THE day a much-loved TV broadcaster was smuggled into Taunton under great secrecy has been recounted by a former County Gazette reporter.

Irishman Eamonn Andrews, who would have turned 100 on December 19, hosted 730 edition of television’s This is Your Life.

And he brought the show of surprises to Somerset twice some 60 years ago.

In February 1958, 10million people watched the edition featuring H. J. (Dapper) Channon, the ‘Mr Chips’ of Queen’s College, Taunton.

He first entered Queen’s as a schoolboy in 1901, and later returned to teach English, history, geography, and scripture.

He was also a sports master who loved cricket and wrote a book, A Sportsman’s Parables, as well as the college history.

Old boys from all over the world kept in touch with him.

One of them, the speaker of the Ghana Parliament, paid tribute on film.

Producers flew over Mr Channon’s daughter, Marcia, from Los Angeles, to meet him for the first time in 12 years.

One-time Gazette reporter Mike Ford said: "Such was the secrecy of the programme that Eamonn travelled to Bristol by train, was driven to a roadside haystack near Bridgwater where he waited in hiding for another car to smuggle him into Taunton’s Castle Hotel, before heading to Queen’s."

Three years later, Eamonn returned to the county to present the book to Dr Robert Fawcus, a GP at Chard’s Fore Street practice.

Riding his famous round tank motorcycle, Dr Fawcus was noted for reaching every emergency whatever the time or weather.

He supported people through the unemployment of the 1930s and was a founding member of Toc H, the international Christian movement.

The show was recorded at Dillington House, Ilminster, and transmitted in February 1961.

Mike Ford has been liaising with Eamonn’s family and friends, including Sir Michael Parkinson, to honour the TV presenter in a series of centenary features.

"Eamonn was the reason I went into broadcasting," said Mike.

"I first wrote to him when I was 15, later worked with him, and stayed in touch until he died in 1987.

"A devout Catholic, Eamonn was a man of immense kindness, compassion and integrity.

"Away from the screen, you’d find him generously and quietly helping other people, even writing to prisoners to offer hope and friendship."