2016 in British television - The BBC announces a deal with Discovery Communications that enables it to broadcast coverage of the Summer and Winter Olympics up to and including the 2024 Summer Games. The agreement covers television, radio and online coverage, Channel 5, 5*, and 5USA get a new look on 11 February as their stencil logos for their channels as they get their very first airing. 5* is also rebranded as 5Star on the same day.
2015 in British television - 10th anniversary of the 2005 relaunch of Doctor Who, The rebooted series of Teletubbies will feature voiceovers from names including Jane Horrocks, Jim Broadbent and Fearne Cotton, it is revealed, EastEnders concludes the Who Killed Lucy Beale? storyline by revealing her younger brother Bobby Beale as her killer live in a special flashback episode to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, The CBBC channel airs a 60-minute programme celebrating thirty years of The Broom Cupboard, the studio from which CBBCcontinuity programming was broadcast. The programme features past CBBC presenters, including Andi Peters, Philip Schofield, Zoë Ball and Edd the Duck and Launch of YourTV on Freeview and YouView, Fox UK's first free-to-air channel and which is targeted at women.
2014 in British television - 50th anniversary of the first edition of Top of the Pops. Although an edition was aired on New Year's Eve 2013, the anniversary itself goes unmarked by the BBC because of the programme's association with the late Jimmy Savile. The first episode of Channel 4's controversial documentary series Benefits Street attracts several hundred viewer complaints. BBC Two celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2013 in British television - BBC Two launches in high-definition for the first time 2 and a half years after BBC One did, Panorama becomes the first ongoing British TV progaramme to reach and celebrate its 60th anniversary, More4 also launches in HD for the first time and Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary by airing a special episode. Spring 2013 also sees the BBC Television centre's old building close with all the BBC services in London moving to the new one next door known as the Broadcasting House.
2009 in British television - This year sees many changes at ITV as the company encounters financial troubles and The Coach Trip returns after 3 years of absence along with The Biggest Loser. 2009 also sees Six TV in Oxfordshire and Southampton defunct after only 10 years of localized airing.
1997 in British television - Launch of Channel 5, Britain's fifth terrestrial channel followed by the first appearance of the Teletubbies on BBC One, The UKTV network and BBC News 24 are also launched and Programming schedules are abandoned to provide up to date news coverage following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. 1997 also sees the futuristic game show Robot Wars filmed in the latter half of this year and then appear on BBC Two in the early half of the following year.
1991 in British television - Regular programming is abandoned in order to bring live coverage of the Gulf War after Allied Forces launch Operation Desert Storm against Iraq. Over the duration of the war there is extended coverage of events in the Persian Gulf. ITV also broadcasts news and discussion programmes about the war throughout the night. Some broadcasting, particularly in the earlier part of the war, comes from CNN. Also this year the ITVfranchise auction results are announced and take effect starting midnight GMT on 1 January 1993.
1987 in British television - Going for Gold, Fireman Sam and Charlie Chalk all debut on BBC One, The TV-am strike begins after members of the technician’s union the ACTT walk out in a dispute over the station's ‘Caring Christmas Campaign’ What is meant to be a 24-hour stoppage continues for several months when staff are locked out by Managing Director Bruce Gyngell. ITV is unable to broadcast Good Morning Britain, the regular format is replaced with a skeleton service that sees non-technical staff operating cameras and Gyngell himself directing proceedings, as well as imported shows such as Flipper, Batman and Happy Days being used to fill up Channel 4's airtime. The strikers are eventually sacked and replaced with non union staff. Viewing figures remain high throughout the disruption, which continues well into 1988, although normal programming gradually resumes. Other ITV stations later follow Gyngell's example. 1987 also sees the ITV Schools service move to Channel 4 to allow ITV to develop a fully commercial daytime schedule and The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Two Ronnies closedown with University Challenge.
1982 in British television - Channel 4, Britain's fourth terrestrial channel, goes on air; S4C, a Welsh-language version is also launched. "The Satellite Channel", the channel which later became Sky One, also goes on air.
1974 in British television - The BBC teletext service Ceefax first goes on air with 30 pages of information, and the Saturday morning children's entertainment series Tiswas is launched by ATV.
1970 in British television - The BBC Nine O'Clock News goes on air for the first time and staff at ITV begin a three-month colour strike, making colour television programmes black & white like in previous years, after a dispute with their management over pay from 13 November of this year to February and December of the following year.
1939 in British television - Television broadcasts are suspended during World War II for fear that the signals would help German bombers.
1938 in British television - First news bulletin carried by BBC television, in sound only. Previously, the service had aired British Movietone News cinema newsreels.
1928 in British television - John Logie Baird's Television Development Company demonstrates their model A, B, and C 'televisors' to the general public.