This Is Your Life (New Zealand TV series)
Encyclopedia
This Is Your Life is a New Zealand
television documentary
show based on the American show of the same name
, in which the host surprises guests with a show documenting their lives, with audience participation from their friends and family.
Thirty-nine New Zealanders have been honoured in the New Zealand version of the show, which has been broadcast on and off since 1984 on Television New Zealand
's TVOne. It was originally hosted by Bob Parker (1984-1996), but more recent episodes have been presented by Paul Holmes
(1996-2000) and Paul Henry (2007-2008). Most recently, racecar driver Scott Dixon
was honoured, on 21 September 2008. Other recent recipients have included extreme sports pioneer, A. J. Hackett (who was profiled on November 6, 2007). Mark Inglis
(who lost his legs on Mt Cook in 1982), the subject of an episode that was broadcast on June 5, 2007, and former All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu
, who was honoured in a show that aired on 9 April 2007.
Prior to that, the last This Is Your Life programme in New Zealand was broadcast in September 2000. The subject of that episode was the great New Zealand runner, Peter Snell
.
Previous subjects of the show have included prominent figures in sports (such as John Walker, Sir Peter Blake
, Mark Todd
, Lance Cairns
, Scott Dixon
and Colin Meads
), the arts (like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
, who also once appeared on the British edition of the show, Dame Malvina Major
, Rob Guest
, Rowena Jackson
and Sir Howard Morrison
), politics (e.g. Sonja Davies and Dame Catherine Tizard
), broadcasting (like Sir Geoffrey Cox
, Nola Luxford
, Selwyn Toogood
and Davina Whitehouse
), literature (Barbara Ewing
and A.K. Grant
), science (Brian Harold Mason
and William Pickering
) and the military (Johnny Checketts
and Charles Upham
).
The show has also featured iconic New Zealanders such as mountaineer and explorer Sir Edmund Hillary
and Māori activist Dame Whina Cooper
.
. Most recently former All Black Zinzan Brooke
was honoured on October 17, 2011.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
television documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
show based on the American show of the same name
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
, in which the host surprises guests with a show documenting their lives, with audience participation from their friends and family.
Thirty-nine New Zealanders have been honoured in the New Zealand version of the show, which has been broadcast on and off since 1984 on Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
's TVOne. It was originally hosted by Bob Parker (1984-1996), but more recent episodes have been presented by Paul Holmes
Paul Holmes (broadcaster)
Paul Holmes CNZM is a radio and television broadcaster in New Zealand. he hosts Q+A on TV ONE, and the Saturday morning radio show on Newstalk ZB, where for 23 years until December 2008 he hosted the weekday breakfast show, the long-standing number one rating breakfast show...
(1996-2000) and Paul Henry (2007-2008). Most recently, racecar driver Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
was honoured, on 21 September 2008. Other recent recipients have included extreme sports pioneer, A. J. Hackett (who was profiled on November 6, 2007). Mark Inglis
Mark Inglis
Mark Joseph Inglis is a mountaineer, researcher, winemaker and motivational speaker. He holds a degree in Human Biochemistry from Lincoln University, New Zealand, and has conducted research in Leukemia...
(who lost his legs on Mt Cook in 1982), the subject of an episode that was broadcast on June 5, 2007, and former All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
, who was honoured in a show that aired on 9 April 2007.
Prior to that, the last This Is Your Life programme in New Zealand was broadcast in September 2000. The subject of that episode was the great New Zealand runner, Peter Snell
Peter Snell
Sir Peter George Snell, KNZM, MBE is a former New Zealand athlete, now resident in Texas, United States. He had one of the shortest careers of world famous international sportsmen, yet achieved so much that he was voted New Zealand’s "Sports Champion of the Century"...
.
Previous subjects of the show have included prominent figures in sports (such as John Walker, Sir Peter Blake
Peter Blake (yachtsman)
Sir Peter James Blake, KBE was a New Zealand yachtsman who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy – setting the fastest time around the world of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup...
, Mark Todd
Mark Todd (equestrian)
Mark James Todd, CBE is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the discipline of eventing, voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Mark James Todd, CBE (born 1 March 1956) is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the...
, Lance Cairns
Lance Cairns
Bernard Lance Cairns is a former all-rounder who played for the New Zealand cricket team, and is the father of New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns....
, Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
and Colin Meads
Colin Meads
Sir Colin Earl Meads, KNZM, MBE , is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played 55 test matches , most frequently in the lock forward position, for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, from 1957 until 1971.Meads is widely considered one of the greatest players in history...
), the arts (like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
Kiri Te Kanawa
Dame Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa, ONZ, DBE, AC is a New Zealand / Māori soprano who has had a highly successful international opera career since 1968. Acclaimed as one of the most beloved sopranos in both the United States and Britain she possesses a warm full lyric soprano voice, singing a wide array...
, who also once appeared on the British edition of the show, Dame Malvina Major
Malvina Major
Dame Malvina Lorraine Major, GNZM, DBE is a New Zealand opera singer. She was born in Hamilton, New Zealand into a large musical family. As a child she performed at various concerts, singing mainly country and western pop and music from the shows. She received her first classical training in 1955,...
, Rob Guest
Rob Guest
Robert John Guest, OBE was a British born New Zealand-Australian actor and singer, best known for his work in Australian musical theatre, particularly in various productions of The Phantom of the Opera...
, Rowena Jackson
Rowena Jackson
Rowena Othlie Jackson MBE is a New Zealand prima ballerina. Jackson was born in Invercargill, to William Ernest Jackson and Lilliane Jane, née Solomon. She attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School, in Auckland, and in 1941 won the first Royal Academy of Dancing Scholarship in New Zealand. In 1946 ...
and Sir Howard Morrison
Howard Morrison
Sir Howard Leslie Morrison, OBE, was a New Zealand entertainer. From 1964 until his death in 2009 he was one of New Zealand's leading television and concert performers.-Early life:...
), politics (e.g. Sonja Davies and Dame Catherine Tizard
Catherine Tizard
Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, was Mayor of Auckland City and the 16th Governor-General of New Zealand, the first woman to hold either office.-Early life:...
), broadcasting (like Sir Geoffrey Cox
Geoffrey Cox (journalist)
Sir Geoffrey Sandford Cox, CNZM, CBE was a New Zealand-born newspaper and television journalist. He was a former editor and chief executive of ITN and a founder of News at Ten....
, Nola Luxford
Nola Luxford
Nola Luxford was a New Zealand born film actress of the silent film era, and into the 1930s.Born Minola Adelaide Pratt in Hastings, New Zealand, Luxford relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in film acting. Her first film appearance was in the 1920 film The Tiger's Coat...
, Selwyn Toogood
Selwyn Toogood
Selwyn Featherston Toogood QSO was a New Zealand radio and television personality. He was born in Wellington and lived there until 1952 when he moved to Heretaunga in the Hutt Valley...
and Davina Whitehouse
Davina Whitehouse
Davina Whitehouse, OBE was a stage, film and television actress acclaimed in both her native UK as well as Australasia.She was a star of the London stage in the 1930s before emigrating to New Zealand in 1952,...
), literature (Barbara Ewing
Barbara Ewing
Barbara Ewing is a UK-based actress, playwright and novelist. Born in New Zealand, she graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in English and Maori before coming to Britain in 1965 to train as an actress at RADA in London.She made her film debut in the horror film Torture...
and A.K. Grant
Alan K. Grant
Alan Keith Grant , generally known by his initials as A.K. Grant, was a New Zealand writer, historian, critic and humorist....
), science (Brian Harold Mason
Brian Harold Mason
Brian Harold Mason was a New Zealand born geochemist and mineralogist who was one of the pioneers in the study of meteorites.Mason has played a leading part in understanding the nature of the solar system through his studies of meteorites and lunar rocks.Mason has also examined and classified...
and William Pickering
William Hayward Pickering
William Hayward Pickering ONZ KBE was a New Zealand born rocket scientist who headed Pasadena, California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 22 years, retiring in 1976...
) and the military (Johnny Checketts
Johnny Checketts
Wing Commander John "Johnny" Milne Checketts, DSO, DFC was a World War II Flying ace.-Birth and education:...
and Charles Upham
Charles Upham
Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham VC and Bar was a New Zealand soldier who earned the Victoria Cross twice during the Second World War: in Crete in May 1941, and at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, in July 1942...
).
The show has also featured iconic New Zealanders such as mountaineer and explorer Sir Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
and Māori activist Dame Whina Cooper
Whina Cooper
Dame Whina Cooper ONZ DBE , was born Hohewhina Te Wake, daughter of Heremia Te Wake of the Te Rarawa iwi, at Te Karaka, Hokianga,...
.
2010 Revival
The show returned after two years on 10 October 2010. Paul Henry was scheduled to appear as the host but due to controversy surrounding occurrences on the TV show Breakfast, Henry was replaced with former host Paul Holmes. The book was presented to Sir Peter LeitchPeter Leitch (Mad Butcher)
Sir Peter Charles Leitch, KNZM, QSM, is a New Zealand businessman, also known as The Mad Butcher. Although well known in New Zealand for the chain of butcheries he founded, Leitch is arguably just as well known for his charity, fundraising work and his promotion of rugby league.Born in Wellington,...
. Most recently former All Black Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Valentine Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight...
was honoured on October 17, 2011.