1973 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
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This is a list of British television related events from 1973.

Events[]

• Three of the five experimental community cable television channels, authorised the previous year by The UK's Minister for Posts and Telecommunications, launch.^[1] They are Sheffield Cablevision, The Bristol Channel and Swindon Viewpoint.^[2] They join Greenwich Cablevision, which had launched the previous year.^[3] The fifth - Wellingborough Cablevision - begins broadcasting in February 1974.
• Hovis bread commercial featuring a baker's delivery boy with a bicycle on Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset, directed by Ridley Scott, is launched on ITV.^[4]

January[]

• 4 January – The UK and world record breaking long-running comedy series Last of the Summer Wine starts as a 30-minute pilot on BBC1's Comedy Playhouse show. The first series run starts on 12 November and the programme runs for 37 years until August 2010.
• 6 January – Sesame Street, the long running US children's educational series goes to air on UTV, the first time the series is transmitted on television in Northern Ireland.
• 11 January – The Open University awards its first degrees.^[5]

February[]

• 5 February – Elisabeth Beresford's popular children's characters The Wombles spawn into a stop motion animated television series narrated by Bernard Cribbins and composed by Mike Batt on BBC1.
• 15 February – The first episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, starring Michael Crawford, airs on BBC1.

March[]

• 14 March – Are You Being Served? begins its first regular series, six months after the pilot episode had been broadcast as part of the Comedy Playhouse series.
• 25 March – The pilot episode of Open All Hours airs as part of Ronnie Barker's series Seven of One on BBC1.
• March – Experimental Ceefax teletext transmissions begin.

April[]

• 1 April – "Prisoner and Escort", the pilot episode of Porridge, airs as part of Seven of One.

May[]

• 5 May–28 July – BBC Television series The Ascent of Man, written and presented by Jacob Bronowski, airs; there is also an accompanying bestselling book.
• Unknown – Sesame Street airs on Westward Television for the first time, originally on Sundays until next summer when it will be shown on Saturdays.

June[]

• No events.

July[]

• No events.

August[]

• 6 August – James Beck, who stars as Private Walker in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army, dies of a burst pancreas at the age of 44. Although the series continues until 1977, the part of Walker is not recast and the show carries on without him.
• 24 August – Trade test colour films are shown on BBC2 for the final time.

September[]

• 10 September – The Goodies receives its first transmission on television in Zambia on ZBS.

October[]

• 8 October –
  • Pat Phoenix leaves the role of Elsie Tanner on Coronation Street after thirteen years.
  • LBC becomes the first legal Independent Local Radio station in the United Kingdom when it begins broadcasting at just before 6 am, providing talk radio to the London area. It is welcomed on air by London Weekend Television.
• 31 October –
  • Thames Television's landmark 26-part documentary The World at War begins.
  • The sixth series of BBC television sitcom Dad's Army opens with the episode "The Deadly Attachment" containing the "Don't tell him, Pike!" exchange which becomes rated as one of the top three greatest comedy moments of British television.^[6]

November[]

• 12 November – First series run of Last of the Summer Wine starts on BBC1.
• 14 November – The BBC and ITV broadcast extensive live coverage of the Wedding of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips.
• 23 November – 10th anniversary of the first episode of Doctor Who.
• Smash Martians advertising campaign launches on ITV.

December[]

• 17 December – The government announces severe measures to reduce electricity consumption due to the on-going strike action in the country. Part of these measures are that both BBC and ITV television are ordered to end their broadcasting day earlier than usual, at around 10.30pm in order to save energy. The early closedowns commence today and continue until Sunday 23 December. They are then lifted so that Christmas and New Year programming can air as normal and provide some light relief to the public. The restrictions will be reimposed from Monday 7 January 1974 and remain for a further month.

Debuts[]

BBC1[]

• 9 January – Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973–1974)
• 14 January – Woodstock (1973)
• 25 January – Whoops Baghdad (1973)
• 5 February – The Wombles (1973–1975, 1990–1991 BBC, 1996–1997 ITV)
• 15 February – Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973–1978)
• 18 February – A Little Princess (1973)
• 26 February – (1973)
• 13 March – Lizzie Dripping (1973–1975)
• 25 April – The Gordon Peters Show (1973)
• 11 May – Scotch on the Rocks (1973)
• 26 May – That's Life! (1973–1994)
• 6 June – Son of the Bride (1973)
• 7 June – Warship (1973–1977)
• 13 June – We Are the Champions (1973–1995)
• 16 June – Sutherland's Law (1973–1976)
• 13 July – Jack the Ripper (1973)
• 19 July – (1973–1978)
• 20 August – Why Don't You? (1973–1995)
• 1 September – Moonbase 3 (1973)
• 12 September – Oh, Father! (1973)
• 13 September – Casanova '73 (1973)
• 14 September – (1973)
• 12 November –
  • (1973)
  • (1973)
  • Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)

BBC2[]

• 15 February – Weir of Hermiston (1973)
• 16 January - Look and Read: Joe and the Sheep Rustlers (1973)
• 4 March – (1973)
• 25 March – Seven of One (1973)
• 1 April – (1973)
• 19 April – (1973)
• 1 May – A Picture of Katherine Mansfield (1973)
• 5 May — The Ascent of Man (1973)
• 20 May – M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
• 24 May – (1973)
• 28 June – (1973)
• 26 July – (1973)
• 14 August – Black and Blue (1973)
• 6 September – (1973)
• 23 September – (1973)
• 6 October – Jane Eyre (1973)
• 15 October – Second City Firsts (1973–1978)
• 8 December – (1973–1974)
• 14 December – (1973–1974)
• 27 December – (1973–1975)

ITV[]

• 1 January – Pipkins (1973–1981)
• 14 February – All Our Saturdays (1973)
• 3 February – (1973)
• 25 February – (1973)
• 28 February – The Jensen Code (1973)
• 12 March – Hickory House (1973–1977)
• 13 March – (1973)
• 8 April – (1973)
• 11 April – Armchair 30 (1973)
• 14 April – Thriller (1973–1976)
• 30 April – The Tomorrow People (1973–1979, 1992–1995)
• 2 May – (1973)
• 11 May – (1973)
• 15 May – (1973)
• 30 May – The Kids from 47A (1973–1974)
• 4 June – (1973–1976)
• 12 June – Sam (1973–1975)
• 26 June – (1973)
• 11 July – Shabby Tiger (1973)
• 13 July – Sir Yellow (1973)
• 29 July – Bowler (1973)
• 12 August – (1973)
• 15 August –
  • Man About the House (1973–1976)
  • (1973–1974)
• 1 September – Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973–1974)
• 4 September – (1973–1976)
• 21 September – (1973)
• 29 September – New Faces (1973–1978, 1986–1988)
• 30 September – (1973)
• 3 October – (1973)
• 26 October – Billy Liar (1973–1974)
• 29 October – Tell Tarby (1973)
• 30 October – Marked Personal (1973–1974)
• 31 October –
  • (1973–1975)
  • The World at War (1973–1974)
• 1 November – Beryl's Lot (1973–1977)
• 4 November – (1973)
• 12 November –
  • (1973–1980)
  • Roberts Robots (1973–1974)

Television shows[]

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer[]

• Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974)

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)
• 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)^[7]
• 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)
• Dad's Army (1968–1977)^[8]
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• Clangers (1969–1974, 2015–present)
• Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)
• Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s[]

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• Colditz (1972–1974)
• The Protectors (1972–1974)
• Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1976)
• 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)

Ending this year[]

• Watch with Mother (1946–1973)
• Father, Dear Father (1968–1973)
• Freewheelers (1968–1973)
• Nearest and Dearest (1968–1973)
• The Flaxton Boys (1969–1973)
• On the Buses (1969–1973)
• (1970–1973)
• ...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)
• The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)
• Now Look Here (1971–1973)
• Follyfoot (1971–1973)
• Arthur of the Britons (1972–1973)
• Thirty Minutes Worth (1972–1973)
• War and Peace (1972–1973)
• Woodstock (1973)

Births[]

• 29 January – Miranda Krestovnikoff, scientific presenter
• 7 February – Kate Thornton, journalist and presenter
• 8 February – Sonia Deol, presenter
• 3 March – Alison King, actress
• 5 April – Jason Done, actor
• 24 April – Gabby Logan, media presenter
• 30 April – Leigh Francis, comedian
• 8 May – Marcus Brigstocke, English comedian, actor and screenwriter
• 19 May – Alice Roberts, biological anthropologist and scientific presenter
• 21 May – Noel Fielding, comedian and actor
• 24 May – Dermot O'Leary, media presenter
• 26 May – Julie Wilson Nimmo, Scottish actress
• 9 June – Iain Lee, comedian and media presenter
• 16 June – Amanda Byram, Irish-born presenter
• 3 July – Emma Cunniffe, actress
• October – Alex Mahon, television executive
• 11 October – Mark Chapman, broadcaster and newsreader
• 21 October – Beverley Turner, media presenter
• 5 November – Danniella Westbrook, actress and television presenter
• 8 December – Kim Medcalf, actress

Deaths[]

• 31 March – George Woodbridge, 66, Inigo Pipkin in Pipkins
• 6 August – James Beck, 44, Private Walker in Dad's Army

See also[]

• 1973 in British music
• 1973 in British radio
• 1973 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1973

References[]