.

Instead, I remember how shocked I was when my rugby team-mates and Eamonn Andrews ambushed me wearing doctor's white coats.

There were people present from all walks and periods of my life: Illtyd Williams, my early rugby coach; David Lloyd and Dan Maskell from tennis; and even the unsung heroes who worked with me on the wards.

It was an unforgettable experience.

Series 19 subjects