1962 in British television

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This is a list of British television related events from 1962.

Events

• 2 January – Z-Cars premieres on BBC TV, noted as a realistic portrayal of the police.
• 17 April – Brothers in Law premieres on BBC TV.
• 14 June – BBC television broadcasts the first episode of the sitcom Steptoe and Son, written by Galton and Simpson.
• 1 July – Police 5 premieres on ITV.
• 11 July – Live television broadcast from the USA to Britain for the first time, via the Telstar satellite and Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station.^[1]
• 23 July – First live public transatlantic television broadcast, via satellite Telstar.^[2][3]
• 1 September – Channel Television, the ITV franchise for the Channel Islands, goes on air.
• 14 September – Wales West and North Television (Teledu Cymru) goes on air to the North and West Wales region, extending ITV to the whole of the UK.
• 21 September – First broadcast of the long-running television quiz programme University Challenge, made by Granada Television with Bamber Gascoigne as quizmaster.
• 4 October – The Saint premieres on ITV with Roger Moore in the title role.
• 17 October – Veteran Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne becomes the first person to introduce The Beatles on television as the band makes their small screen debut on local news programme People and Places.^[4][5]
• 24 November – The first episode of influential satire show That Was The Week That Was is broadcast on BBC Television.^[1]
• Unknown – Cigarette adverts are banned from children's programmes in the UK. Actors in these adverts now have to be over 21, and connection to social success is no longer allowed. The tobacco companies also start a policy of not advertising before 9pm.

Debuts

BBC Television Service/BBC TV

• 2 January
  • Z-Cars (1962–1978)
  • Compact (1962–1965)
• 13 April – Animal Magic (1962–1983)
• 17 April – Brothers in Law (1962)
• 14 June – Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970, 1972–1974)
• 17 July – Hugh and I (1962–1968)
• 16 August – Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962–1971)
• 12 November – Top of the Form (1962–1975)
• 24 November – That Was The Week That Was (1962–1963)

ITV

• 30 June – Out of This World (1962)
• 1 July – Police 5 (1962–1992)
• 21 September – University Challenge (1962–1987 ITV, 1994–present BBC)
• 4 October – The Saint (1962–1969)

Television shows

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)^[6]
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• 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)
• Points of View (1961–present)
• Songs of Praise (1961–present)
• Ghost Squad (1961–1964)
• The Avengers (1961–1969)

Ending this year

• Face to Face (1959–1962)
• Sir Francis Drake (1961–1962)
• Supercar (1961–1962)
• Top Cat (1961–1962)

Births

• 25 January – Emma Freud, English broadcaster and cultural commentator
• 7 February – Eddie Izzard, British actor and comedian
• 13 February – Hugh Dennis, British actor, comedian and writer (The Now Show)
• 21 February – Vanessa Feltz, British television presenter
• 17 March – Clare Grogan, Scottish actress and singer
• 1 April – Phillip Schofield, British TV presenter
• 23 April – John Hannah, Scottish actor
• 17 May
  • Craig Ferguson, Scottish actor and television presenter
  • Alan Johnston, journalist
• 6 June – Sarah Parkinson, producer and writer of radio and television programmes (died 2003)
• 15 June – Chris Morris, satirist and actor
• 19 June – Lisa Aziz, journalist and newsreader
• 25 June – Phill Jupitus, comedian and broadcaster
• 29 June – Amanda Donohoe, English actress
• 4 July – Neil Morrissey, English actor
• 24 July – Cleo Rocos, British actress (The Kenny Everett Show)
• 20 August – Sophie Aldred, British actress and television presenter
• 5 September – Peter Wingfield, Welsh actor
• 8 September – Daljit Dhaliwal, British newsreader and television presenter
• 15 September – Steve Punt, British actor, comedian and writer (The Now Show)
• 17 September – Michael French, actor
• 21 September – Nick Knowles, television presenter
• 24 September
  • Jack Dee, British comedian
  • Ally McCoist, Scottish footballer and TV pundit and A Question of Sport team captain
• 5 October – Caron Keating, British TV presenter (died 2004)
• 20 October – Boothby Graffoe, English comedian, singer, songwriter and playwright
• 25 October – Nick Hancock, British actor and television presenter
• 26 October – Cary Elwes, British actor
• 12 November – Mariella Frostrup, British journalist and television presenter
• 26 November – Louise Harrison, actress and producer
• 3 December – Sarah Jarvis, General Practitioner and media personality
• 6 December – Colin Salmon, British actor
• 28 December – Kaye Adams, Scottish television presenter
• Unknown
  • Carrie Gracie, journalist and newsreader
  • Kazia Pelka, actress
  • Matthew Amroliwala, newsreader
  • Jack Docherty, Scottish comedian
  • Mat Fraser, actor, musician and performing artist

References

1. Palmer, Alan; Veronica (1992). The Chronology of British History. London: Century Ltd. pp. 419–420. ISBN 0-7126-5616-2.
2. "Live satellite TV marks 50th birthday – UK". The Scotsman (Johnston Press). 23 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
3. "Television pictures from across the Atlantic 'had huge impact'". BBC News (BBC). 23 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
4. Kelleher, Lynne (6 March 2011). "In my life: Fab Four asked me to manage them, reveals Gaybo". Irish Independent (Independent News and Media). Retrieved 15 April 2012.
5. Byrne, Gay (13 February 2010). "The chameleon of Montrose". The Irish Times (Irish Times Trust). Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
6. Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline