1973 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1973.

Events

• 4 January – The UK and world record breaking long-running comedy series Last of the Summer Wine starts as a 30-minute pilot on BBC1's Comedy Playhouse show. The first series run starts on 12 November and the programme runs for 37 years until August 2010.
• 11 January – The Open University awards its first degrees.^[1]
• 5 February – Elisabeth Beresford's well known popular children's characters The Wombles have spawned into a stop motion animated television series narrated by Bernard Cribbins and composed by Mike Batt on BBC1.
• 25 January – English actor Derren Nesbitt is convicted of assaulting his wife Anne Aubrey.
• 15 February – The first episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em airs on BBC1.
• 14 March – Are You Being Served? begins first regular series (pilot aired 8 September 1972).
• 25 March – The pilot episode of Open All Hours airs as part of Ronnie Barker's series Seven of One on BBC1.
• March – Experimental Ceefax teletext transmissions begin.
• 1 April – Prisoner and Escort, the pilot episode of Porridge, airs as part of Seven of One.
• 5 May–28 July – BBC Television series The Ascent of Man, written and presented by Jacob Bronowski, airs; there is also an accompanying bestselling book.
• 6 August – James Beck, who stars as Private Walker in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army, dies of a burst pancreas at the age of 44. Although the series continues until 1977, the part of Walker is not recast and the show carries on without him.
• 8 October – Pat Phoenix leaves the role of Elsie Tanner on Coronation Street after thirteen years.
• 31 October – Thames Television's landmark 26-part documentary The World at War begins.
• 12 November – First series run of Last of the Summer Wine starts on BBC1.
• 23 November – 10th anniversary of the first episode of Doctor Who.
• Smash Martians advertising campaign launches on ITV.

Debuts

BBC 1

• 9 January – Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973–1974)
• 25 January – Whoops Baghdad (1973)
• 5 February – The Wombles (1973–1975, 1990–1991 BBC, 1996–1997 ITV)
• 15 February – Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973–1978)
• 13 March – Lizzie Dripping (1973–1975)
• 26 May – That's Life! (1973–1994)
• 13 June – We Are the Champions (1973–1995)
• 20 August – Why Don't You? (1973–1995)
• 13 September – Casanova '73 (1973)
• 12 November – Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)

BBC 2

• 25 March – Seven of One (1973)

ITV

• 1 January – Pipkins (1973–1981)
• 12 March – Hickory House (1973–1977)
• 14 April – Thriller (1973–1976)
• 30 April – The Tomorrow People (1973–1979, 1992–1995)
• 29 July – Bowler (1973)
• 15 August – Man About the House (1973–1976)
• 1 September – Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973–1974)
• 29 September – New Faces (1973–1978, 1986–1988)
• 31 October – The World at War (1973–1974)
• 1 November – Beryl's Lot (1973–1977)

Television shows

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974)

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–2024)

1940s

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• 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)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• Songs of Praise (1961–present)
• Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974)
• Z-Cars (1962–1978)
• 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)
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
• World of Sport (1965–1985)
• Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–2010)
• The Golden Shot (1967–1975)
• ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
• Dad's Army (1968–1977)
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• Clangers (1969–1974, 2015–present)
• Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)
• Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• Colditz (1972–1974)
• The Protectors (1972–1974)
• Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1977)
• Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• Crown Court (1972–1984)
• Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
• Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
• Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)
• Emmerdale (1972–present)
• Newsround (1972–present)
• Weekend World (1972–1988)

Ending this year

• Watch with Mother (1946–1973)
• Father, Dear Father (1968–1973)
• Freewheelers (1968–1973)
• Nearest and Dearest (1968–1973)
• The Flaxton Boys (1969–1973)
• On the Buses (1969–1973)
• ...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)
• The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)
• Now Look Here (1971–1973)
• Follyfoot (1971–1973)
• Arthur of the Britons (1972–1973)
• War and Peace (1972–1973)

Births

• 29 January – Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter
• 7 February – Kate Thornton, journalist and presenter
• 8 February – Sonia Deol, presenter
• 3 March – Alison King, actress
• 5 April – Jason Done, actor
• 24 April – Gabby Logan, media presenter
• 30 April – Leigh Francis, comedian
• 8 May – Marcus Brigstocke, English comedian, actor and screenwriter
• 21 May – Noel Fielding, comedian and actor
• 24 May – Dermot O'Leary, media presenter
• 26 May – Julie Wilson Nimmo, Scottish actress
• 9 June – Iain Lee, comedian and media presenter
• 16 June – Amanda Byram, Irish-born presenter
• 3 July – Emma Cunniffe, actress
• 11 October – Mark Chapman, broadcaster and newsreader
• 21 October – Beverley Turner, media presenter
• 5 November – Danniella Westbrook, actress and television presenter
• 8 December – Kim Medcalf, actress

Deaths

• 31 March – George Woodbridge, 66, Inigo Pipkin in Pipkins
• 6 August – James Beck, 44, Private Walker in Dad's Army

See also

• 1973 in British music
• 1973 in British radio
• 1973 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1973

References