1980 in British television

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This is a list of British television related events from 1980.

Events

January

• 1 January – A new sitcom, Hi-de-Hi!, set in a 1959/60 holiday camp, debuts on BBC1.
• 20 January – The British record TV audience for a film is set when some 23,500,000 viewers tune in for the ITV showing of the James Bond film Live and Let Die, released in 1973 and starring Roger Moore, who is now in the process of filming his fifth film as the spy.
• 24 January – The Independent Broadcasting Authority announces that in the next ITV franchising round it will offer a national licence for breakfast television on ITV.
• 28 January – The first edition of Newsnight is broadcast on BBC2. Its launch has been delayed for four months by the Association of Broadcasting Staff, at this time the main BBC trade union.

February

• 1 February – Debut of Play Your Cards Right on ITV.
• 11 February – London Weekend Television launches Gay Life, a late night regional series for gay viewers airing on Sundays. It is the first UK television series specifically aimed at a gay audience, and is aired for two series, in 1980 and 1981.
• 19 February – The first edition of soap-opera Take the High Road is broadcast by Scottish Television.
• 25 February – The first episode of the popular political sitcom Yes Minister, "Open Government", is broadcast by BBC2.

March

• March – The very first in-vision Ceefax transmissions are broadcast. These consist of three 30-minute transmissions broadcast between 8:30 and 9:00 on BBC1 and 10:00–10:30 and 15:30–16:00 on BBC2. However, if BBC2 were to be transmitting programmes at these times, the channel would broadcast Ceefax pages for the 30 minutes prior to the start of the first programme.

April

• 2 April – Violet Carson makes her last appearance as Ena Sharples on Coronation Street.
• 9 April – ITV airs the critically acclaimed Death of a Princess, a drama documentary about a young princess from a fictitious Middle-Eastern Islamic nation and her lover who are publicly executed for adultery. The drama is believed to be based on the true story of Princess Misha'al bint Fahd al Saud and its showing causes a great deal of controversy, provoking an angry response from the Government of Saudi Arabia.
• 28 April – Thames Television launches its long-awaited late night Thames News bulletin to follow News at Ten, the launch having been postponed from September 1978 due to union problems.

May

• 5 May – Both the BBC and ITV interrupt their scheduled programming to broadcast the SAS assault during the Iranian Embassy siege. The coverage launches the careers of several journalists, such as the BBC's Kate Adie, while ITN Director, David Goldsmith and his team receive a BAFTA for their coverage.
• 26 May – BBC1 airs the third-season finale of the US drama series Dallas two months after its US airing in which J.R. Ewing is shot by an unknown assailant in his office, this leads to the "Who shot J.R.?" phenomenon which lasts for a few months until November 1980 when the series returns for the fourth season.

June

• 23 June – ITV airs the 2000th episode of Coronation Street.

July

• 19 July–3 August – BBC Television and ITV provide live coverage of the 1980 Summer Olympics from Moscow.

August

• No events.

September

• 8 September – Watchdog is launched as a weekly consumer slot on BBC1's news magazine programme Nationwide.
• September – Edmund Dell is appointed as Chairman of Channel 4, the UK's forthcoming fourth channel, while Jeremy Isaacs becomes its Chief Executive.
• September – The government reverses its position on the establishment of a separate Welsh language television service for Wales following opposition from the public and Welsh politicians, and the idea is given the green light. This leads to the establishment of the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority, and ultimately S4C.

October

• 1 October – BBC1's lunchtime children's programme is labelled See Saw for the first time.

November

• November – The Broadcasting Act 1980 paves the way for a fourth UK television service, leading to creation of Channel 4 (and S4C in Wales), beginning transmission in 1982; the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) begins the process of creating Channel 4 as a subsidiary; a subscription will be levied on the ITV companies to pay for the channel; they will sell Channel 4's airtime in return.
• 13 November – The Times reports that News International has sold its remaining 25% stake in London Weekend Television, bringing an end to LWT's connection with Australian businessman Rupert Murdoch.
• 21 November –
  • The first annual Children in Need charity appeal is organised by the BBC.
  • 21.5 million viewers tune in to watch the 1980–81 season premier of Dallas, which answers the question of Who shot J.R.?. At this time the audience figures are a record for a soap in Britain.

December

• 1 December – BBC Scotland carries out a one-week experiment in breakfast television. It is a simulcast of BBC Radio Scotland's breakfast show Good Morning Scotland.
• 8 December – Ian Allen's best known puppet series for children called Button Moon screens on ITV with narration by actor Robin Parkinson ('Allo 'Allo!) and a theme tune sung by husband and wife actors Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Sandra Dickinson (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Amazing World of Gumball and The Tomorrow People).
• 9 December –
  • The single drama The Flipside of Dominick Hide is first broadcast as part of the Play for Today series on BBC1.
  • 20th anniversary of the first episode of Coronation Street.
• 23 December – American animated special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer airs for the last ever time on ITV.
• 25 December – British television premiere of the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) on ITV.
• 28 December – The IBA announces the results of the 1980 franchise round. TSW will replace Westward and TVS will replace Southern. ATV must restructure the company to create a separate East and West Midlands service, and reduce the shareholding of its parent body to 51% by February 1981. Also announced is the winner of a national franchise to provide a breakfast television service on ITV. TV-am is awarded the contract to begin transmission in 1983.
• 30 December – The BBC announces their intention to launch their own breakfast television service to compete with TV-am, announced two days earlier. Breakfast Time is launched on BBC1 on 17 January 1983, two weeks before TV-am.

Unknown

• BBC2 launches a totally computer generated clock, probably the first. (Although ATV has an electronic digital timepiece by this time, the digits are electronically superimposed onto a physical "ATV - COLOUR" caption.)
• BBC Video is established as a division of BBC Enterprises.

Debuts

BBC1

• 1 January
  • Hi-de-Hi! (1980–1988)
  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1980)
• 4 January – The Assassination Run (1980)
• 8 January – Flesh and Blood (1980–1982)
• 13 January – Spy! (1980)
• 17 January – Watch This Space (1980)
• 25 January – Breakaway (1980)
• 6 February – God's Wonderful Railway (1980)
• 28 February – Sweet Nothings (1980)
• 18 March – Time of My Life (1980)
• 13 April – The Swish of the Curtain (1980)
• 25 April – The Sun Trap (1980)
• 26 April – Knots Landing (1979–1993)
• 27 April – Buccaneer (1980)
• 29 April – Hannah (1980)
• 11 May – Doom Castle (1980)
• 24 May – The Adventure Game (1980–1986)
• 1 June – Coming Home (1980)
• 12 June – Square Mile of Murder (1980)
• 6 August – Golden Soak (1980)
• 30 August – Juliet Bravo (1980–1985)
• 3 September – Oh Happy Band! (1980)
• 4 September – Mackenzie (1980)
• 8 September – Watchdog (1980–present)
• 13 September – Romie-0 and Julie-8 (1979)
• 1 October – King Rollo (1980)
• 5 October – A Tale of Two Cities (1980)
• 13 October – The Amazing Adventures of Morph (1980–1981)
• 14 October – Forgive Our Foolish Ways (1980)
• 15 October –
  • Stone (1980)
  • Nice Work (1980)
• 17 October – To Serve Them All My Days (1980–1981)
• 11 November – The Waterfall (1980)
• 21 November – Children in Need (1980–present)
• 30 November – The Talisman (1980)
• 4 December – Sink or Swim (1980–1982)
• 29 December – The Devil and Daniel Mouse (1978)

BBC2

• 7 January – Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way (1980)
• 8 January – Company and Co (1980)
• 13 January – Pride and Prejudice (1980)
• 30 January – Newsnight (1980–present)
• 25 February – Yes Minister (1980–1988)
• 25 March – A Question of Guilt (1980)
• 15 April – The Enigma Files (1980)
• 1 September – Wainwright's Law (1980)
• 12 September – Escape (1980)
• 29 October – Oppenheimer (1980)
• 1 November – Did You See...? (1980–1993)
• 28 December – Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn (1980)

ITV

• 6 January –
  • Shillingbury Tales (1980–1981)
  • Family Fortunes (1980–1985, 1987–2002, 2006–2015, 2020–present)
• 7 January – Keep It in the Family (1980–1983)
• 24 January – Together (1980–1981)
• 27 January –
  • Pig in the Middle (1980–1983)
  • The Spoils of War (1980–1981)
• 1 February – Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003)
• 11 February – Jukes of Piccadilly (1980)
• 18 February – Rushton's Illustrated (1980)
• 19 February – Take the High Road (1980–2003)
• 2 March – The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist (1980)
• 10 March – Fox (1980)
• 12 March – The Setbacks (1980–1986)
• 2 April – Noah's Castle (1980)
• 11 April – The Gentle Touch (1980–1984)
• 12 April – Russ Abbot's Madhouse (1980–1985)
• 13 April – Cribb (1980–1981)
• 14 April – Young at Heart (1980–1982)
• 17 April – The Nesbitts Are Coming (1980)
• 1 May – For Maddie with Love (1980–1981)
• 6 May – Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)
• 30 May – The Other 'Arf (1980–1986)
• 2 June – Can We Get on Now, Please? (1980)
• 25 June – Maggie's Moor (1980)
• 2 July – Sounding Brass (1980)
• 14 July – Grundy (1980)
• 20 July – Lady Killers (1980–1981)
• 10 August – Watch All Night (1980)
• 12 August – The Square Leopard (1980)
• 1 September – Just Liz (1980)
• 2 September –
  • Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World (1980)
  • Cooper's Half Hour (1980)
• 3 September – Cowboys (1980–1981)
• 5 September – Holding the Fort (1980–1982)
• 6 September – Metal Mickey (1980–1983)
• 13 September – Hammer House of Horror (1980)
• 17 September – Flickers (1980)
• 24 September – Munch Bunch (1980–1982)
• 28 September – Nobody's Perfect (1980)
• 1 October – The Squad (1980)
• 23 October – The Glamour Girls (1980)
• 24 October – Fancy Wanders (1980)
• 29 October – Love in a Cold Climate (1980)
• 14 November – The Good Companions (1980)
• 8 December – Button Moon (1980–1988)
• 16 December – An Audience with... (1980–2013)
• 17 December – Secombe with Music (1980–1982)
• 25 December – Janet and Company (1980–1982)
• 30 December – Take a Chance (1980–1981)
• 31 December – Brendon Chase (1980–1981)
• Unknown – Aubrey (1980)

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)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984, 2020–present)
• 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)
• 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, 2008–2010, 2012–present)
• World of Sport (1965–1985)
• Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006–present)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–present)
• ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)
• Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• Crown Court (1972–1984)
• Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
• Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1997)
• Emmerdale (1972–present)
• Newsround (1972–present)
• Weekend World (1972–1988)
• Pipkins (1973–1981)
• We Are the Champions (1973–1987)
• Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)
• That's Life! (1973–1994)
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981)
• Tiswas (1974–1982)
• Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)
• Microscopic Milton (1975–1978)
• Arena (1975–present)
• Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)
• The Muppet Show (1976–1981)
• When the Boat Comes In (1976–1981)
• Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976–1982)
• Rentaghost (1976–1984)
• One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
• Robin's Nest (1977–1981)
• You’re Only Young Twice (1977–1981)
• The Mighty B! (1977–1982)
• The Professionals (1977–1983)
• Blake's 7 (1978–1981)
• Strangers (1978–1982)
• Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)
• 3-2-1 (1978–1988)
• Grange Hill (1978–2008)
• Agony (1979–1981)
• Something Else (1979–1981)
• To the Manor Born (1979–1981, 2007)
• Worzel Gummidge (1979–1981)
• Dick Turpin (1979–1982)
• Friday Night, Saturday Morning (1979–1982)
• Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982)
• Only When I Laugh (1979–1982)
• Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982)
• Terry and June (1979–1987)
• The Book Tower (1979–1989)
• The Loud House (1979-1988)
• Blankety Blank (1979–1990, 1997–2002)
• The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994)
• Antiques Roadshow (1979–present)
• Question Time (1979–present)

Ending this year

• 6 June – Magpie (1968–1980)
• 7 August – The Cuckoo Waltz (1975–1980)
• 26 October – The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• 21 December – Shoestring (1979–1980)
• 31 December – Citizen Smith (1977–1980)
  Tom Sawyer (1980)

Births

• 24 March — Amanda Davies, BBC sportscaster
• 8 April – Ben Freeman, actor
• 22 May – Lucy Gordon, actress and model (died 2009)
• 1 June – Oliver James, actor
• 4 June – Philip Olivier, actor
• 18 July – Tasmin Lucia-Khan, journalist and news presenter
• 23 August – Joanne Froggatt, actress
• 1 September – Lara Pulver, actress
• 6 September – Kerry Katona, television presenter, actress and singer
• 19 November – Adele Silva, actress
• 5 December – Cherry Healey, television presenter
• 25 December – Laura Sadler, television actress (died 2003)

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Cinematic Credibility
14 May	Hugh Griffith	67	film, stage and television actor
26 April	Cicely Courtneidge	87	actress
23 June	John Laurie	83	actor (Dad's Army)
24 July	Peter Sellers	54	comic actor (Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther)
24 August	Yootha Joyce	53	actor (Man About the House, George and Mildred)
6 October	Hattie Jacques	58	comic actress
20 October	Isobel Barnett	62	broadcast personality (What's My Line?)
8 December	John Lennon	40	singer (The Beatles)

See also

• 1980 in British music
• 1980 in British radio
• 1980 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1980