This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
This Is Your Life | |
---|---|
![]() Title card of 2007 revival | |
Genre | |
Presented by |
|
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 43 |
No. of episodes | 1,130 (285 missing) |
Production | |
Running time | 30–60 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | BBC Television |
Release | 29 July 1955 30 April 1964 | –
Network | ITV |
Release | 19 November 1969 20 July 1994 | –
Network | BBC One |
Release | 2 November 1994 8 August 2003 | –
Network | ITV |
Release | 2 June 2007 |
Related | |
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) |
This Is Your Life is a British biographical television documentary, based on the 1952 American series. It was hosted by Eamonn Andrews from 1955 until 1964, and then from 1969 until his death in 1987. Michael Aspel then took up the role of host until the show ended in 2003. It briefly returned in 2007 as a one-off special presented by Trevor McDonald.
In the show the host surprises a special guest, before taking them through their life with the assistance of the 'big red book'. Both celebrities and non-celebrities have been featured on the show. The show was originally broadcast live, and over its run it has alternated between being broadcast on the BBC and on ITV.
The surprise element was a very important part of the show; if the guest heard about the project beforehand, it would be cancelled.