Eileen Fowler

Eileen Philippa Rose Fowler, MBE (13 May 1906 – 7 March 2000) was a United Kingdom physical exercise instructor. She was involved in the keep-fit craze and had a lasting career on radio and BBC television.

Life

Fowler was born in

During the Second World War she was employed by the Central Council of Physical Recreation to improve the fitness of workers as she toured across the country conducting group physical training. In February 1945 she married an electrical engineer. After several years the CCPR again employed her and she and 200 women provided a show at an F.A. Cup final.[1]

In 1954 she gave her first keep-fit broadcast.^[1] Many were exercising with her radio broadcasts at 6:45 in the morning. With the catchphrase "Down with a bounce; with a bounce, come up" she introduced fun into exercise.^[3]

She helped found the Keep Fit Association in 1956 and she ran her own "EF Fitness" classes near her house. These exercises moved on to BBC television until 1961, and after this she created exercise records that allowed people to continue to exercise at home. Alternatively, they could read Stay Young Forever which Fowler wrote in 1963. During the 1970s she appeared on TV and on radio.^[1]

In March 1974, she appeared on Desert Island Discs she chose one of her own records as her favourite and requested writing materials and The Kon-Tiki Expedition by Dr Thor Heyerdahl as her favourite book.^[4] In 1975, she was awarded an MBE.^[1]

Fowler remained fit into her 90s and would insist on displaying her suppleness to other residents at her retirement home. She died in Colchester in 2000.^[3]

References