1971 in British television

Overview of the events of 1971 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
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This is a list of British television related events from 1971.

Contents

• 
  1 Events
  
  
  
  • 
    1.1 January
    
  
  
  • 
    1.2 February
    
  
  
  • 
    1.3 March
    
  
  
  • 
    1.4 April
    
  
  
  • 
    1.5 May
    
  
  
  • 
    1.6 June
    
  
  
  • 
    1.7 July
    
  
  
  • 
    1.8 August
    
  
  
  • 
    1.9 September
    
  
  
  • 
    1.10 October
    
  
  
  • 
    1.11 November
    
  
  
  • 
    1.12 December
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  2 Debuts
  
  
  
  • 
    2.1 BBC1
    
  
  
  • 
    2.2 BBC2
    
  
  
  • 
    2.3 ITV
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  3 Television shows
  
  
  
  • 
    3.1 1920s
    
  
  
  • 
    3.2 1930s
    
  
  
  • 
    3.3 1940s
    
  
  
  • 
    3.4 1950s
    
  
  
  • 
    3.5 1960s
    
  
  
  • 
    3.6 1970s
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  4 Ending this year
  


• 
  5 Births
  


• 
  6 See also
  


• 
  7 References
  

Events

January

• 3 January – BBC Open University broadcasts begin.


• 27 January – Valerie Barlow is electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer, and then perishes in a house fire on Coronation Street.

February

• 6 February to 13 March – BBC Two first broadcasts the serial Jude the Obscure, starring Robert Powell, in six 45-minute episodes.


• 17 February – BBC2 airs Elizabeth R, a drama serial of six 85-minute plays starring Glenda Jackson in the title role.

March

• 22 March – Long running US children's educational series Sesame Street begins airing on British television for the very first time ever. It will debut on ITV by first airing on HTV.

April

• 10 April – The Two Ronnies debuts on BBC1.

May

• No events.

June

• 7 June – The UK children's magazine show Blue Peter buries a time capsule in the grounds of BBC Television Centre, due to be opened on the first episode of the year 2000.

July

• No events.

August

• No events.

September

• 21 September – The Old Grey Whistle Test premieres on BBC2.


• 25 September – Sesame Street starts airing on LWT and Grampian Television.

October

• 2 October – Debut on BBC1 of The Generation Game, presented by Bruce Forsyth.^[1]
  


• 10 October – Upstairs, Downstairs debuts on ITV.

November

• No events

December

• No events.

Debuts

BBC1

• 25 February – Mr Benn (1971, 2005)


• 10 April – The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)


• 19 June – Parkinson (1971–1982, 1998–2007)


• 2 October – The Generation Game (1971–1982, 1990–2002)


• 15 October – The Onedin Line (1971–1980)


• 5 November – Now Look Here (1971–1973)

BBC2

• 6 February – Jude the Obscure (1971)


• 17 February – Elizabeth R (1971)


• 21 September – The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)

ITV

• 14 January – A Class by Himself (1971–1972)


• 22 March – Sesame Street (1969–present)


• 7 April – Hine (1971)


• 9 April – Budgie (1971–1972)


• 18 April – Persuasion (1971)


• 27 April – ...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)


• 12 June – The Comedians (1971–1985)


• 28 June – Follyfoot (1971–1973)


• 17 September – The Persuaders! (1971–1972)


• 24 September – The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)


• 10 October – Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)


• 25 October – Lollipop Loves Mr Mole (1971–1972)

Television shows

1920s

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

1930s

• 
  BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

• 
  Watch with Mother (1946–1973)


• 
  Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• 
  The Good Old Days (1953–1983)


• 
  Panorama (1953–present)


• 
  Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)


• 
  Crackerjack (1955–1984)


• 
  Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)


• 
  This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)


• 
  Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)^[2]
  


• 
  What the Papers Say (1956–2008)


• 
  The Sky at Night (1957–present)


• 
  Blue Peter (1958–present)


• 
  Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• 
  Coronation Street (1960–present)


• 
  Songs of Praise (1961–present)


• 
  Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974)


• 
  Z-Cars (1962–1978)


• 
  Animal Magic (1962–1983)


• 
  Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present)


• 
  World in Action (1963–1998)


• 
  Top of the Pops (1964–2006)


• 
  Match of the Day (1964–present)


• 
  Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003)


• 
  Play School (1964–1988)


• 
  Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999)


• 
  Call My Bluff (1965–2005)


• 
  World of Sport (1965–1985)


• 
  Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)


• 
  Sportsnight (1965–1997)


• 
  It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)


• 
  The Money Programme (1966–2010)


• 
  Callan (1967–1972)


• 
  The Golden Shot (1967–1975)


• 
  ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)


• 
  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)

1970s

• 
  A Family at War (1970–1972)


• 
  Queenie's Castle (1970–1972)


• 
  The Goodies (1970–1982)

Ending this year

• 
  All Gas and Gaiters (1966–1971)


• 
  Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width (1967–1971)


• 
  Me Mammy (1968–1971)


• 
  Albert and Victoria (1970–1971)


• 
  Bachelor Father (1970–1971)


• 
  The Lovers (1970–1971)


• 
  Timeslip (1970–1971)


• 
  UFO (1970–1971)

Births

• 1 January – Suzanne Virdee, British regional newscaster (Midlands Today)


• 3 January – Sarah Alexander, actress


• 5 January –
  
  
  
  • 
    Joanna Gosling, journalist and newsreader
  
  
  • 
    Jayne Middlemiss, British television presenter
  
  
  
  


• 12 January – Jay Burridge, British artist and television presenter


• 13 January – Sarah Tansey, UK actress (Heartbeat)


• 14 January – Yiolanda Koppel, UK presenter


• 15 January – Lara Cazalet, British actress


• 16 January – Julia Ford, English actress


• 20 January –
  
  
  
  • 
    Pixie McKenna, Irish presenter (Embarrassing Bodies)
  
  
  • 
    Gary Barlow, singer and actor
  
  
  
  


• 23 January – Lorne Spicer, British presenter (Cash in the Attic)


• 29 January – Clare Balding, sports presenter, journalist and jockey


• 30 January – Darren Boyd, actor


• 31 January – Patrick Kielty, Northern Irish comedian and television presenter


• 2 February – Michelle Gayle, singer and actress


• 13 February – Sonia, English pop singer


• 16 February –
  
  
  
  • 
    Amanda Holden, British actress and television presenter
  
  
  • 
    Steven Houghton, British actor and singer
  
  
  
  


• 17 February – Jeremy Edwards, actor


• 20 February – Sarah Hadland, actress


• 23 February – Melinda Messenger, British television presenter and model


• 2 March – Dave Gorman, comedian and broadcaster


• 3 March – Charlie Brooker, presenter and satirist


• 9 March – Stephanie Chambers, actress


• 23 March – Gail Porter, British television presenter.


• 5 April – Victoria Hamilton, actress


• 15 April – Kate Harbour, voice actress


• 16 April – Max Beesley, actor and musician


• 17 April – Claire Sweeney, actress, singer and television personality


• 18 April – David Tennant, Scottish actor


• 27 May – Paul Bettany, British actor


• 5 June – Susan Lynch, Northern Irish actress


• 26 June – Emma Noble, actress and model


• 5 July – Nicola Stephenson, actress


• 24 July – John Partridge, actor


• 25 July – Chloë Annett, actress


• 20 August – Helen Grace, actress


• 31 August – Kirstie Allsopp, British television presenter


• 1 September – Debbie Chazen, actress


• 7 September – Lisa Rogers, television presenter


• 8 September – Martin Freeman, actor


• 25 September – Jessie Wallace, British actress


• 29 September – Mackenzie Crook, English actor


• 4 October – Simone Hyams, actress


• 13 October – Sacha Baron Cohen, British comedian


• 16 October – Craig Phillips, British reality show star, Winner of Big Brother UK in 2000


• 24 October – Dervla Kirwan, actress


• 1 December – Emily Mortimer, British actress


• Unknown – Helen Blakeman, playwright and screenwriter

See also

• 1971 in British music


• 1971 in British radio


• 1971 in the United Kingdom


• List of British films of 1971

References

1. 
   ^ "Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game - BBC One London - 2 October 1971". BBC Genome. BBC. Retrieved 18 August 2017..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
   


2. 
   ^ Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline
   

Years in television: 1971
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