1978 in British television

Events

20 January – The first of ITV's occasional An Audience With programmes is aired. The first presenter is Jasper Carrott.

27 January – In an interview for Granada Television's World in Action programme, Leader of the Opposition Margaret Thatcher remarks, "people are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture". Critics regard the comment as a veiled reference to people of colour, thus pandering to xenophobia and reactionary sentiment. However, Thatcher receives 10,000 letters thanking her for raising the subject and the Conservatives gain a lead against Labour in the opinion polls.

13 February – Anna Ford becomes the first female newscaster on News At Ten.

22 February – The Police appear in a television commercial for Wrigley's chewing gum.

24 February – 7 April – The BBC airs Going Straight. The sitcom is a direct spin-off from Porridge, starring Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher, newly released from the fictional Slade Prison where Porridge had been set. The programme airs for one series.

7 March – 11 April – Dennis Potter's groundbreaking drama serial Pennies From Heaven airs on BBC1.

24 May – The iconic skateboarding duck item first airs on BBC TV's Nationwide.

28–29 May – British television debut of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, airing as a two-part presentation over two consecutive nights on BBC1.

13 July – The original series of Top Gear begins airing on BBC2 having started as a locally produced programme at BBC Pebble Mill the previous year.

10 September – Return of the Saint. The Saint returns with a new voice actor named Ian Ogilvy and introducing the Jaguar XJ-S to take over the Volvo P1800 from the Saint 1962 TV series. The first episode is The Judas Game.

17 October – James Burke's history of science series Connections first airs on BBC.

6 November – ITV airs the first episode of Edward & Mrs. Simpson, a seven-part British television series that dramatises the events leading to the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, who gave up his throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.

23 November – 15th anniversary of the first episode of science fiction series Doctor Who.

ITV started broadcasting the ORACLE-teletext based service. It ended in 1992.

BBC1

2 January – Blake's 7 (1978–1981)

8 January – All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1990)

8 February – Grange Hill (1978–2008)

10 April – Cheggers Plays Pop (1978–1986)

BBC2

11 March – Something Else (1978–1982)

10 November – Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)

ITV

14 January – The South Bank Show (1978–2010, 2012–present)

5 June – Strangers (1978–1982)

8 July – Saturday Banana (1978)

29 July – 3-2-1 (1978–1988)

10 September – Return of the Saint (1978–1979)

1940s

Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

The Good Old Days (1953–1983)

Panorama (1953–present)

Crackerjack (1955–1984)

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)

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

The Money Programme (1966–2010)

ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)

Magpie (1968–1980)

The Big Match (1968–2002)

The Liver Birds (1969–1979, 1996)

Nationwide (1969–1983)

Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

The Goodies (1970–1982)

The Onedin Line (1971–1980)

The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)

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

General Hospital (1972–1979)

Sykes (1972–1979)

Clapperboard (1972–1982)

Crown Court (1972–1984)

Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)

Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)

Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)

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)

Celebrity Squares (1975–1979, 1993–1997, 2014–present)

The Cuckoo Waltz (1975–1980)

Arena (1975–present)

Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)

George and Mildred (1976–1979)

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 Professionals (1977–1983)

Ending this year

20 March – Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)

10 April – 1990 (1977–1978)

15 April – Within These Walls (1974–1978)

9 May – Rising Damp (1974–1978)

24 May – A Bunch of Fives (1977–1978)

10 June – The Good Life (1975–1978)

21 July – The Black and White Minstrel Show (1958–1978)

August – This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)

20 September – Z-Cars (1962–1978)

20 December – Happy Ever After (1974–1978)

25 December – Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973–1978)

28 December – The Sweeney (1975–1978)

Births

13 January – Yiolanda Koppel, UK presenter

22 February – Jenny Frost, singer, dancer, television presenter and model

23 March — Joanna Page, actress

31 March – Daniel Mays, actor

28 April — Lauren Laverne, radio and television presenter and singer

9 May – Georgina Mellor, British actress (Footballers' Wives: Extra Time)

29 May — Adam Rickitt, actor

10 July — Sarah-Jane Mee, journalist and news and sports presenter

24 July — Joanna Taylor, actress and model

19 August — Callum Blue, actor

8 November — Jane Danson, actress

17 November – Tom Ellis, actor

Deaths

11 January – Michael Bates, actor

5 October – May Warden, actress

1 December – David Nixon, magician