1954 in British television explained

This is a list of British television related events from 1954.

Events

January

• 11 January – The first weather forecast with an in-vision presenter is televised in the United Kingdom, its first presenter is George Cowling.^[1]

February

• No events.

March

• No events.

April

• 9 April – The Grove Family, generally considered the first British TV soap opera, debuts on the BBC Television Service.^{[2] [3]}
• 21 April – Running Wild on the BBC marks the debut of Morecambe and Wise on British television.

May

• No events.

June

• No events.

July

• 5 July – First actual news bulletin, News and Newsreel, aired on the BBC Television Service, replacing Television Newsreel.^[4]
• 30 July – The Television Act 1954 is given Royal Assent. It authorises the setting up of the infrastructure for British commercial television.

August

• No events.

September

• No events.

October

• 7 October – BBC Television covers a party political conference for the first time when it broadcasts from the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool.

November

• 12 November – The BBC opens Rowridge transmitting station on the Isle of Wight, bringing television coverage to the Solent area.

December

• 12 December – The BBC Television Service screens its acclaimed adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, starring Peter Cushing. The Sunday broadcast proves controversial however and attracts some criticism in the House of Commons.^[5] Screened live, a second production takes place 4 days later.
• 30 December – The first BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony is presented from London's Savoy Hotel. Christopher Chataway is the first winner. The award airs annually from now on.
• The British Academy Television Awards, the most prestigious awards in the British television industry, are first awarded.

Debuts

BBC Television Service

• 5 January – A Castle and Sixpence (1954)
• 16 January – The Lost Planet (1954)
• 19 January – Show Case (1954–1955)
• 27 January – Friends and Neighbours (1954)
• 6 February – Clementina (1954)
• 16 February – The Cabin in the Clearing (1954)
• 17 February – The Bespoke Overcoat (1954)
• 30 March – The Wide, Wide World (1954)
• 31 March – Gravelhanger (1954)
• 9 April – The Grove Family (1954–1957)
• 21 April – Running Wild (1954)
• 8 May – The Pat Kirkwood Show (1954)
• 11 May – The Windmill Family (1954)
• 12 May
  • The Dancing Bear (1954)
  • Fast and Loose (1954–1955)
• 23 May – The Promised Years (1954)
• May – Ask Pickles (1954–1956)^[6]
• 7 June – Emney Enterprises (1954–1957)
• 15 June – The Gentle Falcon (1954)
• 10 July – Happy Holidays (1954)
• 13 July – Dear Dotty (1954)
• 14 July – The Six Proud Walkers (1954)
• 3 August – Paradise Island (1954)
• 16 August – Stage by Stage (1954–1955)
• 25 August – Crime on Our Hands (1954)
• 1 October – And So to Bentley (1954)
• 13 November – Fabian of the Yard (1954–1956)
• 24 November – The Three Musketeers (1954)
• 12 December – Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954)
• 21 December – Zoo Quest (1954–1963)
• 24 December – Carols From Kings (1954–present)
• Unknown –
  • Meet David Berglas
  • Sportsview (1954–1968)
  • Walk in the Air (1954–1955)

Independent productions

• The Halls of Ivy (produced by ITC Entertainment)
• The Vise (produced by Danziger Productions)

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

• Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006)
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
• Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
• Watch with Mother (1952–1975)
• The Appleyards (1952–1957)
• All Your Own (1952–1961)
• Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)

Ending this year

• Television Newsreel (1948–1954)

Births

• 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
• 20 February – Anthony Head, actor
• 16 March – Jimmy Nail, actor and singer
• 17 March – Lesley-Anne Down, actress
• 28 April - Mary Jo Randle, actress
• 9 May – Nicholas Crane, geographer and TV presenter
• 21 June – Anne Kirkbride, actress (Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street) (died 2015)
• 16 July – Nicholas Frankau, actor
• 26 August – Steve Wright, broadcaster
• 27 August – Andrew Marshall, scriptwriter
• 8 September – Anne Diamond, journalist and television presenter
• 24 September
  • Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
  • Martin Sixsmith, journalist, author and radio and television presenter
• 3 October – Jeff Randall, journalist and television presenter
• 14 October – Carole Malone, journalist and presenter^[7]
• 19 October – Ken Stott, actor
• 24 November – Susan Gilmore, actress (Avril Rolfe in Howards' Way)
• 1 December – Alan Dedicoat, newsreader and the National Lottery's "Voice of the Balls"
• 5 December – Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter
• 22 December – Hugh Quarshie, actor

See also

• 1954 in British music
• 1954 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1954

External links

• List of 1954 British television series at IMDb

Notes and References

1. News: First BBC television weatherman George Cowling dies. BBC News. 26 December 2009. 27 December 2009.
2. Web site: The Sunday Post: Soap on the Box. 3 July 2016. BBC Genome Blog. 27 January 2019.
3. Web site: The Grove Family: A House of Your Own. 2 April 1954. 1586. 44. 27 January 2019. BBC Genome.
4. Web site: BBC launches daily TV news. BBC On This Day. 19 May 2009 . 1954-07-05.
5. News: 15 December 1954. Controversy Over "1984". 5. The Times. London. 53115.
6. Web site: Ask Pickles. Television Heaven. 2023-01-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20130310165603/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/askpickles.htm. 2013-03-10. dead.
7. Web site: Carole Malone. https://web.archive.org/web/20180122085123/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bc5f5f77f. dead. January 22, 2018. British Film Institute. 21 January 2017.