1957 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967
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This is a list of British television related events from 1957.

Events[]

January[]

• No events.

February[]

• 16 February – The "Toddlers' Truce" (an arrangement whereby there were no television broadcasts between 6 PM and 7 PM, to allow parents to put their children to bed!) is abolished; it has been a major stumbling block to the success of ITV.

March[]

• 3 March – The United Kingdom enters the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time with "All" performed by Patricia Bredin.

April[]

• 1 April – British current affairs programme Panorama broadcasts the famous Spaghetti trees hoax report.^[1]
• 21 April – Historical documentary series Men, Women and Clothes begins airing. It is the first BBC programme filmed in colour, although it can only be transmitted in black and white.
• 24 April – The Sky at Night appears for the first time, presented by Patrick Moore. It continues to air with Moore as presenter until his death in December 2012.

May[]

• No events.

June[]

• No events.

July[]

• No events.

August[]

• 31 August – Central Scotland's ITV franchise Scottish Television goes on air, the first 7-day-a-week ITV franchise to do so.

September[]

• September – The first broadcasts of regional news bulletins take place.
• 18 September – The sports programme Scotsport begins airing on Scottish Television. By the time it ends in 2008 it is recognised as the world's longest running television sports magazine.
• 24 September – The ITV Schools and BBC Schools services, broadcasting programmes for schools and colleges, both go on air.
• 30 September – Regional television news bulletins for the north of England begin from Piccadilly's studio N in Manchester.^[2]

October[]

• No events.

November[]

• No events.

December[]

• 3 December – Face to Face debuts on the BBC Television Service.
• 25 December – The Royal Christmas Message is first televised with a message from Elizabeth II.

Debuts[]

BBC Television Service/BBC TV[]

• 2 January – (1957)
• 3 January – Our Miss Pemberton (1957-1958)
• 13 January – The Adventures of Peter Simple (1957)
• 17 January – My Pal Bob (1957-1958)
• 8 February – Kenilworth (1957)
• 16 February – Six-Five Special (1957–1958)
• 18 February – Tonight (1957–1965)
• 3 March – (1957)
• 24 April – The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• 30 April – (1957)
• 6 May – Drake's Progress (1957–1958)
• 19 May – (1957)
• 29 May – (1957)
• 2 June – (1957)
• 13 June – (1957)
• 16 June – (1957)
• 22 July – (1957)
• 27 July – Escape (1957)
• 28 July – (1957)
• 4 September – Mister Charlesworth (1957)
• 2 October – Educated Evans (1957-1958)
• 12 October – (1957)
• 16 October – The Royalty (1957-1958)
• 18 October – Nicholas Nickleby (1957)
• 25 October – (1957)
• 13 November (1957)
• 3 December – Face to Face (1957–1962)
• 27 December –
  • Angel Pavement (1957-1958)
  • (1957-1958)
• Unknown
  • Captain Pugwash (BBC 1957–1975, ITV 1997–2002)
  • Pinky and Perky (1957–1968)

ITV[]

• 2 January – (1957–1966)
• 26 January – (1957)
• 11 February – Yes, It's the Cathode-Ray Tube Show! (1957)
• 19 February – Emergency – Ward 10 (1957–1967)
• 9 March – The Gentle Killers (1957)
• 5 April – Together Again (1957)
• 12 April – Living It Up (1957–1958)
• 20 April – (1957)
• 15 June –
  • Hour of Mystery (1957)
  • Motive for Murder (1957)
  • Overseas Press Club - Exclusive! (1957)
• 17 June – Shadow Squad (1957-1959)
• 19 June – The Army Game (1957–1961)
• 12 July – The Gay Cavalier (1957)
• 3 August – The Schirmer Inheritance (1957)
• 7 August – (1957)
• 9 August – The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1957-58)
• 14 September – Five Names for Johnny (1957)
• 16 September – (1957-1958)
• 18 September – Out of Step (1957)
• 22 September – O.S.S. (1957-1958)
• 12 October – White Hunter (1957-1959)
• 13 November – The Adventures of Twizzle (1957–1959)
• 21 December – (1957)

STV[]

• 18 September – Scotsport (1957–2008)

Continuing television shows[]

1920s[]

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)

1930s[]

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

1940s[]

• Watch with Mother (1946–1973)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s[]

• Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
• What's My Line? (1951–1963)
• Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
• All Your Own (1952–1961)
• Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• The Woodentops (1955–1958)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955–1960)
• Picture Book (1955–1965)
• Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974)
• Take Your Pick (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
• Double Your Money (1955–1968)
• Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984, 2020–present)
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956–1961)
• Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)^[3]
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)

Ending this year[]

• The Appleyards (1952–1957)
• The Grove Family (1954–1957)
• The Adventures of Aggie (1956–1957)
• The Tony Hancock Show (1956–1957)
• The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956–1957)

Births[]

• 17 January – Keith Chegwin, children's presenter (d. 2017)
• 24 January – Ade Edmondson, comedian
• 27 February – Timothy Spall, actor
• 5 May – Richard E. Grant, actor
• 11 May – Mike Nesbitt, broadcast journalist and politician
• 4 June – Sue Hodge, actress
• 4 July – Jenny Seagrove, actress
• 9 July – Paul Merton, actor and comedian
• 12 July – Christopher Quinten, actor
• 17 July – Fern Britton, presenter
• 23 July – Jo Brand, comedian
• 12 August – Amanda Redman, actress
• 24 August – Stephen Fry, comedian, presenter, actor and author
• 12 September – Rachel Ward, actress
• 11 October – Dawn French, comedian
• 24 October – Sarah Greene, presenter
• 17 November – Debbie Thrower, presenter
• 30 November – Colin Mochrie, comedian
• 23 December – Trisha Goddard, presenter
• 26 December – Dermot Murnaghan, journalist and presenter

Deaths[]

• 7 August - Oliver Hardy, part of Laurel and Hardy (b. 1892 (aged 65))

See also[]

• 1957 in British music
• 1957 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1957

References[]