Richard MADELEY (1956-) and Judy FINNIGAN (1948-)

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life

programme details...

  • Edition No: 962
  • Subject Nos: 936-937
  • Broadcast date: Mon 6 Jan 1997
  • Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
  • Recorded: Wed 11 Dec 1996
  • Venue: unknown
  • Series: 37
  • Edition: 15
  • Code name: Couple

on the guest list...

  • Claire - Richard's mum
  • Anne - Judy's mum
  • Dan - Judy's son
  • Tom - Judy's son
  • Lily Savage
  • Joan Harris
  • Liz - Richard's sister
  • Roger - Judy's brother
  • Paul Dedman
  • Brian Davies
  • Dianne Nelmes
  • Denise Robertson
  • Dr Chris Steele
  • Loulla Astin
  • Stewart Astin
  • Jeremy Beadle
  • Jack - son
  • Chloe - daughter
  • Filmed tributes:
  • Barbara Windsor
  • Kevin Lloyd
  • Frank Carson
  • Paul Nicholas
  • Matthew Kelly
  • William Roache
  • Steve Wright

production team...

  • Researcher: Ruth Malone
  • Writer: Alec Lom
  • 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
related pages...
Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life

Screenshots of Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan This Is Your Life

Richard and Judy's autobiography

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan recall their experience of This Is Your Life in their autobiography...


As I stood there, reflecting a moment on our new surroundings and new life, I remembered the occasion when, like so many other people, we'd been caught out by Michael Aspel for his programme This Is Your Life. We already knew by then that he'd tried to do us once before, but had cancelled that attempt because of a leak. Then, late in 1996, we turned around, just as This Morning was ending, to find him standing behind us. We knew immediately why we'd been getting so many false count-downs during that day's show. I had smelled a rat, and I knew something was going on, but I hadn't guessed what.


Our then editor, Jeff Anderson, kept saying in our earpieces, 'We've got to allow a bit more time for the weather.'


'Why?' we kept replying whenever we could. 'What's going on?'


'Oh, well, there's this little child with a present for Fred who's come in specially, from miles and miles away...'


It all sounded pretty unconvincing to us, and we were totally astonished when, just before the end of the show, all the team, production and researchers, suddenly appeared in the studio, followed by Michael Aspel. I just couldn't believe it. I was flabbergasted, and not a little dismayed. But, on these occasions, like it or not, you have to be a good sport and go along with it. Before you have time to collect yourself, you're whisked off in a limo and not left alone for a single moment lest you do a runner. The This Is Your Life team is very used to calming people down, and the guy who was with us did his best to do this by keeping up a non-stop stream of conversation before unloading us from the car and taking us into a dressing room which I swear had a guard placed outside the door!


When, after being given a glass of champagne to calm our nerves, we were taken down to the studio, we discovered that Michael Aspel had left his glasses somewhere and nothing could happen until these were found. When we finally did the show, true to This Is Your Life form, all our relatives, friends and colleagues, past and present, popped out of the woodwork, one by one, to greet us.


I was in shock, in an absolute daze throughout. It's a strange, rather creepy experience, with a huge embarrassment factor tossed in, and I completely understand why some people effuse to go through with it. That course of action, though, would have taken more guts than I've got when Michael Aspel's around! It is also, of course, a great honour.


Now, whenever I watch This Is Your Life, I always empathise with how the person is feeling. Actors are usually fine because they're natural performers on any stage but where others are concerned I can always tell who's enjoying it and happy to be there, and who's covering up, dying of embarrassment, and longing to get off air.

Series 37 subjects

Steve Redgrave | Gary Rhodes | Toyah Willcox | Freddie Young | John Motson | Jeremy Clarkson | John Rands | Jill Dando
Don Black | Sue Nicholls | Lynn Redgrave | Tanni Grey | Noddy Holder | Thora Hird | Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan
Sam Torrance | John Simpson | Elizabeth Ward | Ross Kemp | Julian Bream | Les Dennis | Nigel Davenport
Richard Whiteley | Justin Hayward | Sian Phillips | Chris Tarrant