Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
The return of This Is Your Life is previewed by a brief article in The Mirror newspaper as series 38 gets underway.
The This Is Your Life production team underwent further changes for this series. Sue Green - a long-time researcher on the show, became the new Producer, and Jack Crawshaw became Series Producer. Together, Sue and Jack led the team through its final six years.
Since the programme's return to the BBC in 1994, the producers made several changes to the show's traditional look. The opening titles no longer opened the programme but are now first seen superimposed over a shot of the studio set following the 'pick-up'.
The sets were more substantial, as sofas replaced individual chairs for the guests, and the infamous sliding doors disappeared for a few years but returned to become part of the set design for the final two series.
In addition to Teddington Studios, various other studios were used over the final nine series of the programme's run, including BBC Television Centre, ITV's London Studios on the Southbank and Fountain Studios in Wembley.
related pages...
the iconic titles and theme tunes
the studio look and locations
the producers who steered the programme's success
the show's fifty year history
The Mirror previews the new series
| Jeremy GUSCOTT | Rugby union player and television presenter | 1 September 1997 |
| Magnus MAGNUSSON | Journalist and television presenter | 8 September 1997 |
| Maureen REES | Cleaner | 15 September 1997 |
| Russ ABBOT | Comedian and actor | 22 September 1997 |
| Sally GUNNELL | Athlete | 29 September 1997 |
| Graham COLE | Actor | 6 October 1997 |
| James HATFIELD | Sailor and charity fundraiser | 13 October 1997 |
| Carol VORDERMAN | Television presenter | 20 October 1997 |
| Trevor BAYLIS | Inventor | 27 October 1997 |
| Bryan MOSLEY | Actor | 3 November 1997 |
| Murray WALKER | Sports commentator | 10 November 1997 |
| Cheryl BAKER | Singer and television presenter | 17 November 1997 |
| Errol BROWN | Singer and songwriter | 24 November 1997 |
| Peter SNOW | Television and radio presenter | 1 December 1997 |
| Nadim SAWALHA | Actor | 8 December 1997 |
| Clive HORNBY | Actor | 15 December 1997 |
| Trevor BANNISTER | Actor | 22 December 1997 |
| Mary WARD | Teacher and theatre director | 29 December 1997 |
| Brian MURPHY | Actor | 5 January 1998 |
| Robert WINSTON | Doctor, scientist and television presenter | 12 January 1998 |
| Duncan GOODHEW | Former competitive swimmer | 19 January 1998 |
| Julia WATSON | Actress | 26 January 1998 |
| Anne ROBINSON | Television presenter and journalist | 2 February 1998 |
| Bill GILES | Meteorologist and television presenter | 9 February 1998 |
| Tim HEALY | Actor | 16 February 1998 |
| Raymond BAXTER | Broadcaster | 23 February 1998 |
Broadcast details
Thames Television production for BBC26 editions | 26 x 30 minutes
Monday | 7.00pm
Production team
In association with Ralph Edwards Productions And TIYL ProductionsProducer: Sue Green | Executive Producer: John Longley | Associate Producer: Liz Rawlings | Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
Directors: John Gorman, Paul Kirrage, Peter Wisdom, Steve Docherty | Writers: Ian Brown, Alec Lom, Joe Steeples, Tony Bilbow
Researchers: Ruth Malone, Avril Norton, Jo Grant, Clare Thompson, Jean Davison, Sally Millson, Helen Gordon-Smith
Programme Associates: Ian Brown, Joe Steeples | Production Manager: Dawn Gray | Programme Co-ordinator: Fiona Hurd
Production Assistants: Irene Maxwell-Clark, Jo Corsan, Liz Fleming, Ellie Gleave, Caroline Vance, Maria Finnis
Music Composed by: Laurie Johnson | Music Arranged by: Colin Keyes
Designer: Martin Collins | Costume: Derek Hayward | Film Research: Helen Bennitt
Facility Managers: Ian Osborne, Paul Thackray, Nigel Spong, Mike Ayres, Chris Cooper, Tony Smith, Andrew Garnet, Cherry Allen
Brian Abrams, Rachel Joseph, Bill Morris
Lighting Directors: John Pomphrey, John Watt | Senior Cameraman: Chas Watts, Ray Gearing, Peter Howell, Roy Easton
Sound Supervisors: Dave Taylor, Mike McCarthy, Richard Bradford, Rob Ashard, Robert Edwards, Paul Gartrell, Peter Ball, Francis Cooke, Dave Thompson, Jack Krawczyk, Mark McLoughlan, Peter Willcocks
Vision Mixers: Ian Blease, Carole Chessun, Barbara Hicks, Jeremy/Jez Nicholson, Brenda Wilson
Videotape Editors: Steve Murray, Paul Richmond, Perry Widdowson, Allan Ford, Graham Hutchings, Mark Sangster
Production Team: Sara-Jane Hindin, Francesca Newby, Roger Read, Doug Ingram