This Is Your Life: Nigel Mansell

Nigel MANSELL (1953-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Nigel Mansell, racing driver, was surprised by Michael Aspel at RAF Scampton, having been led to believe he was there for a press conference to launch the 25th season of the RAF aerobatics team, the Red Arrows, with whom he'd flown as a guest pilot.

Nigel, who was born in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, developed an ambition to race cars from the age of 9. He worked his way up the ranks from kart racing to Formula Ford, becoming the 1977 British Formula Ford champion. After recovering from an accident in which he broke his neck, he left his job as an aerospace engineer to concentrate on moving into Formula 3.

Following a constant battle to prove himself in Formula racing, he joined Lotus as a test driver in 1980 and, having spent five years with the team, joined Williams in 1985. In the same year, he achieved his first victory in 72 starts at the European Grand Prix, and the following year, he was named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

"Oh! This is a joke right?"

programme details...

Edition No: 756
Subject No: 748
Broadcast date: Wed 22 Feb 1989
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Thu 15 Dec 1988
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 29
Edition: 19
Code name: Wheels

on the guest list...

Roseanne - wife
Stirling Moss
Sandra - sister
Gail - sister
Michael Webster
John Thornburn
Mike Evans
Peter Windsor
Charles Wagner
Murray Walker
Robin Oake
John Platt
Leo Sayer
Ryland Dowse
Peter Collins
Leo - son
Chloe - daughter
Greg - son
Clare Jones - nanny
Greg Norman

production team...

Researcher: Sue Green
Writer: Norman Giller
Directors: Brian Klein, David Clark
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Life at Full Throttle

the lovers of speed

Michael Aspel

a career review

Timeline

the show's fifty year history

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

BBC axes This Is Your Life

Press coverage of the BBC's announcement

Stirling Moss

Murray Walker

Screenshots of Nigel Mansell 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...

A more recent British World Champion is, of course, Nigel Mansell. We surprised Nigel not as he came off the racing track but as he came out of the air. He had been taking part (as a passenger) in an aerobatics display by the Red Arrows formation team at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, launching the twenty-fifth season of the Red Arrows. We flew him back to London by helicopter.

It was 15 December 1988, and his wife, Roseanne, told viewers how Nigel had won her while he was at the wheel of a clapped-out mini-van. He stopped to offer her a lift to the Midlands college where they were both studying.

Stirling Moss made a pit-stop to say hello, and viewers heard how in June 1977, at Brands Hatch, Nigel had broken his neck in two places. He was back driving within seven weeks.

Still not put off, in 1978 he sold everything, including his home, to raise the money to carry on racing. He even cleaned office windows.

There could be no greater illustration of Nigel's total determination than what happened at the Dallas Grand Prix in 1984. It was so hot, the sun melted the track surface. Cars broke down everywhere. The drive-shaft on his car snapped, losing the gears. Nigel got out and collapsed trying to push it to the finishing line. American driver Charles Wagner was in awe. 'The Churchillian spirit,' he said.

Producer Malcolm Morris recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is My Life...

Nigel Mansell was one person we had been trying to get for a long time as he was a rare British hero trying for the elusive world championship (the year was 1988). I wanted to do his story very much but I was concerned by the research coming in which indicated that he was a very reticent and private man. Danny Blanchflower loomed up again in front of me. His wife and close friends were consulted but nobody could predict his reaction to Michael and the Red Book.

Where could we surprise him in such a position that he could not possibly run away? It would seem a good idea to pull the surprise at the end of a race, just as he was getting out of his car, but what would we do if Nigel had just lost the race and was furious with himself and the world in general? No, we could not present our surprise at that time.

The answer came from the research. Nigel loved to fly and was a regular guest pilot with the Red Arrows. Off we went with a camera crew to RAF Scampton, where we spotted him taking off in a Red Arrow supersonic jet.

I had access to the airfield control radio feed so I knew when he would land. It was the perfect set up. With Nigel getting out of the cockpit, he wouldn't have much choice but to accept the Red Book. Nigel taxied his plane around to a standstill and Michael and the cameras were off and running. Nigel released his cockpit canopy and there was Michael waving the Red Book right under his nose.

We need not have worried. Nigel was stunned but he agreed to go on with the show. He later told Michael and me that he had two main ambitions left in life. One was to become the world champion and the other was to have a This Is Your Life about him. It was an inspiring compliment and I will never forget the moment in the studio when the opening music started and Nigel walked out to see his family on the set – the tears were streaming down his face.

Series 29 subjects