This Is Your Life: Rosemary Conley

Rosemary CONLEY (1946-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Rosemary Conley, businesswoman, author and broadcaster, was surprised by Michael Aspel at London's Kensington Roof Gardens while presiding over the annual Slimmer of the Year awards.

Rosemary, who was born in Leicester, first began running diet classes from her kitchen in 1972 after successfully losing weight. The enterprise grew into a successful UK-wide business known as the Slimming and Good Grooming Clubs. Rosemary sold the business to IPC in 1981, overseeing the operation as managing director until the company disbanded in 1985.

The following year Rosemary suffered a gallbladder problem, and to regain her fitness, she devised the Hip and Thigh Diet. The subsequent book sold more than four million copies, and over the next 14 years, Rosemary published eight best-selling diet and fitness books and released 20 chart-topping videos. From 1993, she was a regular contributor to ITV's daytime television programme This Morning.

"I can't believe this! Michael - it's so lovely to see you!"

programme details...

Edition No: 1089
Subject No: 1064
Broadcast date: Fri 18 Jan 2002
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Thu 3 Jan 2002
Repeated: Sun 20 Jan 2002 4.20pm
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 42
Edition: 10
Code name: Herb

on the guest list...

Dawn - daughter
Ben - son-in-law
Robert - brother
Jane - sister-in-law
Nicky - niece
Mike Rimmington - husband
Brian Turner
Raymond Kind
Elizabeth Kind
Jane Hawker
Janet Brown
Sheila Johnson
John Simons
Gary Parsonage
Joe Inglis
Denise Robertson
Helen Jary
Rachel O'Hara
Louise Irvine
Steve Chalke
Richard Madeley
Judy Finnigan
Elizabeth Pickup
Patrick Mower
Cliff Richard
Hilary Jones
Terry Wogan

production team...

Researchers: Ruth Malone, Melanie Clarkson
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

related pages...

Life As We Know It

highlighting the experts

Rosemary Conley recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in an exclusive interview recorded in April 2024

Screenshots of Rosemary Conley This Is Your Life - and Rosemary Conley photographed at home with her big red book in April 2024

Rosemary Conley recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, Through thick and thin...

In the following year another, quite different honour was to take me by surprise. Apparently, the team that ran the TV programme This Is Your Life had wanted me to be a mystery guest for some time, but my TV agent June Ford-Crush, Dawn and my PA Louise all knew of our marital problems and had tactfully put them off. As time progressed, things did seem to improve in that area and, with the programme-makers pushing to get me on, it seems Louise spoke to Mike and persuaded him that they should be allowed to do it. As I was going to stay with Nancy DeMoss in the United States for a week on my own, this presented the perfect opportunity for the production team to meet up with Dawn and Mike and also to film and interview Gary Parsonage, our horse event rider, at home.

Of course, I knew absolutely nothing about what was going on. One day, I was in London at the Slimmer of the Year event for 2002 and, while our winner was being presented with her award, suddenly there was a loud gasp in the room. I thought someone had fainted. No, the presenter of This Is Your Life, Michael Aspel, had appeared with his big red book!

It was such a shock yet so exciting at the same time. I ran over to Mike and gave him the biggest hug, as I realised he must have agreed to this happening and I saw it as a massive turning point in our relationship.

I was overwhelmed after the announcement but explained to the programme's producers that I needed to look after my Slimmers of the Year first, before going to the studio, because it was such a big day for them. They were very accommodating and said I could take all the time I needed.

My driver, David, then took me to the studios on the outskirts of London, and there I was asked to stay in my dressing room until the live filming of the show. Dawn had brought about 20 different evening dresses and outfits from my wardrobe to give me a choice of what to wear, but in fact I wore the suit I had worn in the morning - a favourite suit that I had bought while staying with Nancy DeMoss in the States.

I was kept away from everyone until the programme began. The producers had very kindly kept my make-up artist from the morning event, so at least I had a friend with me during the afternoon. Then it was time. Apparently, the guest is never discussed by name, only by a code name, so that the audience has no idea who will be revealed. My code name apparently was 'Herb'.

I was so excited - on many levels. It was a tremendous accolade to be chosen, but also I knew it would be a lovely experience. I had no idea who would be featured, so you can imagine my surprise when, apart from my family of course, there were tributes from Terry Wogan (because our Clubs had raised loads of money for Children in Need); Cliff Richard (because it was partly through him that I had become a Christian); Richard and Judy, chef Brian Turner and agony aunt Denise Robertson, all because of my time on This Morning; actor Patrick Mower who had voiced one of my early fitness audio tapes (in the days before videos); Dr Hilary Jones (whom I knew through our magazine); and Revd Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Trust, a Christian charity we had supported. Then they also brought on my three Slimmers of the Year - Helen Jary, Rachel O'Hara and Louise Irvine - which must have been so exciting for them! There were more personal films of Gary, our event rider, and also my best friend from school, now living in Australia, Lizzie. It was extraordinary. My mouth was parchment-dry with adrenalin and Michael Aspel was a sweetheart. Such a very lovely, gentle man.

After walking through the sliding doors for the big reveal of the night's celebrity, I sat on my chair. Mike was next to appear on the show and sat beside me. Sitting opposite were my friends from years gone by: the original women from my first slimming class held in our kitchen; Geoff and Jo, and Ian and Ruth, our very close Christian friends; John Simons, on whose programme on BBC Radio Nottingham I had regularly appeared and from which I recruited trialists for my Hip and Thigh Diet; my first boss, architect Roy Bordoli; Dawn and Ben of course, my brother Robert, sister-in-law Jane and one of my nieces, Nicky... and so the numbers went on! All of our staff members were in the audience. It was mind-blowingly exciting.

Apparently, the planning had been a nightmare for Dawn, Louise and Mike as they tried to put together the pieces of my life without my knowledge, but gradually it took shape. On the day before, after Mike and I had left to go down to London for the Slimmer of the Year Awards, there was a loudspeaker announcement at Quorn House when the receptionist said: ROSEMARY HAS NOW LEFT THE BUILDING! and everyone could breathe a big sigh of relief! They could now prepare to travel to London themselves to attend the programme the following day.

After the show was recorded, which was an utterly joyous experience, we all went backstage to find that ITV had laid on a fabulous party for my guests. It was amazing. They spoilt us with a delicious buffet and unlimited drinks. It was such a wonderful surprise, and as I looked around I realised that everyone in the room meant something very special to me. Once all my family and friends were assembled, I stood on a chair and addressed them. I think I said something like: "Thank you all so much for being part of this extraordinary day. I want to thank ITV so much for making the programme, and while I feel immensely flattered that so many celebrities said such lovely things, it is you, in this room, who have really formed my life. Please don't leave before I have had a chance to say hello to you all. It is such a thrill to see you."

In fact, it was a bit like attending my own funeral while still being very much alive.

After it was all over, a few of our closest friends went out for dinner, though I wasn't hungry at all and just wanted to sit down quietly. Later, Dawn and Ben and Mike and I went back to the hotel, but I couldn't relax. My head felt as if it was going to explode. So much emotion. So many memories recalled. It was difficult to comprehend it all. I hardly slept a wink, and next morning I told Dawn of my sleepless night.

'Good!' she laughed. 'I haven't slept for a fortnight stressing about it! I slept really well - at last!'

She went on to explain that the production team had emphasised throughout the planning process, which had taken months, that if the celebrity found out what was happening, the programme would be pulled. No question.

After all the excitement of the recording day, the staff were buzzing in Quorn House. The programme would be shown in a couple of weeks time on ITV and everyone was looking forward to seeing it. Of course, there were some people who had not been invited on to the show and were disappointed, but there was nothing I could do about it as I had known nothing about it anyway.

Verve Times 24 July 2022

In 2002, I was in London at our Slimmer of the Year event and, while the winner was being presented with her award, there was a loud gasp. I thought someone had fainted. No, the presenter of This Is Your Life, Michael Aspel, had appeared with his big red book.

Series 42 subjects