Melissa Doyle left the Seven Network in August 2020 after 25 years with the network. This morning, the reporter and former Sunrise announced that she will be returning to the network to host the reboot of This Is Your Life.
“I am honoured to continue the legacy of such an iconic program as This Is Your Life,” Doyle said.
“I can’t wait to present the Big Red Book to some of our most loved Australians and together celebrate their remarkable lives and the people and moments which mean so much to them – and to all of us.”
The show follows prominent Australians (originally Americans, as the show began on radio in the US in 1948, hosted by Ralph Simpson) as they go through the events of their life, read out from the Big Red Book.
This Is Your Life first aired on Channel Seven in 1975 with the late Mike Willesee as the host.
The show was then successfully rebooted on rival network Channel Nine in 1995 with Mike Munro at the helm for 13 years. It was revived again in 2011 with Eddie McGuire, but was axed after just four episodes.
In the past, This Is Your Life has presented the life and times of Australian greats such as cricketer Adam Gilchrist, media doyenne Ita Buttrose, and the late Steve Irwin.
“This Is Your Life was an iconic and incredibly successful show for many years,” Seven chief content officer Angus Ross said. “We can’t wait to bring the format into 2022 and to welcome Mel Doyle back to Seven as its host. Mel is one of the best in the business. Intelligent, warm, and engaging, she is the perfect person to present This Is Your Life and to celebrate the careers and achievements of some extraordinary Australians.”
During her time with the network, Doyle hosted many of Seven’s flagship shows including Sunrise, Sunday Night, 7News, and Today Tonight.
Doyle joined Seven in 1995 as part of its Canberra bureau and worked alongside Sunrise’s David Koch for 11 years until stepping down as co-host in 2013.
The new version of This Is Your Life will be produced for Seven by ITV Studios Australia.