1947 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1947.

Events

• 10 February-11 March – The BBC Television Service is temporarily suspended for the first time since World War II due to a national fuel crisis.
• 9 November – Memorial service broadcast from the Cenotaph on the BBC Television Service, using tele-recording for the first time.
• 20 November – The Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth II), daughter of George VI marries The Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, London.^[1] The service is watched by an estimated 400,000 viewers and is the oldest surviving telerecorded programme in Britain.
• Unknown
  • Adelaide Hall appearing in Variety in Sepia, the first telecording by BBC (kinescope) showing black singer Adelaide Hall performing two songs with chorus and her guitar. Copies of this first English kinescope of live TV broadcast are preserved by the BBC.
  • Café Continental premieres on the BBC Television Service.

Debuts

• Unknown – Café Continental (1947–1953)

Television shows

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2024)

1930s

• Picture Page (1936–1939, 1946–1952).
• For the Children (1937–1939, 1946–1950)

1940s

• Kaleidoscope (1946–1953)
• Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006)

Ending this year

• Pinwright's Progress (1946–1947)

Births

• 21 January – Jonathan Meades, journalist and presenter
• 10 February – Nicholas Owen, journalist and newsreader
• 22 February – Deborah Grant, actress
• 28 February – Stephanie Beacham, English actress
• 1 March – Mike Read, television presenter and radio disc jockey
• 11 March – Alan Yentob, television executive
• 26 April – Warren Clarke, actor (died 2014)
• 30 April – Leslie Grantham, actor (EastEnders)
• 20 May – Greg Dyke, journalist and broadcaster and former Director-General of the BBC
• 6 July – Richard Beckinsale, actor (died 1979) (Porridge, Rising Damp)
• 14 July – Julia Somerville, Journalist and newsreader
• 23 July – David Essex, actor and singer (EastEnders)
• 7 August – Nick Ross, radio and television presenter
• 14 September – Joan Thirkettle, Journalist and broadcaster (died 1996)
• 16 September – Russ Abbot, actor, comedian and singer
• 28 September – Jon Snow, journalist and news presenter
• 30 September – Rula Lenska, actress
• 2 October – Paul Jackson, producer
• 1 November – Nick Owen, newsreader and television presenter
• 6 November – Jim Rosenthal, television sports presenter

See also

• 1947 in British music
• 1947 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1947

References