1956 in British radio

This is a list of events from British radio in 1956.

Events[]

• 22 December – The BBC Light Programme begins transmitting from the Wenvoe transmitting station in south Wales on VHF, giving it a wider audience.

Programme debuts[]

• 24 April – The Clitheroe Kid is piloted on the BBC North Home Service
• June – My Word! is piloted on the BBC Midland Home Service, chaired by John Arlott^[1]

Continuing radio programmes[]

1930s[]

• In Town Tonight (1933–1960)

1940s[]

• Music While You Work (1940–1967)
• Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
• Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
• Family Favourites (1945–1980)
• Down Your Way (1946–1992)
• Have A Go (1946–1967)
• Housewives' Choice (1946–1967)
• Letter from America (1946–2004)
• Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
• Twenty Questions (1947–1976)
• Any Questions? (1948–Present)
• Mrs Dale's Diary (1948–1969)
• Take It from Here (1948–1960)
• Billy Cotton Band Show (1949–1968)
• A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)
• Ray's a Laugh (1949–1961)

1950s[]

• The Archers (1950–Present)
• Educating Archie (1950–1960)
• Listen with Mother (1950–1982)
• The Goon Show (1951–1960)
• Hancock's Half Hour (1954–1959)
• From Our Own Correspondent (1955–Present)
• Pick of the Pops (1955–Present)

Births[]

• 6 January – Angus Deayton, actor and television presenter
• 9 January – Imelda Staunton, actress
• 21 January – Ian McMillan, poet and broadcaster
• 14 February – Tom Watt, radio presenter, journalist and actor
• 1 March – Helen Boaden, broadcasting executive
• 4 May – Charlotte Green, radio newsreader and announcer
• 2 June – Susan Rae, Scottish radio newsreader and announcer
• 6 June – Vaughan Savidge, radio newsreader and announcer
• 2 October – John Pienaar, political journalist
• 30 October – Juliet Stevenson, actress
• 8 November – Richard Curtis, scriptwriter
• 27 November – John McCarthy, journalist
• 26 December – Simon Fanshawe, writer and broadcaster
• 29 December – Fred MacAulay, Scottish comedian

Deaths[]

• 20 May – Sir Max Beerbohm, theatre critic, humorist and broadcaster (born 1872)

See also[]

• 1956 in British music
• 1956 in British television
• 1956 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1956

References[]