1954 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1954.

Events

• 11 January – The first weather forecast with an in-vision presenter is televised in the UK. The first weather presenter was George Cowling.^[1]
• 9 April – The Grove Family, generally considered the first British TV soap opera, debuts on the BBC Television Service.
• 5 July – First actual news bulletin, News and Newsreel, aired on the BBC Television Service, replacing Television Newsreel.^[2]
• 30 July – The Television Act 1954 is given Royal Assent. It authorises the setting up of the infrastructure for British commercial television.
• 12 December – The BBC Television Service screens its famous, and controversial, adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
• 30 December – The first BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony is presented from London's Savoy Hotel. It has aired annually ever since.
• The British Academy Television Awards, the most prestigious awards in the British television industry, are first awarded.

Debuts

• 9 April – The Grove Family (1954–1957)
• 13 November – Fabian of the Yard (1954–1956)
• 21 December – Zoo Quest (1954–1963)

Television shows

1940s

• Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
• Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
• Watch with Mother (1952–1973)
• The Appleyards (1952–1957)
• All Your Own (1952–1961)
• Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)

Ending this year

• Television Newsreel (1948–1954)

Births

• 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
• 20 February – Anthony Head, actor
• 16 March – Jimmy Nail, actor and singer
• 17 March – Lesley-Anne Down, actress
• 9 May – Nicholas Crane, geographer and TV presenter
• 21 June – Anne Kirkbride, actress (Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street) (died 2015)
• 26 August – Steve Wright, broadcaster
• 8 September – Anne Diamond, journalist and television presenter
• 24 September
  • Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
  • Martin Sixsmith, journalist, author and radio and television presenter
• 3 October – Jeff Randall, journalist and television presenter
• 19 October – Ken Stott, actor
• 1 December – Alan Dedicoat, newsreader and the National Lottery's "Voice of the Balls"
• 5 December – Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter
• 22 December – Hugh Quarshie, actor

References