This is a list of
British television
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
-related events in 1976.
Events
January
* 2 January –
Sheffield Cablevision
Sheffield Cablevision was a cable television community television, community channel in Sheffield, England which launched on 29 August 1973. The channel was one of five community cable television experiments that were authorised by the UK's Minist ...
closes when its funds run out.
* 5 January – BBC1 begin showing the children's animated series ''
Paddington
Paddington is an area within the City of Westminster, in Central London. First a medieval parish then a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Three important landmarks of the district are Paddi ...
'', based on the books by
Michael Bond
Thomas Michael Bond (13 January 1926 – 27 June 2017) was a British author. He is best known for a series of fictional stories for children, featuring the character of Paddington Bear. More than 35 million Paddington books have been sold ...
and narrated by
Michael Hordern
Sir Michael Murray Hordern CBE (3 October 19112 May 1995)Morley, Sheridan"Hordern, Michael Murray (1911–1995)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online edition, May 2009, accessed 22 July 2015 was ...
.
* 6 January – The children's supernatural comedy series ''
Rentaghost
''Rentaghost'' is a British children's television comedy show, originally broadcast by the BBC between 6 January 1976 and 6 November 1984. The show's plot centred on the antics of a number of ghosts who worked for a firm called Rentaghost, which ...
'' debuts on BBC1.
* 7 January – Debut of the
Michael Palin
Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries.
Palin w ...
and
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh comedian, director, historian, actor, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy team.
After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones and ...
comedy anthology series ''
Ripping Yarns
''Ripping Yarns'' is a British television adventure comedy anthology series. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. It was transmitted on BBC 2. Following an initial pilot episode in January 1976, it ran for two ser ...
'' on BBC2.
* 25 January – ITV screen the network premiere of the 1969 comedy caper ''
The Italian Job
''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres around Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, rece ...
'', starring
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
.
February
*4 February – Early morning programming from the Open University begins on BBC1 with ''Electrons in motion'' airing at 7:05am. It would only be shown on UHF 625-line transmitters.
* 20 February – The first regular episode of the
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George Barker (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He was known for roles in British comedy television series such as '' Porridge'', ''The Two Ronnies'', and ''Open All Hours''.
...
and
David Jason
Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the BBC sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector J ...
starring comedy series ''
Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' airs on BBC2, almost three years after the pilot episode was first shown.
March
*No events.
April
*3 April – The 21st
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
is won by
Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man are a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Save Your Kisses for Me".
Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer Tony Hiller, Brotherhood of Man was initia ...
, representing the United Kingdom, with their song
Save Your Kisses for Me
"Save Your Kisses for Me" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed for the by Brotherhood of Man in The Hague, Netherlands. The lyrics and music were written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, and Martin Lee, the latter two ...
.
*5 April –
Patricia Phoenix
Patricia Phoenix Booth (born Patricia Frederica Manfield; 26 November 1923 – 17 September 1986) was an English actress who became one of the first sex symbols of British television through her role as Elsie Tanner, an original cast member ...
returns to the role of
Elsie Tanner
Elsie Gregory (also Grimshaw, Howard and Tanner) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Pat Phoenix from the series' inception in 1960 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1984. Elsie Tanner was ...
on ''
Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford.
Origi ...
'' after an absence of three years.
*6 April – The original scheduled airdate of
Dennis Potter
Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Singing Detective'' (198 ...
's ''
Play for Today
''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'' ''
Brimstone and Treacle
''Brimstone and Treacle'' is a 1976 BBC television play by Dennis Potter. Originally intended for broadcast as an episode of the series '' Play for Today'', it remained untransmitted until 1987. The play was made into a film version (released i ...
''. The film is pulled from transmission on BBC1 due to controversy over its content, including the rape of a woman by the devil. It is eventually shown on that channel in 1987, after having been made into a film starring
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-eart ...
in 1982.
*7 April –
Margot Bryant
Kathleen Mary Margaret Bryant (8 March 1897 – 1 January 1988), known professionally as Margot Bryant, was an English stage, teleivison and actress best known for playing Minnie Caldwell in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from its inc ...
makes her last appearance as
Minnie Caldwell
''Coronation Street'' is a British television soap opera/serial, initially produced by Granada Television. Created by screenwriter Tony Warren, ''Coronation Street'' first broadcast on ITV on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of charact ...
on ''Coronation Street''.
*23 April – BBC1 debuts the US police action series ''
Starsky & Hutch
''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...
'', starring
David Soul
David Soul (born David Richard Solberg; August 28, 1943) is an American-British actor and singer. He is known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television series ''Starsky & Hutch'' from 1975 to 1979; Joshua Bolt on ' ...
and
Paul Michael Glaser
Paul Michael Glaser (born Paul Manfred Glaser March 25, 1943) is an American actor and director best known for his role as Detective Dave Starsky on the 1970s television series, ''Starsky & Hutch''. In between his work writing and directing, Gla ...
with the feature-length pilot episode.
May
*2 May – The network television premiere of the 1963 James Bond film ''
From Russia with Love'' on ITV, starring
Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
.
*May –
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...
is reorganised, to form a new company "LWT (Holdings) Limited". which allowed the company to expand into a number of new ventures, including
Hutchinson Publishing
Hutchinson was a British publishing firm which operated from 1887 until 1985, when it underwent several mergers. It is currently an imprint which is ultimately owned by Bertelsmann, the German publishing conglomerate.
History
Hutchinson began ...
.
June
* 18 June –
New Broadcasting House (Manchester)
New Broadcasting House (NBH) was the BBC's North West England headquarters on Oxford Road in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. The studios housed BBC Manchester, BBC North West, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Religion and Ethics de ...
is officially inaugurated as the headquarters of
BBC North
BBC North (Group) is an operational business division of the BBC.
It is also a brand that has been used by the BBC to mean:
*The large ''BBC North'' region, centred on Manchester, that was active from the late 1920s until 1968 and was based up ...
.
July
* 1 July – American science-fiction series ''
The Bionic Woman
''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...
'', starring
Lindsay Wagner
Lindsay Jean Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American film and television actress, model, author, singer, and acting coach. Wagner is best known for her leading role in the American science-fiction television series ''The Bionic Woman'' (1976 ...
ITV and reaches number one in the ratings, an almost unheard of event for a science-fiction series.
* 17 July-1 August – The BBC provides extensive live coverage of the
1976 Summer Olympic Games
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phil ...
. BBC1 broadcasts into the early hours to provide live coverage of the swimming and athletics events with overnight highlights and coverage of other sports shown the following afternoon.
* 26 July –
Channel Television
ITV Channel Television, previously Channel Television, is a British television station which has served as the ITV contractor for the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey and broadcasts regional programme for insertion into the ...
becomes the final ITV region to begin broadcasting in colour although it wasn't until the following year that all of its local programmes were made in colour.
August
*A series of the sitcom ''
The Melting Pot'', written by and starring in brownface
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...
with
Neil Shand
Neil Hodgson Shand (3 March 1934 – 14 April 2018) was a British television comedy writer.
He was born in Luton to parents from Glasgow, the son of a Vauxhall employee and a dressmaker. Neil was the eldest of three boys.
Raised in a "two up tw ...
, is recorded for BBC2 but never broadcast.
September
*4 September – ITV screen the network television premiere of
Mike Hodges' 1971 gangster film ''
Get Carter
''Get Carter'' is a 1971 British crime film written and directed by Mike Hodges in his directorial debut and starring Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, John Osborne, Britt Ekland and Bryan Mosley. Based on Ted Lewis's 1970 novel ''Jack's Return Hom ...
'', starring
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
.
*5 September – ITV shows the first episode of
Jim Henson
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
's family sketch comedy ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
'', hosted by
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Introduced in 1955, Kermit serves as the everyman protagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably ''Sesame Street'' and ''The Muppet Show'', as well ...
.
*6 September
**
Northern Life replaces ''Today at Six'' as Tyne Tees' regional news programme.
**''
George and Mildred
''George and Mildred'' is a British sitcom produced by Thames Television and first aired between 1976 and 1979. It is a spin-off from ''Man About the House'', and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as constantly-sparring married couple Ge ...
'', a spin-off from the comedy series ''
Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 Apr ...
'' debuts on ITV.
*8 September – BBC1 debuts the
Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. He had a long career in the theatre but achieved his highest profile for his television comedy roles starring as Rupert Rigsby in the ITV series ''Rising Damp'' from ...
-starred comedy series ''
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. It is based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs and produced from 1976 to 1979. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the first series ...
''.
*9 September - ''
Death in the West
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
'' documentary shown on
Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
, followed the next day by an injunction preventing it being distributed or shown again.
*20 September – BBC2 begins showing the acclaimed Roman Empire-set series ''
I, Claudius
''I, Claudius'' is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Roma ...
'', starring
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as ''Hamlet'', ''Much Ado About Nothing'', ''Macbeth'', ''Twelfth Night'', ''The Tempest'', ''King ...
as the titular Roman Emperor.
October
*2 October – The first edition of Saturday morning children's magazine show ''
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
''Multi-Coloured Swap Shop'', more commonly known simply as ''Swap Shop'', is a British children's television series that aired on BBC1 from 2 October 1976 to 27 March 1982. It was ground-breaking in many ways: by broadcasting on Saturday mornin ...
'' is broadcast, hosted weekly by
Noel Edmonds
Noel Ernest Edmonds (born 22 December 1948) is an English television presenter, radio DJ, writer, producer, and businessman. Edmonds first became known as a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg before moving to BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presente ...
.
*15 October – The American 1950's-set comedy series ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...
'' airs on ITV, in the Grampian and Southern region on Friday 15 October and ITV London on Saturday 16th. Other areas begin to show the series shortly afterwards.
*22 October – Popular 1960s series ''
The Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'' returns as ''
The New Avengers'', its first episode in seven years, with
Patrick Macnee
Daniel Patrick Macnee (6 February 1922 – 25 June 2015) was a British film and television actor. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he began his acting career in Canada. Despite having some small film roles, Macnee spent much ...
returning as
John Steed
Major The Hon. John Wickham Gascoyne Beresford Steed usually known as John Steed, is a fictional character and the central protagonist on the 1960s British spy series '' The Avengers'' and its 1970s sequel '' The New Avengers'', played by Patr ...
alongside
Joanna Lumley
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992 ...
and
Gareth Hunt
Alan Leonard Hunt (7 February 1942 – 14 March 2007), known as Gareth Hunt, was a British actor best remembered for playing footman Frederick Norton in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and Mike Gambit in '' The New Avengers''.
Early life
Alan Leona ...
.
*23 October –
Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen (1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011) was an English actress. She became best known as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series ''Doctor Who'', appearing as a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside ...
leaves ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
''. The events following her departure will not be revealed until a return appearance 30 years later in the revived series.
November
*3 November – The network television premiere of the blockbuster 1964 James Bond film ''
Goldfinger'' on ITV, starring
Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
.
[
*11 November – The "Gwen Troake's Banquet" episode of reality television series '' The Big Time'' is broadcast on BBC1 which leads in two weeks to the termination of ]Fanny Cradock
Phyllis Nan Sortain Pechey (26 February 1909 – 27 December 1994), better known as Fanny Cradock, was an English restaurant critic, television chef and writer. She frequently appeared on television, at cookery demonstrations and in print with h ...
's contract with the BBC due to her patronising attitude towards an amateur chef.
December
*1 December – Punk group The Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
cause a storm of controversy and outrage in the UK by swearing well before the 9pm watershed on the regional Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
news programme ''Today'', hosted by Bill Grundy
William Grundy (18 May 1923 – 9 February 1993) was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work as anchor of ''Today'', a regional magazine programme on Thames Television in London.
In the latter role, Grundy gained ...
who had goaded them into doing so is temporarily sacked. ''Today'' is replaced by ''Thames at Six'' a year later.
*22 December – BBC1 show the Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
ghost story '' The Signalman'', starring Denholm Elliott
Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in ''Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981 ...
.
*31 December – ITV show the network premiere of the 1964 historical war film '' Zulu'', starring Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
.
Unknown
*Swindon Viewpoint
Swindon Viewpoint was a local community cable TV channel based in, and serving Swindon. It has been through several incarnations, including its early experimental phase, its main phase in the 1970s and 1980s, its 1990s phase where it operated u ...
's experimental phase ends when EMI decides to pull out of funding the service. However, the channel continues after being sold to the public of Swindon for £1.
Debuts
BBC1
* 4 January – ''The Prince and the Pauper
''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547, ...
'' (1976)
* 5 January – ''Paddington
Paddington is an area within the City of Westminster, in Central London. First a medieval parish then a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Three important landmarks of the district are Paddi ...
'' (1976; 1978–1980)
* 6 January – ''Rentaghost
''Rentaghost'' is a British children's television comedy show, originally broadcast by the BBC between 6 January 1976 and 6 November 1984. The show's plot centred on the antics of a number of ghosts who worked for a firm called Rentaghost, which ...
'' (1976–1984)
* 7 January - '' Marco, 3000 Leagues in Search for Mother''
* 8 January – ''When the Boat Comes In
''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshiel ...
'' (1976–1977; 1981)
* 13 January – ''Nuts in May
''Nuts in May'' is a television film devised and directed by Mike Leigh, filmed in March 1975, and originally broadcast as part of the BBC's ''Play for Today'' series on 13 January 1976. It is the comical story of a nature-loving and rather sel ...
'' (1976) (originally in Play for Today
''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
)
* 21 January – '' Kizzy'' (1976)
* 9 February – ''Jumbo Spencer'' (1976)
* 29 February – '' The Flight of the Heron'' (1976)
* 3 March – ''Rocky O'Rourke'' (1976)
* 8 March - '' BBC Evening News'' (1976-1983, 1984)
* 14 April – ''John Macnab
''John Macnab'' is a novel by John Buchan, published in 1925.
Plot summary
Three successful but bored friends in their mid-forties decide to turn to poaching. They are Sir Edward Leithen, lawyer, Conservative Member of Parliament (MP), and ex- ...
'' (1976)
* 23 April – ''Starsky & Hutch
''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...
'' (1975–1979)
* 27 May – ''Second Verdict
''Second Verdict'' is a six-part BBC television series from 1976. It combines the genres of police procedural and docudrama, with dramatised documentaries in which classic criminal cases and unsolved crimes from history were re-appraised by ficti ...
'' (1976)
* 31 May – ''Mike Yarwood in Persons
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documenta ...
'' (1976–1981)
* 26 August – ''Sailor
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
'' (1976)
* 4 September – ''The Duchess of Duke Street
''The Duchess of Duke Street'' is a BBC television drama series set in London between the late 1800s and 1925. It was created by John Hawkesworth, previously the producer of the ITV period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. It starred Gemma Jo ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 5 September – ''Lorna Doone
''Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'' is a novel by English author Richard Doddridge Blackmore, published in 1869. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in Devon and Somerset, particularly ar ...
'' (1976)
* 8 September – ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. It is based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs and produced from 1976 to 1979. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the first series ...
'' (1976–1979)
* 9 September – ''Gangsters
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and r ...
'' (1976–1978)
* 13 September
**'' Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk'' (1976)
** '' Potter's Picture Palace '' (1976–1978)
* 2 October – ''Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
''Multi-Coloured Swap Shop'', more commonly known simply as ''Swap Shop'', is a British children's television series that aired on BBC1 from 2 October 1976 to 27 March 1982. It was ground-breaking in many ways: by broadcasting on Saturday mornin ...
'' (1976–1982)
* 10 October – '' Katy'' (1976)
* 15 October – '' The Quest'' (1976)
* 10 November – ''The Canal Children'' (1976)
* 21 November – ''Little Lord Fauntleroy
''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in '' St. Nicholas Magazine'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's (the publisher of ''St. Nicholas'') in 1886. The ill ...
'' (1976)
* 26 December – '' The Val Doonican Music Show'' (1976–1986)
* 28 December – ''James and the Giant Peach
''James and the Giant Peach'' is a popular children's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The first edition, published by Alfred Knopf, featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. There have been re-illustrated versions of ...
'' (1976)
* 29 December – ''The Phoenix and the Carpet'' (1976-1977)
BBC2
* 7 January – ''Ripping Yarns
''Ripping Yarns'' is a British television adventure comedy anthology series. It was written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. It was transmitted on BBC 2. Following an initial pilot episode in January 1976, it ran for two ser ...
'' (1976–1979)
* 21 January – ''The Glittering Prizes
''The Glittering Prizes'' is a British television drama by Frederic Raphael about the changing lives of a group of Cambridge students, starting in 1952 and following them through to middle age in the 1970s. It was first broadcast on BBC2 in Jan ...
'' (1976)
* 4 February – '' The Mike Reid Show'' (1976–1978)
* 17 February – ''One Man and His Dog
''One Man and His Dog'' is a BBC television series in the United Kingdom featuring sheepdog trials, originally presented by Phil Drabble, with commentary by Eric Halsall and, later, by Ray Ollerenshaw. It was first aired on 17 February 1976 and ...
'' (1976–present)
* 20 February – ''Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' (BBC2 1976, BBC1 1981–1982, 1985, 2013)
* 1 March – ''Our Mutual Friend
''Our Mutual Friend'', written in 1864–1865, is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, quo ...
'' (1976)
* 19 March – '' Battle of the Sexes'' (1976)
* 16 July – '' Orde Wingate
Major General Orde Charles Wingate, (26 February 1903 – 24 March 1944) was a senior British Army officer known for his creation of the Chindit deep-penetration missions in Japanese-held territory during the Burma Campaign of the Second World ...
'' (1976)
* 14 August – '' Masters of Terror'' (1976)
* 20 September – ''I, Claudius
''I, Claudius'' is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Roma ...
'' (1976)
* 21 September – ''The Water Margin
''Water Margin'' (''Shuihu zhuan'') is one of the earliest Chinese novels written in vernacular Mandarin, and is attributed to Shi Nai'an. It is also translated as ''Outlaws of the Marsh'' and ''All Men Are Brothers''.
The story, which is s ...
'' (1973–1974)
* 22 September – '' Rogue Male'' (1976)
* 24 September – '' Well Anyway'' (1976)
* 29 September – '' The Mind Beyond'' (1976) (Anthology)
* 3 December – '' Brensham People'' (1976)
* 13 December – ''The Lady of the Camellias
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article
An article is any member ...
'' (1976)
ITV
* 1 January – ''Clayhanger
The ''Clayhanger'' Family is a series of novels by Arnold Bennett, published between 1910 and 1918. Though the series is commonly referred to as a "trilogy", and the first three novels were published in a single volume, as ''The Clayhanger Famil ...
'' (1976)
* 2 January – ''The Georgian House
The Georgian House is a British children's historical fantasy television series produced by HTV in Bristol and first screened on ITV in 1976. The series consisted of seven episodes.
Plot
The story concerned two students, Dan and Abbie, who ...
'' (1976)
* 4 January – '' A Place to Hide'' (1976)
* 7 January – '' Life and Death of Penelope'' (1976)
* 9 January
** ''Bouquet of Barbed Wire
''Bouquet of Barbed Wire'' is a British television drama series based on the novel by Andrea Newman published in 1969. It was produced by London Weekend Television for ITV and first broadcast in 1976. The series is known for its treatment of fam ...
'' (1976)
** ''Yus, My Dear
''Yus, My Dear'' is a British sitcom that ran for nineteen episodes over two series in 1976 featuring Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts in the lead roles. It was written by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, and produced and directed by Stuart Al ...
'' (1976)
** ''Yes, Honestly
''Yes, Honestly'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 9 January 1976 and 23 April 1977. It stars Donal Donnelly as Matthew Browne and Liza Goddard as Lily Pond Browne. The series followed the course of their relationship, from ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 11 January – ''Red Letter Day
A red letter day (sometimes hyphenated as red-letter day or called scarlet day in academia) is any day of special significance or opportunity.
Its roots are in classical antiquity; for instance, important days are indicated in red in a calendar d ...
'' (1976)
* 19 January – ''Hello Cheeky
''Hello Cheeky'' is a comedy series starring Barry Cryer, John Junkin and Tim Brooke-Taylor, broadcast on BBC Radio 2 between 1973 and 1979, and also broadcast on television - on the ITV network - in 1976. The format was short comedy sketches, ...
'' (1976)
* 9 February – ''Jamie and the Magic Torch
''Jamie and the Magic Torch'' is a British children's television series made by Cosgrove Hall for Thames Television and shown on the ITV network, running from 1976 to 1979. It was shown again in the 1980s to a new audience of children. The ser ...
'' (1976-1979)
* 15 February – ''Dominic
Dominic is a name common among Roman Catholics and other Latin-Romans as a male given name. Originally from the late Roman-Italic name "Dominicus", its translation means "Lordly", "Belonging to God" or "of the Master". Variations include: Domini ...
'' (1976)
* 24 February – ''Rock Follies
''Rock Follies'' (together with its sequel, ''Rock Follies of '77'') was a musical drama shown on British television in the 1970s. The storyline followed the ups and downs of a fictional female rock band called the Little Ladies, as they struggl ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 17 March – '' The Molly Wopsies'' (1976)
* 26 March – '' 4 Idle Hands'' (1976)
* 31 March – ''Luke's Kingdom
''Luke's Kingdom'' is a 1976 Australian TV series set in colonial Australia. Directors included Peter Weir and writers included Elisabeth Kata and Tony Morphett. It was co-produced with Trident Television, the then owners of Yorkshire and Tyne ...
'' (1976)
* 1 April – ''Garnock Way
''Garnock Way'' was a short-lived Scottish soap opera, produced by Scottish Television for the ITV network, running from 1976 to 1979. It was replaced by ''Take the High Road'' which also featured actors Eileen McCallum, Bill Henderson, Paul ...
'' (1976–1979)
* 6 April – '' Plays for Britain'' (1976)
* 9 April – '' The Fosters'' (1976–1977)
* 28 April
** ''The Ghosts of Motley Hall
''The Ghosts of Motley Hall'' is a British children's television series written by Richard Carpenter. It was produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for Granada Television, and broadcast between 1976 and 1978 on the ITV network. The series r ...
'' (1976–1978)
** '' Westway'' (1976)
* 19 May – '' Dangerous Knowledge'' (1976)
* 30 May – ''Big Boy Now!
''Big Boy Now!'' is a British television sitcom. It starred Leslie Crowther and Fabia Drake, and was produced by Associated Television, ATV. All 14 episodes of the programme were missing and believed lost, but in April 2017 three episodes—compri ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 6 June – ''Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
'' (1976)
* 7 June – '' Bill Brand'' (1976)
* 13 June – '' Operation Patch'' (1976)
* 21 June – '' The Feathered Serpent'' (1976–1978)
* 30 June – '' Killers'' (1976)
* 1 July – ''The Bionic Woman
''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...
'' (1976–1978, 2007)
* 3 July
** '' Nobody Does It Like Marti'' (1976)
** ''The XYY Man
''The XYY Man'' began as a series of novels by Kenneth Royce, featuring the character of William (or Willie) 'Spider' Scott, a one-time cat-burglar who leaves prison aiming to go straight but finds his talents still to be very much in demand b ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 18 July – ''Forget Me Not
Forget-me-not refers to any member of the flowering plant genus ''Myosotis'', particularly:
* Flowers in the genus ''Myosotis''
* ''Myosotis sylvatica'' or wood forget-me-not
* '' Cynoglossum amabile'' or Chinese forget-me-not
Forget me not may ...
'' (1976)
* 31 August – '' Cilla's World of Comedy'' (1976)
* 1 September – ''Star Maidens
''Star Maidens'' is a British-German science-fiction television series, made by Portman Productions for the ITV network. Produced in 1975, and first broadcast in 1976, it was filmed at Bray Studios and on location in Windsor and Bracknell, ...
'' (1976)
* 2 September – ''The Howerd Confessions
''The Howerd Confessions'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired between 2 September and 7 October 1976 on ITV. It featured comedian Frankie Howerd "confessing" various indiscretions.
Each of the 6 episodes was a self-co ...
'' (1976)
* 3 September
** ''Lucky Feller
''Lucky Feller'' is a British television sitcom written by Terence Frisby and produced by Humphrey Barclay. It was broadcast on ITV in 1976. The series stars David Jason and ran for one series of 13 episodes.
The series is about two plumber br ...
'' (1976)
** ''The Many Wives of Patrick
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'' (1976–1978)
** ''Victorian Scandals
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literature ...
'' (1976)
* 5 September – ''The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...
'' (1976–1981)
* 6 September
**''George and Mildred
''George and Mildred'' is a British sitcom produced by Thames Television and first aired between 1976 and 1979. It is a spin-off from ''Man About the House'', and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as constantly-sparring married couple Ge ...
'' (1976–1979)
**'' Northern Life'' (1976–1992)
* 16 September – ''The Crezz
''The Crezz'' is a British television drama produced by Thames Television and shown on the ITV network in 1976. Created by Clive Exton, ''The Crezz'' was set in a fictitious West London crescent, Carlisle Crescent. The series was 12 one-hour pro ...
'' (1976)
* 20 September – ''The Cedar Tree
''The Cedar Tree'' was a television serial that ran from 1976 to 1979 on ITV in the United Kingdom.
It involved the story of the upper class Bourne family before the turn of the Second World War. The main setting is Larkfield Manor, the family ...
'' (1976–1979)
* 26 September – ''Chorlton and the Wheelies
''Chorlton and the Wheelies'' is an animated television series, animated children's television series that ran from 26 September 1976 until 17 December 1978 on the British television channel ITV (TV network), ITV. 40 episodes were produced. The ...
'' (1976–1979)
* 27 September – '' Nobody's House'' (1976)
* 28 September – ''Dickens of London
''Dickens of London'' is a 1976 television miniseries from Yorkshire Television based on the life of English novelist Charles Dickens. Both Dickens and his father John were played by British actor Roy Dotrice. The series was written by Wolf Mank ...
'' (1976)
* 14 October – '' N.U.T.S.'' (1976)
* 15 October – ''Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...
'' (1974–1984)
* 16 October – ''Beasts
Beast most often refers to:
* Non-human animal
* Monster
Beast or Beasts may also refer to:
Bible
* Beast (Revelation), two beasts described in the Book of Revelation
Computing and gaming
* Beast (card game), English name of historical Frenc ...
'' (1976)
* 19 October – '' The New Avengers'' (1976–1977)
* 15 November – ''Pauline's Quirkes'' (1976)
* 22 November – ''Yanks Go Home
''Yanks Go Home'' is a British sitcom about U.S. Army Air Forcemen stationed in Lancashire, England in the Second World War. It was produced and directed by Eric Prytherch for Granada Television and broadcast on ITV between 1976 and 1977. The se ...
'' (1976–1977)
* 29 December – ''The Dame of Sark'' (1976)
* Unknown – '' What's on Next?'' (1976–1978)
Continuing television shows
signifies that this show has a related event in the Events section above.
1920s
*''BBC Wimbledon'' (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
1930s
*The Boat Race
The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. There are separate men's ...
(1938–1939, 1946–2019)
*''BBC Cricket'' (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)
1940s
*''Come Dancing
''Come Dancing'' is a British ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off on the BBC from 1949 to 1998. Unlike its follow-up show, ''Strictly Come Dancing'', contestants were not celebrities.
The show was created by Eric Morley, the ...
'' (1949–1998)
1950s
*''Panorama
A panorama (formed from Greek πᾶν "all" + ὅραμα "view") is any wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography, film, seismic images, or 3D modeling. The word was originally coined in ...
'' (1953–present)
*'' The Good Old Days'' (1953–1983)
*''This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to:
Television
* ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards
* ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...
'' (1955–2003)
*'' Crackerjack'' (1955–1984, 2020–present)
*'' Opportunity Knocks'' (1956–1978)
*''What the Papers Say
''What The Papers Say'' is a British radio and television series. It consists of quotations from headlines and comment pages in the previous week's newspapers, read in a variety of voices and accents by actors. The quotes are linked by a scri ...
'' (1956–2008)
*''The Sky at Night
''The Sky at Night'' is a monthly documentary television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC. The show had the same permanent presenter, Sir Patrick Moore, from its first broadcast on 24 April 1957 until 7 January 2013. The latter date ...
'' (1957–present)
*''Blue Peter
''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Tel ...
'' (1958–present)
*''Grandstand
A grandstand is a normally permanent structure for seating spectators. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap a ...
'' (1958–2007)
1960s
*''Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford.
Origi ...
'' (1960–present)
*''Songs of Praise
''Songs of Praise'' is a BBC Television religious programme that presents Christian hymns sung in churches of varying denominations from around the UK.
The series was first broadcast in October 1961. On that occasion, the venue was the Ta ...
'' (1961–present)
*''Z-Cars
''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...
'' (1962–1978)
*''Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
*''Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'' (1964–2006)
*''Match of the Day
''Match of the Day'' (abbreviated to ''MOTD'') is a football highlights programme, typically broadcast on BBC One on Saturday nights, during the Premier League season. The show's current presenter is former England international striker Gary L ...
'' (1964–present)
*''Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
'' (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
*'' Play School'' (1964–1988)
*''Call My Bluff
''Call My Bluff'' is a British panel game show based on the short-lived US version of the same name. It was originally hosted by Robin Ray and later, most notably, by Robert Robinson. Its most prominent panellist was Frank Muir.
Format
The ga ...
'' (1965–2005)
*'' World of Sport'' (1965–1985)
*'' Mr & Mrs.'' (1965–1999)
*''Jackanory
''Jackanory'' is a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the first story was the fairy-t ...
'' (1965–1996, 2006)
*''Sportsnight
''Sportsnight'' was a midweek BBC television sports programme that ran from 1968 until 1997.
Sportsview
''Sportsnight'' was a successor to ''Sportsview'' which started on 8 April 1954. ''Sportsview'' was devised by Paul Fox, later Controller ...
'' (1965–1997)
*''The Money Programme
''The Money Programme'' is a finance and business affairs television programme on BBC Two which ran between April 1966 and November 2010. It was first broadcast on 5 April 1966 and presented by "commentators" (financial journalists) William Davis ...
'' (1966–2010)
*''Dad's Army
''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'' (1968–1977)
*''Magpie
Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is one ...
'' (1968–1980)
*''The Benny Hill Show
''The Benny Hill Show'' is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody ...
'' (1969–1989)
*''The Big Match
''The Big Match'' was a British football television programme, screened on ITV between 1968 and 1992.
''The Big Match'' originally launched on London Weekend Television (LWT) – the ITV regional station that served London and the Home Counties ...
'' (1968–2002)
*'' Nationwide'' (1969–1983)
*''Screen Test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...
'' (1969–1984)
1970s
*''Play for Today
''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'' (1970–1984)
*''The Old Grey Whistle Test
''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''Whistle Test'' or ''OGWT'') is a British television music show. The show was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough and aired on BBC2 from 1971 to 1988. ...
'' (1971–1987)
*''The Two Ronnies
''The Two Ronnies'' is a British television comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. It was created by Bill Cotton and aired on BBC1 from April 1971 to December 1987. The usual format included sketches, solo sections, seria ...
'' (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
*'' Thunderbirds'' (1972–1980, 1984–1987)
*''Are You Being Served?
''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London, t ...
'' (1972–1985)
*''Rainbow
A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
'' (1972–1992, 1994–1997)
*''Emmerdale Farm
''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British soap opera that is broadcast on ITV1. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, '' ...
'' (1972–present)
*'' John Craven's Newsround'' (1972–present)
*''Last of the Summer Wine
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes foll ...
'' (1973–2010)
*''Superstars
A superstar is a widely acclaimed celebrity.
Superstar or superstars may also refer to:
People
* Warhol superstars, the associates of Andy Warhol
* WWE Superstar, a branding term referring to a WWE wrestler
* Superstar Billy Graham (born 1943) ...
'' (1973–1985, 2003–2005)
*''The Tomorrow People
''The Tomorrow People'' is a British children's science fiction television series created by Roger Price. Produced by Thames Television for the ITV Network, the series first ran from 30 April 1973 to 19 February 1979.
The theme music was c ...
'' (1973–1979, 1992–1995)
*''Tiswas
''Tiswas'' (; an acronym of "Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile") was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982, and was produced for the ITV network by ATV.
It was c ...
'' (1974–1982)
*'' Wish You Were Here...?'' (1974–2003)
*''Arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
'' (1975–present)
*''Jim'll Fix It
''Jim'll Fix It'' is a British television series broadcast by the BBC between May 1975 and July 1994 and was devised and presented by Jimmy Savile and produced by Roger Ordish. The show encouraged children to write in a letter to Savile with a ...
'' (1975–1994)
*'' Survivors'' (1975–1977)
*'' The Good Life'' (1975–1978)
*''The Bionic Woman
''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...
'' (1976–1978, 2007)
*'' Pop Quest'' (1975–1978)
*'' Runaround'' (1975–1981)
*'' Space: 1999'' (1975–1977)
*''Supersonic
Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound ( Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately . Speeds greater than five times ...
'' (1975–1977)
*''The Sweeney
''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...
'' (1975–1978)
*''Celebrity Squares
''Celebrity Squares'' is a British comedy game show based on the American comedy game show ''The Hollywood Squares, Hollywood Squares''. It first ran from 20 July 1975 to 7 July 1979 and was hosted by Bob Monkhouse, then—also hosted by Mon ...
'' (1975–1979, 1993–1997, 2014–2015)
Ending this year
*Unknown
** ''Rutland Weekend Television
''Rutland Weekend Television'' (''RWT'') was a television sketch show on BBC2, written by Eric Idle with music by Neil Innes. Two series were broadcast, the first consisting of six episodes in 1975, and the second series of seven episodes in ...
'' (1975–1976)
** '' Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk'' (1976)
* 22 January – ''Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor or Love Thy Neighbour refers to the Biblical phrase "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" from the Book of Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament about the ethic of reciprocity known as the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment.
...
'' (1972–1976)
*10 February – ''Shades of Greene
''Shades of Greene'' is a British television series based on short stories written by the author Graham Greene. The series began in 1975, with each hour-long episode featuring a dramatisation of one of Greene's stories, many of which dealt with ...
'' (1975–1976)
*26 March – ''Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' (1976, 1981–1982, 1985, 2013)
*7 April – ''Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 Apr ...
'' (1973–1976)
*1 May – ''Dixon of Dock Green
''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...
'' (1955–1976)
*31 May – ''Maya the Honey Bee
is an anime television series produced first by Zuiyo Enterprise and Asahi Broadcasting Corporation of Osaka. After the first 6 episodes, Zuiyo Enterprise would split into Zuiyo Company and Nippon Animation, which retained the rights of th ...
'' (1975-1976)
*21 June – '' My Brother's Keeper'' (1975–1976)
*1 December — ''Star Maidens
''Star Maidens'' is a British-German science-fiction television series, made by Portman Productions for the ITV network. Produced in 1975, and first broadcast in 1976, it was filmed at Bray Studios and on location in Windsor and Bracknell, ...
'' (1976)
*31 December – '' Marco, 3000 Leagues in Search for Mother''
Births
* 19 January – Marsha Thomason
Marsha Lisa Thomason Sykes (born 19 January 1976) is a British television and film actress who is best known for playing Sara Evers in Disney's ''The Haunted Mansion'', Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series ''Las Vegas'', Naomi D ...
, actress
* 21 January – Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton (born 21 January 1976) is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and media personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Baby Spice. With over 100 million recor ...
, musician (Spice Girls
The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...
) and television presenter
* 28 January – Lee Ingleby
Lee David Ingleby (born 28 January 1976) is an English film, television and stage actor.
He is best known for his roles as Detective Sergeant/Detective Inspector John Bacchus in the BBC drama ''Inspector George Gently'', as Stan Shunpike in ...
, actor
* 3 February – Caroline Bilton
Caroline Bilton (born Caroline Davis on 3 February 1976 in Anlaby, Humberside), in 2007 was a British television presenter and stand-in anchor of the BBC regional news programme ''Look North'', broadcast from Hull to the East Riding of Yorksh ...
, journalist and newsreader
* 8 February – Abi Titmuss
Abigail Evelyn Titmuss (born 8 February 1976) is an English actress, television personality and poker player. She is also a former glamour model and nurse.
Early life and education
Born in Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, Titmuss grew up in ...
, television presenter and model
* 10 February – Keeley Hawes
Claire Julia Hawes (born 10 February 1976), known professionally as Keeley Hawes, is an English actress. After beginning her career in a number of literary adaptations, including ''Our Mutual Friend'' (1998) and ''Tipping the Velvet'' (2002), Haw ...
, actress
* 12 February – Jenni Falconer
Jenni Falconer (born 12 February 1976) is a Scottish radio and television presenter. She appears on the ITV daytime show '' This Morning'' as a regular travel reporter and was a regular presenter of the National Lottery Draws on BBC One.
She w ...
, television presenter
* 2 March – Helen Latham
Helen Latham (born 2 March 1976, in the UK) is a British actress. She is best known for playing Lucy Milligan in series 4 and 5 of the British TV drama ''Footballers' Wives'' and in series 1 and 2 of its spin-off '' Footballers' Wives: Extra Ti ...
, actress
* 21 March – Celina Hinchcliffe
Celina Alexandra Hinchcliffe (born 21 March 1976 in Windsor, Berkshire) is an English television sports broadcaster. She has worked for BBC, Sky News and ITV.
Early life
Hinchcliffe is the daughter of television producer Philip Hinchcliffe an ...
, television sports presenter
* 24 March – Angellica Bell
Angellica Bell (born 24 March 1976) is a British television and radio presenter, best known for her presenting on CBBC between 2000 and 2006. She is also known for providing occasional cover on ''The One Show'' and for co-presenting '' The M ...
, television presenter
* 18 April – Sean Maguire
Sean Maguire (born 18 April 1976 in Ilford, London) is a British-American actor and singer, who rose to fame in 1988 when at the age of eleven he took on the role of "Tegs" Ratcliffe on the BBC children's drama ''Grange Hill'', in which he rem ...
, actor and singer
* 27 April – Sally Hawkins
Sally Cecilia Hawkins (born 27 April 1976) is an English actress who began her career on stage and then moved into film. She has received several awards including a Golden Globe Award and the Berlin International Film Festival's Silver Bear for ...
, English actress
* 29 April – Ana Boulter
Ana Boulter (born 29 April 1976) is a British television presenter. She attended the Minster School in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, then Nottingham Trent University, where she studied broadcast journalism. She presented on CBBC between 1998 and ...
, television presenter
* 14 May – Martine McCutcheon
Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama ''Bluebird ...
, actress and singer
* 2 June – Marek Larwood
Marek Ryan Larwood (born 2 June 1976) is an English comedian and actor. He is best known for the BBC Three sketch show ''Rush Hour'' and for being one third of the comedy trio ''We Are Klang''.
Early life
Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Larwood lived ...
, actor
* 5 June
**Rachel Leskovac
Rachel Leskovac (born 5 June 1976) is an English actress and singer. She is known for portraying the roles of Kelly Yorke in the BBC One medical drama series ''Holby City'' (2003–2004), Natasha Blakeman in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Stree ...
, actress
**Ross Noble
Ross Markham Noble (born 5 June 1976) is an English stand-up comedian and actor. Noble rose to mainstream popularity through making appearances on British television, particularly interviews and on panel shows such as '' Have I Got News for You' ...
, comedian
* 13 June – Kym Marsh
Kimberley Gail Ratcliff (''née'' Marsh, previously Ryder and Lomas; born 13 June 1976) is an English actress, television presenter and singer. In 2001, she won a place in the band Hear'Say as a result of appearing on the reality television ser ...
, actress and singer
* 28 June – Lorraine Stanley
Lorraine Stanley (born 28 June 1976) is an English actress, known for playing Kelly in the 2006 film ''London to Brighton'' and Karen Taylor in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''.
Personal life
Stanley was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, the dau ...
, actress
* 1 July – Kellie Bright
Kellie Denise Bright (born 1 July 1976) is an English actress. Her roles include Linda Carter in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', for which she won the 2015 British Soap Award for Best Actress and Best Dramatic Performance, Julie in ''Ali G I ...
, actress
* 7 July – Natasha Collins
Natasha Louise Collins (7 July 1976 – 3 January 2008) was an English actress and model. Following a car crash that curtailed her career, she fatally overdosed on cocaine, which Mark Speight, her fiancé, was initially suspected of supplying, b ...
, actress and model (died 2008)
* 8 July – Alex Fletcher, actress
* 12 July – Anna Friel
Anna Louise Friel (born 12 July 1976) is an English actress. Born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, she has been acting professionally since age 13. Friel achieved fame with her portrayal of Beth Jordache on the British soap opera ''Brookside'' ( ...
, actress
* 13 July – Lisa Riley
Lisa Jane Riley (born 13 July 1976) is an English actress and television presenter. Riley portrayed Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' between 1995 and 2001, and again from 2019. She also replaced Jeremy Beadle as the presenter of ' ...
, actress and television presenter
* 19 July
**Ellie Crisell
Ellen Jane Crisell (born 19 July 1976) is an English journalist and television presenter working for the BBC. Crisell has presented the BBC One 8:00 pm news summary, and is a relief presenter on the BBC News Channel. She was formerly the ...
, journalist and news presenter
**Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. Known for his work on screen and stage, he has received various accolades, including a British Academy Television Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurence O ...
, actor
* 8 August – Laura Kuenssberg
Laura Juliet Kuenssberg (born 8 August 1976) is a British journalist who currently presents the BBC's flagship Sunday morning politics show.
She succeeded Nick Robinson as political editor of BBC News in July 2015, and was the first woman to ...
, political journalist
* 9 August – Rhona Mitra
Rhona is the name of:
* Rhona Adair (1878–1961), British golf champion
* Rhona Bennett (born 1976), American singer, actress and model
* Rhona Brankin (born 1950), Labour Co-operative politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament
* Rhona Bro ...
, actress
* 6 September – Naomie Harris
Naomie Melanie Harris (born 6 September 1976) is a British actress. She started her career when she was a child, appearing in the television series ''Simon and the Witch'' in 1987. She portrayed Selena in the zombie film ''28 Days Later'' (2002 ...
, actress
* 23 September – Rob James-Collier
Robert James-Collier (born 23 September 1976) (known professionally as Rob James-Collier) is a British actor. He is known for his roles as Thomas Barrow in ''Downton Abbey'' and as Liam Connor in ''Coronation Street''.
Early life
James-Coll ...
, actor and model
* 21 October – Andrew Scott, actor
* 23 October – Cat Deeley
Catherine Elizabeth Deeley (born 23 October 1976) is an English television presenter and actress. From 1998 to 2002, she hosted the ITV children's show ''SMTV Live,'' for which she won a BAFTA Children's Award, and its spin-off chart show '' C ...
, television presenter
* 1 November – Beth Cordingly
Beth Cordingly (born 25 October 1976) is an English actress, known for her appearances in series ''Family Affairs'', ''The Bill'' and ''Dead Set''.
Early life
Cordingly was born in Brighton and went to Brighton and Hove High School. She is the d ...
, actress
* 8 December – Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan (born 8 December 1976) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's film trilogy ''The Lord of the Rings'' (2001–2003), and Charlie Pace on J. J. Abram ...
, actor
* Unknown – Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (born 1976) is a British television producer. He was the producer of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2006 until 2009, and was the executive producer of the BBC soap ''EastEnders'' from 2010 until 2012. He returned as t ...
, television producer
Deaths
* 26 April – Sid James
Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series.
Born to a mid ...
, actor and comedian
* 19 August – Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE (9 October 1900 – 19 August 1976) was a Scottish character actor who began his theatrical career at the age of thirty and quickly became established as a popular West End performer, remaining so until his ...
, actor
See also
* 1976 in British music
* 1976 in British radio
* 1976 in the United Kingdom
* List of British films of 1976
A list of films produced in the United Kingdom in 1976 (see 1976 in film):
1976
See also
* 1976 in British music
* 1976 in British radio
* 1976 in British television
* 1976 in the United Kingdom
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSO ...
References
External links
List of 1976 British television series
at IMDb
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{Years in TV by country, 1976