Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Marguerite PATTEN OBE (1915-2015)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Marguerite Patten, home economist, food writer and broadcaster, was surprised by Michael Aspel during a Food Show cookery demonstration with chef Gary Rhodes at the NEC in Birmingham.
Marguerite, who was born in Bath, first took an interest in food at an early age, although after leaving school, she spent time as an actress in repertory theatre. During the Second World War, she worked for the Ministry of Food, suggesting nourishing and inventive recipes using only rationed food. She broadcast her ideas and advice to the nation on a BBC radio programme called The Kitchen Front.
She appeared regularly on BBC television from 1947, becoming one of the earliest, if not the first, 'celebrity chefs'. Her first book Cookery In Colour, published in 1960, sold more than two million copies; she has since sold 17 million copies of her 170 books. Her advice and books were instrumental in improving the quality of British cuisine in the post-war years and greatly influenced a whole generation of cooks.
programme details...
- Edition No: 1037
- Subject No: 1012
- Broadcast date: Mon 31 Jan 2000
- Broadcast time: 8.30-9.00pm
- Recorded: Wed 24 Nov 1999
- Venue: Central Television, Nottingham
- Series: 40
- Edition: 12
- Code name: Ration
on the guest list...
- Judith - daughter
- Michael - son-in-law
- Joanna - granddaughter
- Charlie - grandson
- Rick Stein
- Anthony Worrall Thompson
- Ken Hom
- Sophie Grigson
- Ross Burden
- James Martin
- Gary Rhodes
- Philip - brother
- Phyllis - sister–in-law
- Elizabeth - sister
- Doris Lucock
- Brian Turner
- Hugo Dunn-Meynell
- Christabel Leighton-Porter
- Joan Clibbon
- Bill Pertwee
- Jim Grover
- Katie Boyle
- Patrick Anthony
- Becky - niece
- Eda - great-niece Filmed tributes:
- Ainsley Harriott
- Prue Leith
- Vince Hill
- Sarah Greene
related appearance...
- Bill Pertwee - Feb 1999
production team...
- Researcher: Kate Greer
- Writer: Joe Steeples
- Director: John Gorman
- 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
Screenshots of Marguerite Patten This Is Your Life
Series 40 subjects
Roger Black | Hewitt Clark | Martin Kemp | Denise Welch | Rudolph Walker | Martin Jarvis | Stuart Hall | Rita TushinghamLen Vale-Onslow | Dale Winton | Ian Wright | Marguerite Patten | Eddie Jordan | Dave Lee Travis | Harry Hill
David Vine | John Craven | Richard Dunwoody | Tom Baker | Laurie Holloway | Kay Mellor | Mark Wingett
Christopher Timothy | Suggs | Jason Leonard | Desmond Wilcox | Roger Kendall | Daniel O'Donnell