1970 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
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This is a list ofBritish televisionrelated events from 1970.

Events

January

• 1 January–5 February –BBC2airsThe Six Wives of Henry VIII,a series of six teleplays, each of which focusses on the life of one ofKing Henry VIII of England's six wives.
• 3 January –Jon Pertweemakes his first appearance as theThird Doctorin theDoctor WhoserialSpearhead from Space.It also marks the first time that the series is in colour.
• 4 January – BBC2 first airsMorning Story,starringLee Montague.
• 5 January –A Question of Sportfirst airs on BBC1. The programme continues past its 50th anniversary until 2023.
• c. January – AnOpen University/BBC team replace BBC News & Current Affairs at itsAlexandra Palacestudios in London.

February

• 9 February – The science fiction drama seriesDoomwatchdebuts on BBC1, starringJohn Paul,Simon OatesandRobert Powell.
• 15 February – BBC1 airs theKen RussellfilmDance of the Seven Veilsas part of itsOmnibusstrand. The film, about German composerRichard Strauss,attracts complaints because of its sex scenes and controversy by depicting Strauss as aNazi sympathiser.Strauss's family subsequently withdraw their permission for the use ofhis music,meaning the film cannot be shown again until the copyright on his work has expired. It is not until 2020 that the film is given a second airing, at that year'sKeswick Film Festival.
• 20 February – The popular American children's showThe Banana Splitsairs on BBC1, 2 months after NBC cancelled it.

March

• 7 March – The American children's showH.R. Pufnstufairs on selected ITV regions.
• 30 March – The first episode of the sitcomUp Pompeii,starringFrankie Howerd,is broadcast on BBC1.

April

• 6 April –HTVstarts broadcasting in colour from theWenvoe transmitting stationand from this day, the station becomes known on air as HTV rather than Harlech Television.
• 18 April – TheHome Internationalfootballmatch between Northern Ireland and Scotland atWindsor Parkis the first match featuring either nation to be televised in colour, covered by ITV cameras for all broadcasters. Wales also receive their first colour coverage, from BBC cameras, as they host England atNinian Park.

May

• 31 May–21 June – ITV introduces a studio panel, joining presenters Brian Moore and Jimmy Hill to analyse the latest action in the1970 World Cup.This is the first time a studio panel of pundits had been used as part of UK sporting coverage.

June

• 18 June –General electionresults are shown on BBC1 and ITN in colour for the first time.

July

• 8 July –Jack Walkerdies off-screen of a heart attack inCoronation Streetas a result of the death of actorArthur Leslie.Jack becomes the first major character to be written out due to the death of an actor.
• 16–25 July – The BBC covers the1970 Commonwealth Gameswith the afternoon events broadcast live, resulting in approximately three hours a day of live coverage each day plus a highlights programme broadcast at 8pm during the week.
• 17 July –Tyne Tees Televisionstarts broadcasting in colour from thePontop Pike transmitting station.

August

• 3 August – The UK's final405-linestelevision transmitter is switched on atNewhaven, East Sussex.All future transmitters are at the higher definition625-lines.
• 6 August – ABBC2broadcast ofChristopher Marlowe's 16th century dramaEdward IIfeatures the first same-sex kiss on British television, betweenIan McKellen(asEdward) andJames Laurenson(asPiers Gaveston,Edward's favourite).
• 19 August – ITV airs what is billed as the 1000th episode ofCoronation Street.A souvenir edition ofTVTimesis also published for the episode, even though it is in fact, the 999th.
• August – Yorkshire andTyne Tees Televisionannounce plans to merge when the two are brought under the control ofTrident TelevisionLimited, a company formed to deal with the problem of effective ownership of theBilsdale UHF transmitterand the allocation ofairtime.

September

• 12 September – ITV broadcast the children's sitcomHere Come the Double Deckers.
• 14 September
  • Ulster Televisionlaunches a colour service, but only from theDivis transmitting station.To mark the change, the logo is redesigned.
  • The first colour edition ofBlue Peteris aired on BBC1, but the last black and white edition will be transmitted on 24 June 1974. The programme alternates between colour and black and white depending on studio allocation.
  • TheNine O'Clock Newsis first broadcast onBBC1.The programme airs until 13 October 2000 when the station's main evening bulletin is switched to 10pm.
• 16 September –Gerry Anderson'slive action science fiction seriesUFOairs on ITV.
• 17 September – The hugely popularHanna-Barberacartoon showScooby-Doo, Where Are You?makes its first UK television appearance on BBC1.
• 18 September –London Weekend Televisionlaunches its famous river ident.
• 19 September – The American cartoon seriesThe Pink Panther Showmakes its debut on BBC1.

October

• 1 October —Anglia Televisionstarts broadcasting in colour from theTacolneston transmitting station.
• 15 October – BBC1 launch the popularPlay for Todaywhich showcases one-off dramas by a diverse variety of writers and directors.
• 17 October – The children's literacy programmeWords and Picturesdebuts on BBC1.

November

• 6 November – ITV begin showing the original 1930'sUniversal Classic Monstersfilms, starting with the 1931Dracula,starringBela Lugosi.
• 7 November –Felix Dennisbecomes the first person to use the word "cunt"on British television during a live broadcast ofThe Frost Programme.
• 8 November – BBC2 show the first episode of the long running comedy sketch showThe GoodiesstarringTim Brooke-Taylor,Graeme GardenandBill Oddie.
• 13 November – TheColour Strikebegins whenITVstaff refuse to work with colour television equipment following a dispute over pay with their management.
• 18 November – The first episode of the long-running children's movie themed quiz showScreen Testis broadcast on BBC1.
• 20 November – A bomb is placed under aBBCoutside broadcast vehicle stationed to cover theMiss World 1970beauty pageant at theRoyal Albert Hall,London, byThe Angry Brigadeanarchist group in protest atSouth Africa's entry of separate black and white contestants.
• 23 November – The first edition ofEngineering Announcementsis broadcast onITV.

December

• 9 December – 10th anniversary of the first episode ofCoronation Street.
• 10 December – BBC1 show the acclaimed folk horror dramaRobin Redbreast,as part of thePlay for Todayseries, however a power outage blacks out the ending of the broadcast in many areas, resulting in the BBC reshowing the drama on 25th February 1971.
• 17 December – British television premiere of the filmSummer HolidaystarringCliff Richardshown on BBC1.
• 25 December –Pluto's Christmas Treeis broadcast onBBC1,the first completeMickey Mousecartoon to be shown on British television in colour.
• 28 December
  • ITV show aCharlie Browncartoon for the first time in the UK, withA Charlie Brown Christmas.
  • BBC1 screen the network television premiere of the 1964Beatlesmusical comedy film,A Hard Day's Night

Undated

• TheHannington transmitting stationin northHampshireis built.

Debuts

BBC1

• 3 January –It's Cliff Richard!(1970–1974)
• 4 January –Ivanhoe(1970)
• 5 January –A Question of Sport(1968, 1970–2023)
• 2 February –A Stranger on the Hills(1970)
• 3 February –On Trial(1970)
• 9 February –Doomwatch(1970–1972)
• 20 February –The Banana Splits(1968–1970)
• 30 March -Up Pompeii(1970)
• 6 April –The Adventures of Parsley(1970–1971)
• 24 April –The Culture Vultures(1970)
• 29 May –Tarbuck's Luck(1970–1972)
• 2 July –The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens(1970)
• 20 August –Hope and Keen's Crazy House(1970–1972)
• 12 September –Here Come the Double Deckers!(1970–1971)
• 13 September –The Black Tulip(1970)
• 14 September
  • Nine O'Clock News(1970–2000)
  • Ryan International
• 17 September
  • Bachelor Father(1970–1971)
  • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?(1969–1970)
• 19 September
  • Ben Travers' Farces(1970)
  • The Pink Panther Show(1969–1980)
• 15 October –Play for Today(1970–1984)
• 17 October –Words and Pictures(1970–2001,2006–2007)
• 24 October –If It's Saturday, It Must Be Nimmo(1970)
• 25 October –Little Women(1970)
• 27 October –Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines(1969–1970)
• 18 November –Screen Test(1970–1984)
• 23 November –Drama Playhouse(1970; 1972)

BBC2

• 1 January –The Six Wives of Henry VIII(1970)
• 5 January –Barry Humphries' Scandals(1970)
• 19 January –Germinal(1970)
• 15 February –The Woodlanders(1970)
• 15 March –Daniel Deronda(1970)
• 22 March –Charley's Grants(1970)
• 7 April –Codename(1970)
• 26 April –The Spoils of Poynton(1970)
• 31 May –Villette(1970)
• 6 August –Edward II(1970)
• 9 August –Sentimental Education(1970)
• 22 September –The Roads to Freedom(1970)
• 27 September –Oh in Colour(1970)
• 29 September –Menace(1970–1973)
• 8 November –The Goodies(1970–1982)
• 1 December –Deep Sea Dick(1970)
• 4 December –Waugh on Crime(1970–1971)

ITV

• 2 January
  • Aquarius(1970–1977)
  • Manhunt(1970)
• 3 January –The Val Doonican Show(1970–1975)
• 6 January –Kate(1970–1972)
• 7 January –Redgauntlet(1970)
• 14 February –Wicked Women(1970)
• 15 February –Catweazle(1970–1971)
• 17 February –The Tribe That Hides From Man(1970)
• 3 March –The Misfit(1970–1971)
• 4 March –Smith(1970)
• 9 March –David Nixon's Magic Box(1970–1971)
• 16 March –Crime of Passion(1970–1973)
• 1 April –Shine a Light(1970)
• 2 April –Norman(1970)
• 14 April –A Family at War(1970–1972)
• 20 April –For the Love of Ada(1970–1971)
• 13 June –Albert and Victoria(1970–1971)
• 17 June –Shadows of Fear(1970–1971)
• 23 June –His and Hers(1970–1972)
• 3 July –Confession(1970)
• 5 July –Two D's and a Dog(1970)
• 10 July –The Kenny Everett Explosion(1970)
• 11 July –The Sky's the Limit(1970–1974)
• 29 July
  • Ace of Wands(1970–1972)
  • Husbands and Lovers(1970)
• 3 August –Bright's Boffins(1970–1972)
• 4 August –Never Say Die(1970)
• 28 August –If It Moves, File It(1970)
• 30 August –Big Brother(1970)
• 15 September –Skippy the Bush Kangaroo(1968–1970)
• 16 September –UFO(1970–1971)
• 18 September
  • Conceptions of Murder(1970)
  • From a Bird's Eye View(1970–1971)
• 24 September –On the House(1970–1971)
• 28 September –Timeslip(1970–1971)
• 3 October –The Adventures of Don Quick(1970)
• 9 October –The Mating Machine(1970)
• 27 October –The Lovers(1970–1971)
• 28 October
  • The Adventures of Rupert Bear(1970–1977)
  • Wreckers at Dead Eye(1970)
• 30 October –Tales of Unease(1970)
• 31 October –Ev(1970–1971)
• 4 November –Macbeth(1970)
• 5 November –Queenie's Castle(1970–1972)
• 18 November –Diamond Crack Diamond(1970)
• 24 November –Grady(1970)
• 14 December –Man at the Top(1970–1972)

Television shows

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• Andy Pandy(1950,1970,2002–2005)
• Steptoe and Son(1962–1965,1970–1974)

Continuing television shows

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon(1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)

1930s

• Trooping the Colour(1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present)
• The Boat Race(1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
• BBC Cricket(1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

• The Ed Sullivan Show(1948–1971)
• Come Dancing(1949–1998)

1950s

• Watch with Mother(1952–1975)
• The Good Old Days(1953–1983)
• Panorama(1953–present)
• Dixon of Dock Green(1955–1976)
• Opportunity Knocks(1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• This Week(1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• Armchair Theatre(1956–1974)
• 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)
• Z-Cars(1962–1978)
• Animal Magic(1962–1983)
• Doctor Who(1963–1989, 1996, 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.(1965–1999)
• World of Sport(1965–1985)
• All Gas and Gaiters(1966–1971)
• Jackanory(1965–1996, 2006)
• Sportsnight(1965–1997)
• It's a Knockout(1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme(1966–2010)
• Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width(1967–1971)
• Callan(1967–1972)
• The Golden Shot(1967–1975)
• Playhouse(1967–1982)
• Reksio(1967–1990)
• Me Mammy(1968–1971)
• Please Sir!(1968–1972)
• Father, Dear Father(1968–1973)
• Dad's Army(1968–1977)
• Magpie(1968–1980)
• The Big Match(1968–2002)
• On the Buses(1969–1973)
• Clangers(1969–1974,2015–present)
• Monty Python's Flying Circus(1969–1974)
• Nationwide(1969–1983)
• Screen Test(1969–1984)

Ending this year

• Andy Pandy(1950–1970,2002–2005)
• Crackerjack(1955–1970,1972–1984, 2020–2021)
• The Wednesday Play(1964–1970)
• Not Only... But Also(1965–1970)
• Not in Front of the Children(1967–1970)
• Never a Cross Word(1968–1970)
• Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)(1969–1970)
• Scooby Doo, Where Are You!(1969–1970)
• Department S (TV series)(1969–1970)

Births

• 8 February –Glenn Hugill,actor, presenter and producer
• 10 February –Robert Shearman,broadcast scriptwriter
• 14 February –Simon Pegg,comedian, writer and actor
• 7 March
  • Emma Davies,actress
  • Rachel Weisz,British actress
• 29 March –Ruth England,presenter and actress
• 3 April –Lucy Alexander,presenter
• 5 April –Krishnan Guru-Murthy,journalist and presenter
• 9 April –Tricia Penrose,actress and singer
• 10 May –Sally Phillips,Hong Kong-born English comedy actress
• 15 May –Nicola Walker,actress
• 20 May –Louis Theroux,presenter and author
• 22 May –Naomi Campbell,model (The Face)
• 18 June –Katie Derham,newsreader and television presenter
• 25 June –Lucy Benjamin,actress
• 7 July –Zoë Tyler,singer and actress
• 10 July –John Simm,actor
• 13 July –Sharon Horgan,English-born Irish comedy writer-performer
• 29 July –Andi Peters,presenter and producer
• 4 August –Kate Silverton,journalist, newsreader and television presenter
• 7 August –Melanie Sykes,presenter
• 5 September –Johnny Vegas,actor and comedian
• 6 September –Emily Maitlis,journalist and newsreader
• 13 September –Louise Lombard,actress
• 28 September –Jo Wyatt,actress, voice actress and singer
• 29 September –Emily Lloyd,actress
• 31 October –Craig Kelly,actor
• 12 November –Harvey Spencer Stephens,child actor
• 22 November –Stel Pavlou,novelist and screenwriter
• 23 November –Zoe Ball,television and radio presenter
• 28 November
  • Lucy Owen,Welsh television newsreader
  • Richard Osman,television presenter
• 10 December –Susanna Reid,journalist and television presenter
• 13 December –Jesse Armstrong,screenwriter
• 17 December –Craig Doyle,broadcast presenter
• 21 December –Jamie Theakston,broadcast presenter and producer
• 29 December –Aled Jones,singer and presenter
• Unknown –Jenny Scott,journalist and economist

Deaths

• 30 June –Arthur Leslie,actor (Coronation Street), aged 70

See also

• 1970 in British music
• 1970 in British radio
• 1970 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1970

External links

• List of 1970 British television seriesatIMDb