1978 in British television

July

• 1 July – BBC1 begins showing the US superhero television series Wonder Woman, starring Lynda Carter.
• 3 July – The debut of The Kenny Everett Video Show featuring the comedian and DJ Kenny Everett in a series of sketches on ITV.
• 13 July – The original series of
  BBC Pebble Mill
  the previous year.
• 29 July – ITV airs the first episode of the
  Yorkshire Television produced game show 3-2-1, presented by Ted Rogers, featuring the character "Dusty Bin". The first episode is also notable for the appearance of DJ Janice Long
  as a contestant.

• 17 October –
  Connections
  is first broadcast on BBC1.
• 18 October – Morecambe and Wise return to ITV for their long-running comedy sketch show The Morecambe & Wise Show.

November

• 6 November – ITV airs the first episode of Edward & Mrs. Simpson, a seven-part British television series that dramatises the events leading to the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII who gave up his throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.
• 10 November – Debut of Carla Lane's family sitcom Butterflies on BBC2.
• 23 November – 15th anniversary of the first episode of the long-running science-fiction series Doctor Who.
• 27 November – The Times reports that
  News International will sell 16% of its share in London Weekend Television, reducing its shares from 39.7% to 25%.^[11]
• November – ITV starts broadcasting the ORACLE teletext service. It ends on 31 December 1992.

December

• 21–22 December – BBC1 and BBC2 are forced off the air due to industrial action at the BBC by the ABS union which starts on Thursday 21 December. The following day the radio unions join their BBC Television counterparts, forcing the BBC to merge their four national radio networks into one national radio station, the BBC All Network Radio Service, from 4pm that afternoon. The strike is settled shortly before 10pm on 22 December with the unions and BBC management reaching an agreement at the British government's industrial disputes arbitration service ACAS. BBC1 resumes broadcast at 3pm on Saturday 23 December with BBC2 resuming at 1pm the same afternoon. Threat of disruption to the BBC's festive television schedules is averted. BBC Radio networks resume normal schedules on the morning of Saturday 23 December.^{[12][13][14][15]}
• 25 December
  • BBC1 airs the network television premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1965 family musical film The Sound of Music, starring Julie Andrews.^[16]
  • The network television premiere of the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever on ITV, starring Sean Connery in his final official appearance as 007.^[9]
• 26 December – BBC1 screen the network television premiere of William Friedkin's 1971 Oscar winning crime thriller The French Connection, starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.
• 28 December – ITV airs the final episode of The Sweeney.
• December – A strike forces
  Yorkshire Television off air throughout the entire Christmas period. The strike commenced on 17 December 1978, with normal service not resumed on Yorkshire Television until 5.45pm on Wednesday 3 January 1979. Many of ITV's Christmas programmes are eventually shown in early 1979 after the dispute has ended, little did anyone know that the seeds for the ITV Strike of 79 were sown.^[17]

• 1 January – Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1978)
• 2 January – Blake's 7 (1978–1981)
• 3 January - The Story of Perrine (1978)
• 4 January – A Traveller in Time (1978)
• 8 January – All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1990, 2020–present)
• 21 January – The Les Dawson Show (1978–1989)
• 29 January – Hawkmoor (1978)
• February – Grand Slam (1978)
• 8 February – Grange Hill (1978–2008)
• 24 February – Going Straight (1978)
• 1 March – The Hong Kong Beat (documentary) (1978)
• 7 March – Pennies from Heaven (1978)
• 9 March – Breakaway Girls (1978)
• 4 April – The Standard (1978)
• 10 April – Cheggers Plays Pop (1978–1986)
• 1 May – The Little and Large Show (1978–1991)
• 17 June – Lennie and Jerry (1978–1980)
• 5 September – Dallas (1978–1991)
• 10 September – Sexton Blake and the Demon God (1978)
• 18 September – Tycoon (1978)
• 20 September – Touch and Go (1978)
• 24 September –
  A Horseman Riding By
  (1978)
• 30 September – Scotch and Wry (1978–1992)
• 10 October – Space Sentinels (1977)
• 13 October – Rings on Their Fingers (1978–1980)
• 22 October – Huntingtower (1978)
• 25 October – The Hills of Heaven (1978)
• 15 November – The Moon Stallion (1978)
• 3 December – Pinocchio (1978)
• 31 December – The Mill on the Floss (1978–1979)

BBC2

• 15 January - Ski Sunday (1978–present)
• 17 January – In the Looking Glass (1978)
• 22 January – The Mayor of Casterbridge (1978)
• 11 March – Something Else (1978–1982)
• 6 April – Law & Order (1978)
• 17 April – Pickersgill People (1978)
• 30 April – The Devil's Crown (1978)
• 7 May - Grand Prix (1978-1996, 2009–2015)
• 5 June – An Englishman's Castle (1978)
• 19 September – Look and Read: Sky Hunter (1978)
• 20 September – Langrishe, Go Down (1978)
• 24 September – Wuthering Heights (1978)
• 11 October –
  The Lost Boys
  (1978)
• 26 October – Gauguin the Savage (1978)
• 30 October – And Now the Good News (1978)
• 31 October – Empire Road (1978)
• 31 October – The Voyage of Charles Darwin (1978)
• 2 November – Accident (1978)
• 10 November – Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)
• 3 December – BBC Television Shakespeare (1978–1985)

ITV

• 3 January – Glad Day: A Celebration for William Blake (1978) (Musical drama)
• 7 January – Logan's Run (1978)
• 11 January – Cloppa Castle (1978–1979)
• 13 January – Maggie and Her (1978–1979)
• 14 January – The South Bank Show (1978–2010, 2012–present)
• 15 January – Do You Remember? (1978)
• 16 January – Hazell (1978–1979)
• 17 January – Wilde Alliance (1978)
• 21 January – Enemy at the Door (1978–1981)
• 22 January –
  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
  (1978)
• 20 February – Warrior Queen (1978)
• 21 February – Armchair Thriller (1978–1981)
• 1 March – Send in the Girls (1978)
• 3 March – Mixed Blessings (1978–1980)
• 12 March – The Doombolt Chase (1978)
• 3 April – Rumpole of the Bailey (1978–1992)
• 23 April – Come Back, Lucy (1978)
• 29 April – Scorpion Tales (1978)
• 26 May – The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982)
• 5 June – Strangers (1978–1982)
• 13 June
  • Life Begins at Forty (1978–1980)
  • Will Shakespeare (1978)
• 3 July
  • The Famous Five (1978–1979)
  • The Kenny Everett Video Show (1978–1981)
• 8 July
  • The Law Centre (1978)
  • Saturday Banana
    (1978)
• 9 July – William and Dorothy (1978)
• 13 July – Leave It to Charlie (1978–1980)
• 16 July – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1978)
• 18 July – Spearhead (1978–1981)
• 23 July – Parables (1978)
• 24 July – Out (1978)
• 29 July – 3-2-1 (1978–1988)
• 31 July – A Soft Touch (1978)
• 8 August – The Bass Player and the Blonde (1978)
• 5 September –Disraeli (1978)
• 7 September – Jabberjaw (1976–1978)
• 9 September
  • Saturday Night People (1978–1980)
  • The Bubblies (1978–1984)
• 10 September – Return of the Saint (1978–1979)
• 11 September – Cooper, Just Like That (1978)
• 13 September – Born and Bred (1978)
• 15 September – Soap (1977-1981)
• 18 September – The Sandbaggers (1978–1980)
• 24 September
  • Bless Me, Father (1978–1981)
  • Lillie (1978)
• 7 October – Bruce Forsyth's Big Night (1978, 1980)
• 8 October – The Clifton House Mystery (1978)
• 18 October – The Morecambe & Wise Show (1978–1983)
• 23 October – Bernie (1978–1980)
• 24 October – The Upchat Connection (1978)
• 1 November – The One and Only Phyllis Dixey (1978)
• 6 November -
  Edward and Mrs Simpson
  (1978)
• 12 November – The Losers (1978)
• 14 November – Fallen Hero (1978–1979)
• 2 December – By Alan Bennett - Six Plays (1978–1979)

Continuing television shows

1920s

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

1930s

• The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019)
• BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984, 2020–present)
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)^[18]
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• Songs of Praise (1961–present)
• 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)
• Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–2010)
• ITV Playhouse
  (1967–1982)
• Reksio (1967–1990)
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• The Liver Birds (1969–1979, 1996)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)
• Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• General Hospital (1972–1979)
• Sykes (1972–1979)
• Thunderbirds (1972-1980, 1984–1987)
• Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• Crown Court (1972–1984)
• Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
• Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
• Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1997)
• Emmerdale (1972–present)
• Newsround
  (1972–present)
• Weekend World (1972–1988)
• Pipkins (1973–1981)
• We Are the Champions (1973–1987)
• Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)
• That's Life! (1973–1994)
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981)
• Tiswas (1974–1982)
• Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)
• Celebrity Squares (1975–1979, 1993–1997, 2014–2015)
• The Cuckoo Waltz (1975–1980)
• Arena (1975–present)
• Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)
• The Muppet Show (1976–1981)
• When the Boat Comes In (1976–1981)
• Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976–1982)
• Rentaghost (1976–1984)
• One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
• Robin's Nest (1977–1981)
• You're Only Young Twice (1977–1981)
• The Professionals (1977–1983)

Ending this year

• 20 March – Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• 10 April – 1990 (1977–1978)
• 15 April – Within These Walls (1974–1978)
• 9 May – Rising Damp (1974–1978)
• 24 May – A Bunch of Fives (1977–1978)
• 10 June – The Good Life (1975–1978)
• 21 July – The Black and White Minstrel Show (1958–1978)
• August – This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• 20 September – Z-Cars (1962–1978)
• 20 December – Happy Ever After (1974–1978)
• 25 December – Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973–1978)
• 28 December – The Sweeney (1975–1978)
• 31 December - The Story of Perrine (1978)

Births

• 22 February – Jenny Frost, singer, dancer, television presenter and model
• 23 March — Joanna Page, actress
• 31 March – Daniel Mays, actor
• 28 April — Lauren Laverne, radio and television presenter and singer
• 9 May – Georgina Mellor, British actress (Footballers' Wives: Extra Time)
• 29 May — Adam Rickitt, actor
• 10 July — Sarah-Jane Mee, journalist and news and sports presenter
• 11 July — Dustin Demri-Burns, actor, comedian and writer
• 24 July — Joanna Taylor, actress and model
• 19 August — Callum Blue, actor
• 8 November — Jane Danson, actress
• 17 November – Tom Ellis, actor

Deaths

• 11 January – Michael Bates, actor (born 1920)
• 21 July – Henry Longhurst, golf commentator (born 1909)
• 5 October – May Warden, actress (born 1891)
• 1 December – David Nixon, magician (born 1919)

See also

• 1978 in British music
• 1978 in British radio
• 1978 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1978

References

External links

• List of 1978 British television series at IMDb