Journey of a Lifetime

Journey of a Lifetime
Alan Whicker

The iconic broadcasting legend dusts down his suitcase for a final journey around the globe, revisiting locations of significance to his life and career."You might say I'm set in my airways. I'm one of those lucky people whose professional and private lives blend exactly."Alan Whicker, 2007This sumptuous book to accompany the major BBC TV series of the same name, is a glorious celebration of 50 years in front of the camera.For as long as most can remember, Whicker has roamed far and wide in search of the eccentric, the ludicrous and the socially-revealing aspects of everyday life as lived by some of the more colourful of the world's inhabitants.Since the late 1950s, when the long-running Whicker's World documentary was first screened, he has probed and dissected the often secretive and unobserved worlds of the rich and famous, rooting out the most implausible and sometimes ridiculous characters after gaining admittance to the places where they conduct their leisure hours.The great man's legacy contains a number of genuine TV firsts. As well as landmark interviews with figures as diverse as Papa Doc, Paul Getty and The Sultan of Brunei, he was a pioneer, covering subjects like plastic surgery, gay weddings, polygamy, swinging and following gun-toting cops, fly-on-the-wall style, for British screens long before anyone else.This wonderful new book is the end product of a very personal journey. Whicker retraces his steps, catching up with some past interviewees and reflecting on how the world has changed - for good and bad - over the passing of time. Journey of a Lifetime is lyrical, uplifting and peppered with our favourite globetrotter's brand of subtle satire.

Alan

Whicker

Journey of A Lifetime

For Valerie, of course—who retraced every step

with me and made each one happy…

And for our friends Anne and David Crossland

who joined this kaleidoscope of Whickerwork and

spread a lot of happiness we were often lucky

enough to share.

Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page (#u1d3544d3-0826-5701-9647-59cb0711a57c)

Dedication (#u918084dd-a636-5f9b-9157-e9475a06f535)

UNKNOWN PLACES FIT FOR EAGLES AND ANGELS (#u066eb260-d32f-5366-a6bf-43365374a08c)

1 - THERE’S BEEN A CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT (#ud1044075-ef2f-5543-af2f-1fdb5085bf1b)

2 - A TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO’S NOT TREMBLING (#u10311ce6-b362-573f-a903-7b12c4037226)

3 - TWO LHASA APSOS AND A COUPLE OF PANTECHNICONS (#u08a695bb-6119-5eab-b08d-19ea5baf1ab3)

4 - CITY OF DREADFUL JOY (#u0436523c-38ff-5985-86fb-4a4fd0e4b432)

5 - RELIEVING PATIENTS OF MANY POUNDS—ONE WAY OR THE OTHER (#ue316ea2d-f271-537b-9300-cc8e30ddac88)

6 - RANDOLPH: AS RUDE TO AMBASSADORS AS HE WAS TO WAITERS (#ue50455c7-0906-52c1-a176-41ee2e6d9c02)

7 - NO ONE CARED ENOUGH (#uce46965e-c066-56ae-b02b-12b09384645e)

8 - STILL NO DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (#litres_trial_promo)

9 - IN AMERICA’S SMARTEST SOCIAL RESORT ONLY THE LONELINESS GETS WORSE (#litres_trial_promo)

10 - YOU DIDN’T LOOK LIKE THAT IN HELLO! (#litres_trial_promo)

11 - IN MEXICO DEATH KNOCKS MORE OFTEN AND MUST MORE FREQUENTLY BE ADMITTED (#litres_trial_promo)

12 - EASY TO TEACH WOMEN TO SHOOT, HARDER TO TEACH THEM TO KILL (#litres_trial_promo)

13 - A POM WHO’S MADE GOOD—IF THAT’S THE WORD (#litres_trial_promo)

14 - A MOST SIGNIFICANT PINNACLE OF CORAL (#litres_trial_promo)

15 - THAT’S FOR THE RELEVANT DEMON-GIANT TO WORRY ABOUT (#litres_trial_promo)

16 - ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE A SENSE OF IMPENDING DISASTER (#litres_trial_promo)

17 - I’VE ALWAYS WISHED I HAD A BETTER PERSONALITY (#litres_trial_promo)

18 - THEY FEED THE PIGS ON PASSION FRUIT, THE SHEEP ON WILD PEACHES (#litres_trial_promo)

19 - TROUBLED SPIRITS, NEVER QUITE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SKINS (#litres_trial_promo)

20 - I DON’T MIND A BEATING PROVIDED IT’S BEDSTAKES AFTERWARDS (#litres_trial_promo)

21 - THEY LIVE IN BAREFOOT POVERTY—AND NEVER SEE A MAN (#litres_trial_promo)

22 - A FEW LEFT BEHIND WHEN THE TIDE RAN OUT (#litres_trial_promo)

23 - NO MONEY, NO ENGLISH—AND NO TROUSERS (#litres_trial_promo)

24 - I AWAITED THE STRETCHER-BEARERS, BLEEDING QUIETLY (#litres_trial_promo)

25 - A RATHER SMALL UTRILLO (#litres_trial_promo)

26 - THIRTY BODYGUARDS FOR DINNER (#litres_trial_promo)

27 - THE RIGHT INTERESTS: LADIES, HORSE-RACING—AND TAKING THE LOCALS FOR A RIDE (#litres_trial_promo)

28 - BACKSTAGE AT THE ROYAL PALACE (#litres_trial_promo)

29 - NEVER A FRIENDLY ARMOURED DIVISION AROUND WHEN YOU NEED ONE (#litres_trial_promo)

30 - THE PARTY’S OVER—IT’S TIME TO CALL IT A DAY (#litres_trial_promo)

Index (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

Other Books By The Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)