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BBC
confirms This is Your Life will not be returning to its screens
The
BBC today (Tuesday 21 October) confirmed that This Is Your Life
will not be returning to its screens.
Lorraine
Heggessey, Controller of BBC ONE, said: "It's never easy
to bring such a long running show as This Is Your Life to an end,
but I see this more as au revoir than goodbye.
"We
want to thank everyone who has worked on making This Is Your Life
a successful programme over so many years, from the presenter Michael
Aspel, to the production teams and, of course, the many people
who have been surprised by the red book."
Facts
This
Is Your Life was first broadcast on the BBC in 1955. There have
been more than 1,000 episodes.
Original
presenter Eamonn Andrews was the show's first subject. Ralph
Edwards, the show's originator, presented Eamonn with the Big Red
Book.
Michael
Aspel was surprised by the Big Red Book in 1980 and took over as
the show's host in 1988, a year after Eamonn's death.
Only
two people have ever refused the honour.
They
were footballer Danny Blanchfolower in the 1950's, who never did
the show, and the author Richard Gordon, who said no live on air
in 1974 but was persuaded to stay for a show that was broadcast
a week later.
Bill
Oddie was also persuaded after his initial reluctance last year.
The
producers of This Is Your Life have never knowingly presented the
red book to anyone who knew about it in advance.
A
local paper blew the story that Anne Diamond was to be surprised
live on air. The show was postponed and months of work written off.
Each
This Is Your Life subject is given a code name. The first thing
most subjects ask at the party is what did you call me?
Some
codenames include Martin Kemp - petrol (played Steve Owen, SO -
get it?); Claire Sweeney, Todd; Michael Winner - first; Paul Young,
Hat; Shaun Williamson, Baz.
Twiggy
was the youngest person ever to be surprised, aged 19.
Notes
to Editors
Michael
Aspel closes the red book for the last time (03.06.03)
BBC
statement on This is Your Life (15.05.03)
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