1964 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1964.

Events

• 1 January – The first Top of the Pops airs on BBC TV.
• 9 February – Launch of BBC Wales TV.
• 6 April – Associated-Rediffusion changes its name to Rediffusion, London.
• 20 April – BBC Two starts broadcasting, the existing BBC TV channel is renamed BBC1.
• 30 April – Television sets manufactured as of this date are required to receive UHF channels.
• 5 May – The documentary film Seven Up! is broadcast on ITV, showing the lives of fourteen school children. Subsequent films in the series have seen them interviewed every seven years since.
• 30 May – The 26-part documentary series The Great War covering events in World War I begins airing on the BBC.
• July – Associated Television's series Emergency – Ward 10 shows the first kiss on television between black and white actors, Joan Hooley playing surgeon Louise Mahler and John White playing Dr. Giles Farmer.
• 22 August – The first Match of the Day airs on BBC2 and the following episodes moved to BBC1.
• 28 September – In the Midlands, BBC One airs the first edition of its local news programme, Midlands Today.^[1]
• 10 October – The 1964 Summer Olympics opening ceremony at Tokyo, Japan, with first time of live Olympic telecast program by geostationary communication satellite.
• 13 October – Danger Man (US: Secret Agent) returns to ITV after being cancelled in 1961.
• 28 October – The Wednesday Play premieres on BBC1.
• 2 November – Crossroads premieres on ITV.
• 15 December – Peter Watkins' docudrama Culloden is shown on BBC1.

Debuts

BBC Television Service/BBC TV/BBC1

• 1 January – Top of the Pops (1964–2006 & present)
• 28 October – The Wednesday Play (1964–1970)
• 13 November – Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life (1964–1965)
• 4 December – The Likely Lads (1964–1966)

BBC2

• 21 April – Play School (1964–1988)
• 2 May – Theatre 625 (1964–1968)
• July – The Beat Room (1964–1965)
• 22 August – Match of the Day (1964–present)

ITV

• Unknown – Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010, 2012–present)
• 5 May – Seven Up! (1964–Present)
• 17 October – Redcap (1964–1966)
• 2 November – Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003)

Television shows

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• 13 October – Danger Man (1960–1961, 1964–1968)

1920s

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

1940s

• Watch with Mother (1946–1973)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
• Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• Picture Book (1955–1965)
• Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974)
• Take Your Pick (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
• Double Your Money (1955–1968)
• Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984)
• Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)^[2]
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Picture Book (1958–1965)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)
• Noggin the Nog (1959–1965)

1960s

• Sykes and A... (1960–1965)
• The Flintstones (1960–1966)
• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• The Avengers (1961–1969)
• Points of View (1961–present)
• Songs of Praise (1961–present)
• Compact (1962–1965)
• Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974)
• Hugh and I (1962–1967)
• The Saint (1962–1969)
• Z-Cars (1962–1978)
• Animal Magic (1962–1983)
• The Human Jungle (1963–1965)
• Ready Steady Go! (1963–1966)
• Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present)
• World in Action (1963–1998)

Ending this year

• Ghost Squad (1961–1964)
• Gwlad y Gan (1958–1964)
• The Human Jungle (1963–1964)

Births

• 12 January – Clare Holman, British actress (Inspector Morse)
• 13 January – Bill Bailey, comedian
• 1 February – Linus Roache, actor
• 3 February – Gary Webster, actor
• 16 February – Christopher Eccleston, actor
• 24 February – Andy Crane, television and radio presenter
• 25 February – Lee Evans, comedian and actor
• 11 March – Shane Richie, actor
• 25 April – Fiona Bruce, journalist, newsreader and television presenter
• 13 June – Kathy Burke, actress and comedian
• 18 June – Linda Davidson, actress, writer and media executive
• 27 June – Lynn Parsons, radio and television presenter
• 3 July – Fionnuala Ellwood, actress
• 12 July – Gaby Roslin, television presenter and actress
• 21 July – Ross Kemp, actor and journalist
• 22 July – Bonnie Langford, actress and entertainer
• 23 July – Matilda Ziegler, actress
• 27 August – Cheryl Fergison, actress
• 1 October – Harry Hill, comedian, author, television presenter and former doctor
• 8 October – Ian Hart, actor
• 21 November – Liza Tarbuck, actress and television presenter
• 26 November – Lia Williams, actress and director

See also

• 1964 in British music
• 1964 in British radio
• 1964 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1964

References