From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Overview of the events of 1955 in British television
This is a list of British television related events from 1955.
Events
January – First televised Welsh language play, Cap Wil Tomos .
15 January – The Benny Hill Show premieres on the BBC Television Service , later moving to ITV . Its global audience figures will be counted in the billions.
17 May – Sir Anthony Eden hosts a ground-breaking television election programme for the Conservative Party , the first broadcast of its type. The 30 minute programme features government ministers pitted against newspaper editors.[1]
29 June – Life with the Lyons , one of the first successful British sitcoms (though starring the American, Ben Lyon ), premieres on the BBC Television Service, having previously been broadcast only on radio.
9 July – Dixon of Dock Green premieres on the BBC Television Service .
21 July – The BBC brings into service its Divis transmitting station , its first permanent 405-line VHF Band I facility serving Northern Ireland , marking the launch of a television service for Northern Ireland ; the 35 kW transmissions can also be readily received in much of the Republic of Ireland .[2]
29 July – This Is Your Life premieres on the BBC Television Service.
4 September – Newsreaders appear "in vision" for the first time.
22 September – Commercial television starts in the UK , with the launch of ITV in London – Associated-Rediffusion on weekdays, Associated Television Network (ATV) at weekends. The rest of the UK receive their ITV regions over the next seven years.[3] The first advertisement shown is for Gibbs SR toothpaste.
September – Barbara Mandell becomes Britain's first female newsreader, presenting the Midday News bulletin on ITV.[4]
10 October – Alexandra Palace begins test transmissions of a 405-line colour television service.
22 October – Quatermass II sequel to 1953's The Quatermass Experiment , premieres on the BBC Television Service. It ends on 26 November.
25 December – After being on radio since 1932, the Royal Christmas Message is broadcast on British television for the first time, in sound only at 3.00pm. The first visual Christmas message is shown in 1957.
Debuts
BBC Television Service/BBC TV
ITV
Television shows
1940s
1950s
Ending this year
Births
6 January – Rowan Atkinson , comedian and actor
17 January – Gaby Rado , television journalist (died 2003 )
3 February – Kirsty Wark , television presenter
8 February – Carol Harrison , actress and writer
29 March – Marina Sirtis , actress
7 June – Dean Sullivan , actor
12 June – Paul O'Grady , talk show host and comedian
14 June – Gillian Bailey , actor
14 August – Gillian Taylforth , actress
20 September – David Haig , actor
18 October – Timmy Mallett , television presenter
9 November – Karen Dotrice , actress
22 November – George Alagiah , BBC journalist and newsreader
6 December – Jeff Stelling , sports journalist and television presenter
References