1980 in British television

Events

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 IBA reappoints most ITV franchises.

25 February – The first episode of the popular political sitcom Yes Minister, "Open Government", is broadcast by the BBC.

4 April – Violet Carson makes her last appearance as Ena Sharples on Coronation Street.

9 April – ATV 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.

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.

21 November

The first annual Children in Need charity appeal 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 the time the audience figures are a record for a soap in Britain.

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.

28 December – A shake-up of broadcasting franchises paves the way for the launch of breakfast television. TV-am is awarded the contract to begin transmission in 1983. Also, it is announced that 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.

30 December – The BBC announce 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.

BBC2 and Yorkshire Television air their computer generated clocks.

BBC1

1 January – Hi-de-Hi! (1980–1988)

14 July – Watchdog (1980–present)

30 August – Juliet Bravo (1980–1985)

21 November – Children in Need (1980–present)

BBC2

7 January – Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way (1980)

30 January – Newsnight (1980–present)

25 February – Yes Minister (1980–1988)

1 November – Did You See...? (1980–1993)

ITV

6 January – Family Fortunes (1980–1985, 1987–2002, 2006–present)

1 February – Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003)

19 February – Take the High Road (1980–2003)

11 April – The Gentle Touch (1980–1984)

6 May – Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)

13 May – Into the Labyrinth (1980–1982)

8 December – Button Moon (1980–1988)

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)

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, 1994–1995)

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)

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 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)

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)

Births

24 March — Amanda Davies, BBC sportscaster

8 April – Ben Freeman, actor

6 May – Jo Blythe, weather presenter

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

4 November – Amy Cole, reporter and presenter

19 November – Adele Silva, actress

5 December – Cherry Healey, television presenter

25 December – Laura Sadler, television actress (died 2003)