1972 in British television

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This is a list of British television related events from 1972.

Events[]

January[]

19 January – The government of Edward Heath announces the lifting of all restrictions on broadcasting hours on television and radio.

February[]

No events.

March[]

1 March – Border begins broadcasting in colour from the Selkirk transmitter.
25 March – The 17th Eurovision Song Contest is held at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Luxembourg wins the contest with the song "Après toi", performed by Vicky Leandros.

April[]

4 April – After a three-year courtship, Emily Nugent marries Ernest Bishop on Coronation Street.

May[]

No events.

June[]

"Light and Tuneful" became the new opening theme tune for the BBC's coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

July[]

8 July – Granada broadcasts Sesame Street for the first time.
24 July – The Independent Television Authority (ITA) is renamed the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).

August[]

26 August-11 September – The BBC and ITV broadcast full coverage of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games with the BBC providing approximately eight hours a day of live coverage each day.

September[]

11 September –
- Nationwide starts broadcasting five days a week. Previously, it had been broadcast only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- After eight years of episodes being shown different days at various ITV regions, Crossroads finally gets broadcast across the network with Granada Television showing it for the first time. The series is still being shown at different times across the regions.

October[]

1 October – London Weekend Television launches the UK's first Sunday politics programme – Weekend World. It continues until 1988.
2 October – Following the lifting of restrictions on broadcasting hours, BBC1 and ITV are allowed to begin broadcasting during the day. BBC1's afternoon schedule launches with the first edition of a new lunchtime magazine programme Pebble Mill at One.
16 October – ITV launches its afternoon service. As part of the new service the first edition of Emmerdale Farm is broadcast, from Yorkshire Television, and ITV's first lunchtime news programme, First Report, is shown. ITV Schools is now shown in a single morning block, between the hours of 0930 and 1200.
23 October – The BBC announces that development work has begun on the Ceefax teletext service.

November[]

No events.

December[]

30 December – The BBC airs part one of "The Three Doctors", a four-part serial of the science-fiction programme Doctor Who created to celebrate its tenth series (the tenth anniversary will not be until 23 November of the following year).

Unknown[]

The BBC Schools and Colleges service is converted to colour and started using the Diamond ident, which stays until 1977.
The UK's Minister for Posts and Telecommunications authorises five experimental community cable television channels.^[1]
London Weekend Television opens its purpose-built studios called The London Studios although they are not fully operational until 1974.

Debuts[]

BBC1[]

3 January – Mandog (1972)
6 January – (1972)
9 January – (1972)
13 January – The Adventures of Sir Prancelot (1972)
16 January – The Moonstone (1972)
3 February – (1972)
11 February – (1972)
14 February - Fingerbobs (1972)
19 February – The Befrienders (1972)
20 February – Anne of Green Gables (1972)
21 February – The Regiment (1972–1973)
1 March – Crystal Tipps and Alistair (1972–1974)
10 March – The Brothers (1972–1976)
13 March – Spy Trap (1972–1975)
23 March – (1972)
4 April – Newsround (1972–present)
5 April – Lord Peter Wimsey (1972–1975)
10 April – (1972)
12 May – (1972)
15 June – The Burke Special (1972–1976)
30 June – Cabbages and Kings (1972–1974)
10 July – Birds in the Bush (1972)
27 July – (1972)
16 August – (1972)
8 September – Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
11 September – Mastermind (1972–present)
14 September – Sykes (1972–1979)
19 September – My Wife Next Door (1972)
25 September – (1972)
2 October – Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
8 October – (1972)
19 October – Colditz (1972–1974)
16 November – The Film Programme (1972–present)
26 November – (1972)
15 December – Record Breakers (1972–2001)
27 December – Thursday's Child (1972–1973)
30 December – Thunderbirds (1972–1980, 1984–1987)

BBC2[]

6 January – The Shadow of the Tower (1972)
8 January – Ways of Seeing (1972)
16 January – Up Sunday (1972–1973)
30 January – (1972)
18 February – Clochemerle (1972)
9 April – (1972)
21 April – Beyond a Joke (1972)
23 April – The Lotus Eaters (1972–1973)
4 May – The Golden Bowl (1972)
5 June – His Lordship Entertains (1972)
13 June – (1972)
15 June – (1972)
20 July – Emma (1972)
31 August – (1972)
15 September – (1972)
24 September – (1972)
28 September – War and Peace (1972–1973)
1 October – (1972–1973)
8 October – (1972)
5 November – Dead of Night (1972)
21 November – The Edwardians (1972–1973)
26 November – (1972–1973)
3 December – (1972)

ITV[]

2 January – The Intruder (1972)
3 January – (1972)
8 January – Who Do You Do? (1972–1976)
19 January – (1972)
21 January – Spyder's Web (1972)
23 January – Adam Smith (1972–1973)
14 February – Home and Away (1972)
15 February – Romany Jones (1972–1975)
19 February – Both Ends Meet (1972)
24 February – (1972–1974)
27 February – Pretenders (1972)
28 February – Hep Hep (1972)
7 March – (1972)
4 April – (1972)
7 April – Shirley's World (1972)
8 April – (1972)
9 April – Doctor in Charge (1972–1973)
10 April –
- Pardon My Genie (1972–1973)
- Six Days of Justice (1972–1975)
12 April – Late Night Theatre (1972–1974)
13 April – Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1976)
14 April – Clapperboard (1972–1982)
16 April – The Organization (1972)
19 April – Escape Into Night (1972)
22 April – New Scotland Yard (1972–1974)
14 May – (1972)
20 May – The Train Now Standing (1972–1973)
31 May – (1972)
5 June – Alcock and Gander (1972)
2 July – Villains (1972)
7 July – (1972)
21 July – (1972)
15 August – Whodunnit? (1972–1978)
18 August – Shut That Door! (1972–1973)
20 August – (1972)
1 September –
- (1972)
- Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1997)
7 September – The Strauss Family (1972)
13 September – Van der Valk (1972–1973, 1977, 1991–1992, 2020)
17 September – The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972–1974)
27 September – (1972–1973)
29 September –
- The Adventurer (1972–1973)
- The Protectors (1972–1974)
- The New Adventures of Madeline (1972–1981)
1 October – Weekend World (1972–1988)
2 October – The Stanley Baxter Picture Show (1972–1975)
11 October – Crown Court (1972–1984)
16 October – Emmerdale Farm (1972–present)
17 October – Harriet's Back in Town (1972–1973)
19 October – General Hospital (1972–1979)
21 October – (1972–1977)
23 October – (1972–1976)
31 October – Thirty Minutes Worth (1972–1973)
17 November – (1972)
18 November – (1972)
4 December – (1972–1975)
6 December – Arthur of the Britons (1972–1973)

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[]

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, 2020–present)
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)
The Golden Shot (1967–1975)
ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
Father, Dear Father (1968–1973)
Dad's Army (1968–1977)^[3]
Magpie (1968–1980)
The Big Match (1968–2002)
On the Buses (1969–1973)
Clangers (1969–1974)
Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974, 2015–present)
Nationwide (1969–1983)
Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s[]

The Goodies (1970–1982)
...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)
The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)
Follyfoot (1971–1973)
Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)
The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
Sale of the Century (1971–1983, 1989–1992, 1997–1998)
The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)

Ending this year[]

Callan (1967–1972)
Please Sir! (1968–1972)
A Family at War (1970–1972)
Doomwatch (1970–1972)
Queenie's Castle (1970–1972)
Mr Benn (1970–1972, 2005)
A Class by Himself (1971–1972)
Budgie (1971–1972)
The Persuaders! (1971–1972)

Births[]

4 January — Charlotte Hudson, English actress
9 January — Sarah Beeny, property developer and television presenter
12 January — Sid Owen, actor
915 January — Claudia Winkleman, television presenter
23 January
- Harriet Scott, radio and television presenter
- Lisa Snowdon, English fashion model, actress and television presenter
10 February — Helen Willetts, BBC weather presenter
19 February — Lisa Faulkner, actress
22 February — Jo Guest, glamour model and media personality
24 February — James Bachman, comedian, actor and writer
27 March — Ben Richards, actor (The Bill)
22 April — Sarah Patterson, actress
28 April — Anita Anand, journalist and television presenter
3 May — Katya Adler, broadcast journalist
19 May — Amanda de Cadenet, television presenter, actress and photographer
20 May
- Daisy McAndrew, journalist
- Tina Hobley, actress
26 May — Patsy Palmer, actress and television presenter
4 June — Debra Stephenson, actress
7 July — Liza Walker, British actress
19 July — Amanda Lamb, model and television presenter
7 August — Sarah Cawood, television presenter
9 September — Natasha Kaplinsky, newsreader
12 September — Gideon Emery, actor
24 September
- Kate Fleetwood, actress
- Finty Williams, actress
29 September — Robert Webb, comic actor
22 October — Saffron Burrows, actress and model
2 November — Samantha Womack, actress
6 November — Thandiwe Newton, actress
8 November — Ben Hull, actor
14 December — Miranda Hart, comic actress
18 December — Melissa Porter, television presenter
Unknown – Sarah Tansey, actress (Heartbeat)

Deaths[]

22 September – Val Parnell, 80, television executive and presenter, previously theatrical impresario
16 October – Leo G. Carroll, 85, actor (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)

References[]

^ Henwood, Flis; Miller, Nod; Senker, Peter; Wyatt, Sally (2002). Technology and In/equality: Questioning the Information Society. Routledge. pp. 52–53. ISBN 9780203134504.
^ Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline
^ "Dad's Army". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.

[1] Henwood, Flis; Miller, Nod; Senker, Peter; Wyatt, Sally (2002). Technology and In/equality: Questioning the Information Society. Routledge. pp. 52–53. ISBN 9780203134504.

[2] Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline

[3] "Dad's Army". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

1972 in British television

Contents

Events[]

January[]

February[]

March[]

April[]

May[]

June[]

July[]

August[]

September[]

October[]

November[]

December[]

Unknown[]

Debuts[]

BBC1[]

BBC2[]

ITV[]

Continuing television shows[]

1920s[]

1930s[]

1940s[]

1950s[]

1960s[]

1970s[]

Ending this year[]

Births[]

Deaths[]

See also[]

References[]