Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Tanni Grey, wheelchair athlete, was surprised by Michael Aspel while recording the BBC television programme A Question Of Sport at the BBC Television Centre in London.

Tanni was born in Cardiff with spina bifida, which impaired her ability to walk as she grew. She eventually lost the use of her legs and had to use a wheelchair from the age of 17. Her Paralympic career began in the 100m race at the Junior National Games for Wales in 1984.

After studying politics at Loughborough University, she joined Team GB at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul, where she won a Bronze medal and set a new British record for the 400m race. She won one silver and four gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics and one gold and three silver medals at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. In addition, she won the wheelchair race at the London Marathon in 1992.

"Oh my god - I don't believe this! I know everybody says that - but I really don't believe this!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 959
• Subject No: 934
• Broadcast date: Fri 13 Dec 1996
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Sun 1 Dec 1996
• Venue: BBC Manchester
• Series: 37
• Edition: 12
• Code name: Gold

on the guest list...

• Peter Radford
• David Holding
• John Harris
• Sulwen - mother
• Peter - father
• Ian Thompson - partner
• Roger Black
• Sian - sister
• Sue Roberts
• Dina Cadogan
• Penny Pembridge
• Brian Rowlands
• Jo Dutch
• Roy Anthony
• David Jenkins
• Chris Hallam
• Ingrid Lauridsen
• Dave Williams
• Andrew Raviotti
• members of the Penarth Lifeboat crew
• Jenni Banks
Filmed tributes:
• David Coleman
• Sally Rees-Matthews
• Dave Stewart
• Steve Cram
• Neil Kinnock

production team...

• Researcher: Avril Norton
• Writer: Joe Steeples
• Directors: Steve Docherty, Paul Kirrage
• Associate Producer: Sue Green
• Executive Producer: John Longley
• Producer: John Graham

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

Going for Gold

celebrating the world's best

Roger Black

John Harris

Screenshots of Tanni Grey This Is Your Life

Tanni Grey recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in her autobiography, Seize the Day...

Being on A Question of Sport for the first time was probably the high point on my television appearances. When I was asked to go back on the show in 1997, I was really surprised. It was the year after the Paralympics in Atlanta so I wasn't in the public eye. This time it was being filmed in Manchester and Mum and Sian came to watch. I was on Ally McCoist's team and he seemed a nice guy. To my surprise we won. And then I heard the audience gasp. All these heads turned and from the corner of the stage I saw Michael Aspel. He wandered over to the set and stood in between the two teams, holding that famous red book I thought they were going to get John Parrott and thought poor sod. Then he said, 'Tanni Grey, this is your life.' I turned to Ally and he had a massive grin on his face. Then Michael Aspel put a microphone in my face and said, 'Would you like to say anything?'

I was absolutely shocked and said. 'No.' People usually come out with something very witty or pithy, but I just sat there with my mouth open, looking completely vacant. I think Michael Aspel was getting worried. He had a look on his face that said please say something. The only thing I could think to say was that I had nothing smarter to wear than a pair of jeans.

I looked up into the audience and saw Mum and Sian killing themselves. I thought, my God, they knew all along. My main worry was that I had nothing to wear. I was rushed off set and taken to a dressing room. Ian had brought some clothes for me to put on, but they were not the best. So I went on This Is Your Life wearing blue shoes, a green and white skirt, brown tights, a green blouse and a blue jacket. Thanks, Ian.

Things suddenly began to make sense. When I'd been in the make-up room for A Question of Sport, they had been very stroppy when I tried to go outside. At one point I was physically dragged back in by the make-up girl.

'The producers don't like the audience to know who's going to be on,' she said.

'I was only trying to find my family,' I replied.

I thought her reaction was a bit over the top but didn't think any more of it. What I didn't know was all my friends and family were walking past the door to get to the This Is Your Life set. Afterwards I also recalled that there had been signs all over the place for some game show. But there wasn't a game show at all. That was the code for This Is Your Life.

I have to admit there were quite a few people whom I hoped hadn't been invited. I imagine everyone who gets on to the show thinks like that.

'Who've you got?' I asked an assistant.

'I can't say, but you'll have a great time,' she said.

I wasn't convinced. 'I don't care if I'm going to have a good time, who've you got?'

When I went out Ian was already sitting there. It was all a blur. Sian came on and said something, which meant a lot because she hates things like that, and some friends, who hadn't been asked to be on the set, had come along to be in the audience which was lovely. Then the guests started being introduced by Michael Aspel. Ingrid Lauridsen had come over which was great and Sue Roberts, my childhood friend, was there. Then came the finale. They always bring someone out who you haven't seen for years or who has flown thousands of miles and I began to get nervous. They showed clips from Atlanta and were building up the rivalry between me and Leanne Shannon. I thought, oh no, they haven't got Leanne. We got on all right but I always thought Leanne's mother was a bit of a nightmare. I said to myself, just smile and say thanks for coming. If you look at the film I have a plastic smile on my face at that point. And then they brought on Jenni, my coach, and the relief was huge. I couldn't believe she'd come all the way from Australia. We had a tremendous party at the studios which was the best I've ever been to. All my friends were there and I just couldn't believe they had managed to keep it a secret.

If I'd had the choice, I have to admit that I probably wouldn't have done This Is Your Life. I don't really like that kind of public exposure where they go through your life in half an hour. I watch it because I'm as nosy as the next person. When the producers got in touch, Mum and Dad discussed whether I'd want to do it. Ian said he thought I probably wouldn't want to, but Mum, Dad and Sian decided it would be a good time to be on. They knew how down I'd been after Atlanta and felt it was quite important for me to do it. If nothing else it would help recover my public profile and I think it was one in the eye for all those people who told me I'd been such a failure after Atlanta.