1972 in British television

Events

4 April

After a three-year courtship, Emily Nugent marries Ernest Bishop on Coronation Street.

The first edition of John Craven's Newsround, a news programme for younger viewers, airs on BBC1.

24 July – The Independent Television Authority (ITA) is renamed the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).

8 September – The Pilot episode of Are You Being Served is aired on BBC1. The programme returns for a regular series in 1973.

11 September – First broadcast of the BBC quiz programme Mastermind.

October – The lifting of restrictions on broadcasting hours permits extension of daytime television.

16 October – The first episode of Emmerdale Farm is aired by Yorkshire Television. Originally conceived and broadcast as a daytime programme in an afternoon slot, it is rescheduled to an evening slot in 1978.

23 October – The BBC announces that development work has begun on the Ceefax teletext service.

30 December – The BBC airs part one of "The Three Doctors", a four-part serial of the science-fiction programme Doctor Who created to celebrate its tenth anniversary (which would occur on 23 November of the following year).

Unknown

The first BBC film programme Film '72 hosted by Barry Norman is aired. The show's title is updated annually, but is collectively referred to as "The Film Programme".

The BBC broadcasts Ways of Seeing, a four-part series by John Berger on art.

The BBC Schools and Colleges service was converted to colour and started using the Diamond ident, which stayed until 1977.

BBC1

10 March – The Brothers (1972–1976)

4 April – Newsround (1972–present)

15 June – The Burke Special (1972-1976)

8 September – Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)

11 September – Mastermind (1972–present)

28 September – War and Peace (1972–1973)

19 October – Colditz (1972–1974)

16 November – The Film Programme (1972–present)

15 December – Record Breakers (1972–2001)

Unknown – Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)

ITV

13 April – Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1977)

14 April – Clapperboard (1972–1982)

1 September – Rainbow (1972–1991, 1994–1995)

13 September – Van der Valk (1972–1973, 1977, 1991–1992)

29 September – The Protectors (1972–1974)

1 October – Weekend World (1972–1988)

11 October – Crown Court (1972–1984)

16 October – Emmerdale Farm (1972–present)

19 October – General Hospital (1972–1979)

6 December – Arthur of the Britons (1972–1973)

1940s

Watch with Mother (1946–1973)

Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

The Good Old Days (1953–1983)

Panorama (1953–present)

Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)

Crackerjack (1955–1984)

Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)

This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)

Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)

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)

Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974)

Z-Cars (1962–1978)

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)

Call My Bluff (1965–2005)

World of Sport (1965–1985)

Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)

Sportsnight (1965–1997)

It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)

The Money Programme (1966–2010)

The Golden Shot (1967–1975)

ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)

Father, Dear Father (1968–1973)

Dad's Army (1968–1977)

Magpie (1968–1980)

The Big Match (1968–2002)

On the Buses (1969–1973)

Clangers (1969–1974)

Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974, 2015–present)

Nationwide (1969–1983)

Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

The Goodies (1970–1982)

...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)

The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)

Follyfoot (1971–1973)

Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)

The Onedin Line (1971–1980)

Sale of the Century (1971–1983, 1989–1992, 1997–1998)

The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)

The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)

Ending this year

Callan (1967–1972)

Please Sir! (1968–1972)

A Family at War (1970–1972)

Doomwatch (1970–1972)

Queenie's Castle (1970–1972)

Mr Benn (1970–1972, 2005)

A Class by Himself (1971–1972)

Budgie (1971–1972)

The Persuaders! (1971–1972)

Births

4 January — Charlotte Hudson, English actress

12 January — Sid Owen, actor

23 January

Harriet Scott, radio and television presenter

Lisa Snowdon, English fashion model, actress and television presenter

10 February — Helen Willetts, BBC weather presenter

19 February — Lisa Faulkner, actress

22 February — Jo Guest, glamour model and media personality

22 April — Sarah Patterson, actress

28 April — Anita Anand, journalist and television presenter

19 May — Amanda de Cadenet, television presenter, actress and photographer

20 May

Daisy McAndrew, journalist

Tina Hobley, actress

26 May — Patsy Palmer, actress and television presenter

4 June — Debra Stephenson, actress

3 July — Asha Gill, British-born television host

7 July — Liza Walker, British actress

7 August — Sarah Cawood, television presenter

9 September — Natasha Kaplinsky, newsreader

29 September — Robert Webb, comedian and actor

22 October — Saffron Burrows, actress and model

2 November — Samantha Womack, actress

6 November — Thandie Newton, actress

8 November — Ben Hull, actor

14 December — Miranda Hart, comedian

18 December — Melissa Porter, television presenter

Unknown – Sarah Tansey, UK actress (Heartbeat)

Deaths

16 October – Leo G. Carroll, 85, Actor (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)