1979 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1979.

Events

• 2 January - BBC2 broadcasts the first in Michael Wood's groundbreaking history documentary series, In Search of the Dark Ages.
• 28 January – Thomas & Sarah, a spin-off of Upstairs, Downstairs premieres on LWT. It runs for only one series.
• 24 March – Tales of the Unexpected, an Anglia Television series based on the short stories of Roald Dahl, makes its debut on ITV.
• 3 May-4 May – BBC1 and ITV broadcast coverage of the 1979 general election. The election is won by the Conservatives and sees Margaret Thatcher become the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.^[1]
• 6 August – Technicians at Thames Television go on strike following a long-running dispute.^[2]
• 10 August – The whole of the ITV network except the Channel Islands is affected by a technicians' strike for eleven weeks.
• 27 August - Lord Mountbatten was murdered by IRA bombers. His death set a record audience for a news bulletin, as 26 million viewers watched the coverage on BBC1. Strike action at ITN led to the record viewing figures.
• 2 September – Subtitling of television programmes on Ceefax begins.
• 25 September – Robin Day presents the first edition of the long-running political debate programme Question Time on BBC1. The programme continues to air to the present day.
• 24 October – On ITV's first night back on air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
• 11 November – Last episode of the first series of sitcom To the Manor Born on BBC1 receives 23.95 million viewers, the all-time highest figure for a recorded programme in the UK.^[3]
• 1 December – BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world. US broadcaster NBC unveils their first computer-generated symbol later that year.

Debuts

BBC1

• Unknown – Henry's Cat (1979–2013)
• 18 January – Blankety Blank (1979–1990, BBC1 1997–1999, ITV 2001–2002)
• 18 February – Antiques Roadshow (1979–present)
• 9 June – The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994)
• 25 September – Question Time (1979–present)
• 30 September
  • To the Manor Born (1979–1981, 2007)
  • Shoestring (1979–1980)
• 24 October – Terry and June (1979–1987)

BBC2

• 28 September – Friday Night, Saturday Morning (1979–1982)
• 16 October – Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982)

ITV

• 3 January – The Book Tower (1979–1989)
• 6 January – Dick Turpin (1979–1982)
• 14 January – Thomas & Sarah (1979)
• 25 February – Worzel Gummidge (1979–1981)
• 11 March – Agony (1979–1981)
• 24 March – Tales of the Unexpected (1979–1985; 1987–1988)
• 15 April - End of Part One (1979–1980)
• 10 July – Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982)
• 12 July – Shelley (1979–1992)
• 25 September – Once Upon a Time (1979–present)
• 29 October
  • Only When I Laugh (1979–1982)
  • Minder (1979–1994; 2009)

Television shows

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979)

1940s

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984)
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• Animal Magic (1962–1983)
• Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present)
• World in Action (1963–1998)
• Top of the Pops (1964–2006)
• Match of the Day (1964–present)
• Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
• Play School (1964–1988)
• Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010, 2012–present)
• World of Sport (1965–1985)
• Jackanory (1965–1996)
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–2010)
• ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• Crown Court (1972–1984)
• Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
• Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)
• Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
• Emmerdale (1972–present)
• Newsround (1972–present)
• Weekend World (1972–1988)
• Pipkins (1973–1981)
• We Are the Champions (1973–1987)
• Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)
• That's Life! (1973–1994)
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981)
• Tiswas (1974–1982)
• Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)
• The Cuckoo Waltz (1975–1980)
• Arena (1975–present)
• Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)
• The Muppet Show (1976–1981)
• When the Boat Comes In (1976–1981)
• Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976–1982)
• Rentaghost (1976–1984)
• One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
• Robin's Nest (1977–1981)
• You’re Only Young Twice (1977–1981)
• The Professionals (1977–1983)
• Blake's 7 (1978–1981)
• Strangers (1978–1982)
• Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)
• 3-2-1 (1978–1988)
• Grange Hill (1978–2008)

Ending this year

• 5 January – The Liver Birds (1969–1979, 1996)
• 11 March – Return of the Saint (1978–1979)
• 7 July – Celebrity Squares (1975–1979, 1993–1997, 2014–present)
• 25 October – Fawlty Towers (1975–1979)
• 16 November – Sykes (1972–1979)
• 19 December – General Hospital (1972–1979)
• 25 December – George and Mildred (1976–1979)

Births

• 23 January – Dawn O'Porter, Scottish fashion designer and journalist
• 27 January – Rosamund Pike, actress
• 2 February – Christine Bleakley, television presenter
• 13 February – Lucy Brown, actress
• 10 March – Laura Rogers, actress
• 20 March – Freema Agyeman, actress
• 12 April – Paul Nicholls, actor
• 29 April – Jo O'Meara, singer, dancer and actress
• 10 May – Lara Lewington, weather and television presenter
• 27 May – Jeff Brazier, television presenter and reality show contestant
• 12 June – Jodie Prenger, actress and singer
• 10 July – Sarah-Jane Mee, presenter (Sky News)
• 27 July – Julia Haworth, actress
• 21 August - Samantha Simmonds, newsreader
• 19 November – Katherine Kelly, actress
• 29 November – Simon Amstell, comedian and television presenter
• Unknown – Leanne Lakey, actress

Deaths

• 28 February – Jane Hylton, 51, actress (The Adventures of Sir Lancelot)
• 6 March – John Robinson, 70, actor best known for Quatermass II
• 19 March – Richard Beckinsale, 31, actor
• 24 March – Yvonne Mitchell, 63, actress (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
• 30 May – Jack Raine, 82, actor
• 7 July (disappeared, presumed dead) - Ian Mackintosh, 39, TV writer (air crash)^[4]
• 4 July - Marjorie Rhodes, 82, actress
• 6 July - Malcolm Hulke, 54, screenwriter (Doctor Who)^[5]
• 24 July - Archie Duncan, 65, actor best known as Little John in The Adventures of Robin Hood
• 23 September - Catherine Lacey, 75, actress^[6]
• 20 November - Michael Darbyshire, 62, Rentaghost actor
• 30 November – Joyce Grenfell, 69, actress, comedian and singer-songwriter

References