Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
A much later return to the schedules than usual for series 41 of This Is Your Life and several changes in transmission times for this and the previous series may indicate that the BBC was beginning to lose faith in the programme.
However, the production team continued to work hard to bring a whole series of interesting and exciting life stories to the screen, including a diverse range of programmes with some international aspects - a human rights campaigner from South Africa, the executive director of Task Force Albania and the first ocean rower to complete a solo unassisted non-stop crossing of the Pacific.
A regular feature of This Is Your Life, which began as far back as the third series of the programme, is the use of theatres as an outside broadcast. Many subjects have been surprised over the years as they take their applause at the end of a performance and then have their life story told on the same stage following a quick set change! In this continuing tradition, this series saw a former glamour model turned pantomime star surprised at Wimbledon Theatre.
related page...
the show's fifty year history
The Great Survivor - Michael Aspel
Birmingham Evening Mail interview with Michael Aspel
| Matthew PINSENT | Rower | 9 November 2000 |
| Todd CARTY | Actor | 16 November 2000 |
| Vinnie JONES | Actor and former footballer | 30 November 2000 |
| Donald WOODS | Writer and human rights campaigner | 14 December 2000 |
| Linda LUSARDI | Actress and former glamour model | 21 December 2000 |
| Dorothy TUTIN | Actress | 27 December 2000 |
| Paula TILBROOK | Actress | 4 January 2001 |
| John HUMPHRYS | Broadcaster | 11 January 2001 |
| Andrew DAVIS | Conductor | 18 January 2001 |
| James ELLIS | Actor | 25 January 2001 |
| Sue JENKINS | Actress | 7 February 2001 |
| Geoffrey HUGHES | Actor | 14 February 2001 |
| John VAN WEENEN | Karateka and humanitarian | 21 February 2001 |
| Charles DANCE | Actor | 28 February 2001 |
| Mick CHANNON | Racehorse trainer and former footballer | 7 March 2001 |
| Jonathan ROSS | Television and radio presenter | 14 March 2001 |
| Simon ROUSE | Actor | 21 March 2001 |
| Midge URE | Musician | 28 March 2001 |
| John BARNES | Football manager and former footballer | 4 April 2001 |
| Paul JONES | Singer, actor and broadcaster | 11 April 2001 |
| Patrick ROBINSON | Actor | 18 April 2001 |
| Jim SHEKHDAR | Ocean rower | 25 April 2001 |
| Valerie SINGLETON | Television and radio broadcaster | 2 May 2001 |
| Darren GOUGH | Cricketer | 9 May 2001 |
| Kevin WOODFORD | Chef and television presenter | 30 May 2001 |
| Richard STILGOE | Songwriter, lyricist and musician | 7 June 2001 |
Broadcast details
Thames Television production for BBC26 editions | 21 x 30 minutes | 3 x 35 minutes | 1 x 25 minutes | 1 x 40 minutes
Wednesday | 8.00pm x 13 | 8.35pm x 3
Thursday | 8.00pm x 9 | 8.30pm x 1
The advertised 23 November 2000 edition was rescheduled due to a UEFA Cup football match
No edition broadcast on 7 December 2000 due to a UEFA Cup football match
No edition scheduled for 1 February 2001
No edition broadcast on 16 May 2001 due to a UEFA Cup football match
No edition scheduled for 23 May 2001
Production team
In association with Ralph Edwards Productions And TIYL ProductionsProducer: Sue Green | Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
Executive Producer: John Longley | Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
Directors: John Gorman, Steve Docherty, Chris Fox | Location Directors: Steve Docherty, Peter Wisdom
Writers: Ian Brown, Joe Steeples
Researchers: Ruth Malone, Kate Greer, Jo Grant, Emma Dooley, Lesley Rowley, Alex Renton, Deborah Cowan, Sally Millson
Programme Associates: Ian Brown, Joe Steeples | Production Assistants: Irene Maxwell-Clark, Liz Fleming
Production Manager: Dawn Gray | Programme Co-ordinator: Deborah Armstrong
Music Composed by: Laurie Johnson | Production Designer: Martin Collins | Archive Research: Helen Bennitt
Resource Co-ordinators/Facilities Managers: Paul Thackray, Tony Smith, Aidan Boulter, Nigel Spong
Lighting Directors: John Pomphrey, John Watt
Sound Supervisors: Peter Willcocks, Jack Krawczyk, Paul Gartrell, Dave Thompson, Mike McCarthy, Richard Bradford,
Martin Eccles, Tony Revell
Senior Cameraman: Chas Watts, Roy Easton, Dave Fader, Dave Fox
Vision Mixers: Carole Chessun, Ian Blease, Carol Abbott, Linda Kelly, Roz Storey, Jenny Bozson
Dubbing Mixers: Adrian Smith, Paul Gartrell, Phil Reed
Videotape Editors: Steve Murray, Paul Richmond, Graham Hutchings, Mark Sangster, Paul Widdowson, Tom Kavanagh
Production Team: Alex Renton, Roger Read, Doug Ingram, Judi Grant, Claire Payne, Brian Bassett, Emma Taylor