This is Your Life - Season 43
Season 43
Episodes
David Dickenson
Television's prominent antiques expert was surprised by Michael in Folkestone during a recording of his BBC Television show, Bargain Hunt.
Guests paying tribute include Countdown's Carol Vorderman and Richard Whiteley, and fellow antiques expert Tim Wonnacott.
Mo Mowlam
Michael surprised the former Labour MP during a recording of the BBC television comedy show Shooting Stars. As Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo was influential in securing the Good Friday Peace agreement in 1998, while recovering from a brain tumour. Among those paying tribute, in an emotional show, was Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton.
Gillian Taylforth
Yet another cast reunion was arranged when Michael surprised Gillian on location for her current series Footballer's Wives. Like Anita, who is a guest on her show, Gillian had appeared in the first episode of the soap, but left the series in 2000.
Tributes were paid by Christopher Biggins and Adam Faith.
Mike Rutherford
Former This Is Your Life subject Phil Collins was recruited to help Michael surprise his Genesis band member outside Thames Television's Teddington Studios.
Among those paying tribute are musician Peter Gabriel, racing driver Damon Hill, broadcaster Chris Tarrant and rugby player Will Carling.
John McArdle
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - John McArdle, actor, was surprised by Michael Aspel on the set of the television drama, Mersey Beat
John, who is best remembered for playing Billy Corkhill in the Channel Four soap-opera Brookside, has appeared in many television dramas, as well as being an accomplished stage actor.
Elmer Bernstein
The American composer - who was nominated for fourteen Oscars and responsible for hundreds of film and television scores - was surprised by Michael at London's Royal Albert Hall, following a concert held to celebrate his 80th birthday year. His guests include Hollywood film star Charlton Heston and fellow composers Don Black and John Williams.
Charles Collingwood
Charles - who has played the role of Brian Aldridge in the BBC's long running radio soap opera The Archers since 1975 - was surprised by Michael during a recording of the show at the BBC Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham.
Among those on his guest list are songwriter Richard Stilgoe and comedian Bernard Manning.
Jonathan Davies MBE
Michael interrupted a recording of A Question of Sport at the BBC Television Centre in London, to surprise the union and league player. The team then travelled to the BBC studios in Cardiff to record the tribute.
Guests include fellow countrymen - politician Neil Kinnock, singer and presenter Aled Jones and comedian Max Boyce.
Elizabeth Pescops
George Best
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - George Best, footballer, was surprised by Michael Aspel at Thames Television's Teddington Studios during a mock interview with Eamonn Holmes.
Lisa Maxwell
For his final visit to Sun Hill Police Station, Michael interrupts filming in order to surprise Lisa - a new recruit to the cast of the ITV police drama series The Bill, having previously found fame as a presenter on children's television.
Lisa's guests include comedian Russ Abbot and actress and dancer Bonnie Langford.
Roger Cook
The award winning investigative journalist and broadcaster - who was brought up in Australia and moved to the UK in 1968 - was surprised by Michael at the Motor Show at Birmingham's NEC.
Motor racing legend Stirling Moss and newsreaderTrevor McDonald are among those paying tribute to Roger.
Bob Monkhouse OBE
Michael surprised the comedian, for his second tribute, at the BBC Television Centre for a mid-series extended edition of the show.
Such is the breadth of Bob's story two Big Red Books are needed, the second one delivered midway through the show by comedian Joe Pasquale. Other guests include actress June Whitfield and comedian Bob Hope.
Sir Nicholas Winton MBE
Nicholas organised the rescue and safe passage to Britain of 669 mostly Jewish children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War, in an operation later known as the Czech Kindertransport.
Michael surprised Nicholas at Winton House - an Abbeyfield care home for the elderly in Windsor.
Anthony Andrews
Anthony - best known for his role as Sebastian in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited - was surprised by Michael at the curtain call of the musical My Fair Lady at London's Drury Lane Theatre.
Back at the BBC Television Centre Anthony's guests include author James Herbert and theatrical producer Bill Kenwright.
Alex Norton
Michael hid behind a newspaper in the reception area of a central London voice-over studio, until his given signal to surprise the Scottish actor - best known for his role as DCI Burke in ITV's police series, Taggart.
Among those paying tribute to Alex - the final actor to be honoured by This Is Your Life are presenter Jeremy Beadle and comedian Billy Connolly.
John Bardon
Michael paid his final visit to Walford's market to surprise the Olivier award winning actor who had joined the soap on a regular basis in 1999.
Actor John Nettles and comedian Jim Davidson are among those paying tribute.
Simon Cowell
Michael recruited the help of record producer and fellow Pop Idol judge, Pete Waterman, to surprise Simon at the offices of record label, PWL.
Among those paying tribute are pop group Westlife, film director Michael Winner and actor David Hasselhoff. This was the last ever This Is Your Lifeshow that Michael Aspel recorded.
Alec Stewart
Michael surprised the Surrey batsman and wicketkeeper during a game of golf at the Royal Automobile Club in Epsom.
Alec - who is the most capped English cricketer of all time - was greeted by guests that included lyricist Sir Tim Rice, former footballer Sir Bobby Robson and fellow cricketer Geoffrey Boycott.
Vic Armstrong
Michael arranged a hair-raising stunt at Pinewood Studios to surprise the famed Stunt Coordinator and Action Unit director. Vic has worked on some of the biggest movies ever made and is notable for the action sequences of several James Bond films. His show includes tributes from George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan and Bond producers Barbara Broccolli and Michael Wilson.
Sir Chris Bonington CBE
In the show's last ever outside broadcast, the mountaineer - having been surprised by Michael at a hotel in Heathrow - was taken to The Rheged Centre in Penrith, Cumbria for his tribute.
Chris' career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna.
John Middleton
John - who has played the village vicar since 1996 - was surprised by Michael, appropriately, on the set of Emmerdale's St Mary's Church.
Among the guests who greet John back at the studios of Yorkshire Television are musician Neil Tennant and actress Sue Johnston.
Bob Harris
The radio DJ - who is perhaps best known as presenter of BBC television's The Old Grey Whistle Test - was surprised by Michael - again live on air - while interviewing Robin Gibb.
His show is noted for including his 3 ex-wives on the guest list - and has contributions from musicians Suzi Quatro, Judy Tzuke and Elton John.
Gyles Brandreth
Michael surprised Gyles at London's Duchess Theatre at the curtain call of his current show, Zipp! 100 Musicals in 100 Minutes.
The author, broadcaster and former Conservative Member of Parliament was greeted by, among others, actress and dancer Bonnie Langford, broadcaster Nicholas Parsons and singer Dave Willetts.
Aled Jones
In the final This Is Your Life edition to be broadcast on the BBC, the former choirboy - who rose to fame with his recording of Walking in the Air from Channel 4's 1982 animated film The Snowman - was surprised by Michael at London's Royal Albert Hall. Terry Woganand Bob Geldof send recorded messages while actresses Janet Brown and Ruth Madoc pay their tributes in person.
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