Timeline of Channel 4

This is a timeline of the history of Channel 4.

1980s

• 1980
  • The Broadcasting Act 1980 paves the way for a fourth television channel in the UK.
• 1982
  • Summer – Test broadcasts commence. These mainly consist of showing the IBA's testcard ETP-1.
  • 1 November – S4C launches. All Welsh output shown on BBC Wales and HTV Wales moves to the new channel which shows Welsh programming at primetime. Programming from Channel 4 is shown in off-peak hours.
  • 2 November – Channel 4 launches.
    • 4:40 pm: Continuity announcer Paul Coia launches the channel with the words "Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to be able to say to you: Welcome to Channel Four".
    • 4:45 pm: The first programme starts - Countdown and presenter Richard Whiteley starts by saying "as the countdown to a brand new channel ends, a brand new countdown begins."
    • 7 pm: The first edition of Channel 4 News - the UK's first hour-long news programme.
    • 8 pm: The first edition of Channel 4's soap opera Brookside is broadcast.
  • 5 November – The first edition of music programme The Tube is broadcast.
• 1983
  • Spring – Channel 4 broadcasts in vision teletext pages for the first time. Two magazines are shown - 4-Tel On View and Oracle on View - and in fifteen minute bursts which are repeated several times each day prior to the start of each day's transmissions. Teletext pages are only shown on weekdays.
  • 24 May – Engineering Announcements is shown on Channel 4 for the first time.
• 1984
  • 22 March – The first horse racing coverage is broadcast on Channel 4, resulting in the launch Channel 4 Racing.
  • 15 October – Weekday afternoon broadcasting starts at 2:30 pm instead of 5 pm and weekend programming begins an hour earlier, at 1 pm.
• 1985
  • 5 October – The first weekend horse racing is shown on Channel 4 when ITV transfers coverage of horse racing to Channel 4 ahead of the end of World of Sport.
• 1986
  • February – For the first (and only) time, animated graphics are seen during teletext transmissions. This is made possible by transmitting 4-Tel On View from a disc rather than live.
  • September – For a brief period Channel 4 shows a red triangle at the start of, and during, films with adult themes.
  • 15 October – Channel 4 starts weekend morning broadcasting with weekend transmissions now beginning at around 9:30 am. Previously Channel 4 had not started broadcasting at the weekend until 1 pm.
• 1987
  • 24 April – The Tube is shown for the final time.
  • 3 May – The first of two series of groundbreaking youth television show Network 7 starts. The programme is shown live at Sunday lunchtime.
  • 14 September – ITV Schools programmes transfer to Channel 4 resulting in a much earlier start to weekday programmes.
  • 21 September – As part of Channel 4's expanded weekday broadcast hours, the first edition of a weekday business and financial news programme Business Daily is broadcast.
  • 30 October – The first edition of Channel 4's flagship current affairs documentary series Dispatches is shown.
• 1988
  • 11 January – The first episode of long running quiz show Fifteen to One is broadcast.
  • February – Channel 4 starts broadcasting into the early hours, closing down at around 2 am. Previously Channel 4 had closed down at just after midnight.
  • 17 September-2 October – Channel 4's only broadcast of the Olympic Games takes place when Channel 4 shows the overnight and breakfast coverage of the 1988 Olympic Games. ITV shows the daytime coverage.
• 1989
  • 31 March – The last Oracle on View transmission takes place.
  • 3 April – Channel 4 launches its breakfast television service The Channel Four Daily. From this date, 4-Tel On View is shown in a single block rather than in 15 minute bursts. It is also shown at the weekend for the first time.

1990s

• 1990
  • 19 February – The first edition of Channel 4's documentary series Cutting Edge is shown.
  • 31 July – The final edition of Engineering Announcements is shown at 5:45 am.
• 1991
  • 9 October – The 1000th episode of Brookside is broadcast.
• 1992
  • 25 June – The final edition of Business Daily is broadcast although the early morning bulletins continue until the end of the Channel 4 Daily.
  • 6 September – The first edition of Football Italia is broadcast as part of Channel 4's deal to show Serie A. The channel continues to show Italian football for the next ten years.
  • 25 September – The final edition of The Channel Four Daily is broadcast.
  • 28 September – The first edition of The Big Breakfast is broadcast.
  • November – The FourScore theme used in the idents is replaced.
  • 31 December – Channel 4's testcard ETP-1 is shown for the final time.
• 1993
  • 1 January – Channel 4 becomes an independent statutory corporation.
  • Instead of fully closing down, 4-Tel On View is shown throughout the channel's overnight downtime.
  • 28 June – The final ITV Schools programmes are shown.
  • September – Schools programmes continue to be shown on Channel 4 under the branding of ‘’Channel 4 Schools’’.
• 1994
  • 16 January – The first edition of archeology series Time Team is broadcast.
• 1995
  • 23 October – The first edition of Hollyoaks is broadcast.
• 1996
  • 11 October – After nearly fourteen years, Channel 4 unveils a new presentation package. Gone were the multi-coloured blocks, instead the familiar logo would be placed in one of four circles. This look would last for just three years.
• 1997
  • January – Channel 4 starts 24-hour broadcasting, resulting in the end of 4-Tel On View.
• 1998
  • 25 October – The T4 strand is broadcast for the first time.
  • 1 November – FilmFour launches as a subscription channel.
• 1999
  • 2 April – Channel 4 launches a new presentation package. Gone were the circles, instead the logo was placed inside a square. This look would last for five years.
  • 1 July – Channel 4 starts broadcasting cricket following the channel sensationally obtaining the rights from the BBC the previous year.

2000s

• 2000
  • In conjunction with other partners, Channel 4 launches horse racing channel At the Races.
  • 18 July – Big Brother is launched. The show remains on the channel for ten years before moving to Channel 5.
• 2001
  • 18 January – E4 launches as a pay channel.
• 2002
  • 1 January – An updated set of idents are launched.
  • 29 March – The final edition of The Big Breakfast is broadcast.
  • 29 April – The first edition of Channel 4's third breakfast television programme RI:SE is broadcast.
  • 1 May – ITV Digital stops broadcasting which means that E4 and FilmFour are no longer available on digital terrestrial television.
• 2003
  • At the Races closes down due to financial problems. The channel relaunches the following year but without Channel 4 as a partner.
  • 5 May – FilmFour spin-off channels FilmFour Extreme and FilmFour World stop broadcasting. They are replaced by FilmFour Weekly.
  • 4 November – After 2,915 episodes, the final edition of Brookside is broadcast.
  • 19 December – The final edition of short-lived breakfast programme RI:SE is broadcast. Also ending on this day is the original run of Fifteen to One. The teatime quiz is revived in 2014.
• 2004
  • 31 December – Channel 4's idents and presentation are revamped, five years after the last major change.
• 2005
  • 27 May – E4 becomes a free-to-air channel and joins the Freeview platform although it had been available on digital terrestrial TV for the past year as part of the pay service Top Up TV.
  • September – Cricket is shown on Channel 4 for the final time.
  • 10 October – More4 launches.
• 2006
  • 19 July – FilmFour Weekly closes down.
  • 23 July – FilmFour is relaunched as Film4. The renamed channel becomes a free-to-air channel and starts broadcasting on Freeview.
  • 16 November – Channel 4 launches its on demand service 4oD.
  • 10 December – Channel 4 launches an HD service.
  • December – 4 Digital Group is awarded the licence to operate the second national DAB multiplex.
• 2007
  • 10 December – Channel 4 launches a high definition television simulcast of Channel 4 on Sky's digital satellite platform, after Sky agreed to contribute toward the channel's satellite distribution costs.
• 2008
  • 15 August – 4Music launches.
  • October – Channel Four Television Corporation announced that it was abandoning its digital radio plans. Subsequently, the licence was returned to Ofcom.
• 2009
  • 14 December – E4 HD launches.

2010s

• 2010
  • 31 March – For the first time Channel 4 is available to all viewers in Wales when the country completes digital switchover. Consequently, S4C stops broadcasting programming in English, thereby becoming a full-time Welsh service.
  • 20 July – Film4 HD launches, but only on Virgin Media. It does not appear on Sky Digital until September 2013.
  • 1 November – Film4oD launches.
• 2011
  • No events.
• 2012
  • 4 July – 4seven launches.
  • 29 August-9 September – Channel 4 broadcasts live coverage of the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
  • 29 December – After more than 14 years, the T4 programming strand is shown for the final time.
• 2013
  • 4 February – More4 HD launches.
• 2014
  • 7 September – After more than 20 years on air and after 280 episodes the final edition of Time Team is broadcast.
• 2015
  • 30 March – Channel 4's on demand service is renamed All 4.
  • 29 September – Channel 4 launches a new set of idents and presentation package, over 10 years since the last change.
• 2016
  • 18 March – Channel 4 shows Formula One motor racing for the first time. This comes about following the BBC's decision to end its deal with Formula One three years early.
  • 7-18 September – Channel 4 broadcasts live coverage of the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
  • 27 December – Channel 4 Racing comes to an end after more than 32 years, when coverage of the sport transfers to ITV.
• 2017
  • 7 January – Channel 4 broadcasts darts for the first time when it shows live coverage of the 2017 BDO World Darts Championship.