1957 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1957.

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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

• 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.

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 – Potts and the Phantom Piper (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 – The Railway Children (1957)
• 24 April – The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• 30 April – Sara Crewe (1957)
• 6 May – Drake's Progress (1957–1958)
• 19 May – The Machine Breakers (1957)
• 29 May –Precious Bane (1957)
• 2 June – From Me to You (1957)
• 13 June – Sheep's Clothing (1957)
• 16 June – Huntingtower (1957)
• 22 July – Scott Free (1957)
• 27 July – Escape (1957)
• 4 September – Mister Charlesworth (1957)
• 2 October – Educated Evans (1957-1958)
• 12 October – Thunder in the West (1957)
• 16 October – The Royalty (1957-1958)
• 18 October – Nicholas Nickleby (1957)
• 25 October – Be Soon (1957)
• 13 November A Time of Day (1957)
• 3 December – Face to Face (1957–1962)
• 27 December –
  • Angel Pavement (1957-1958)
  • Caxton's Tales (1957-1958)
• Unknown
  • Captain Pugwash (BBC 1957–1975, ITV 1997–2002)
  • Pinky and Perky (1957–1968)

ITV

• 2 January – The Arthur Haynes Show (1957–1966)
• 26 January – The Man Who Was Two (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 – Electrode 93 (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 – Dead Giveaway (1957)
• 9 August – The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1957-58)
• 14 September – Five Names for Johnny (1957)
• 16 September – Murder Bag (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 – Web (1957)

STV

• 18 September – Scotsport (1957–2008)

Continuing television shows

1920s

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

1930s

• 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)[2]
• 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 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

1. "BBC fools the nation". BBC On This Day. 1957-04-01. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
2. Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline