1983 in British television

Events

3 January – Children's ITV premieres on ITV.

17 January – Breakfast Time, Britain's first breakfast show, launches on BBC1.

1 February – TV-am launches, with Good Morning Britain

6 February – The Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters makes its British television debut when Central becomes the first ITV region to begin screening the programme. All other ITV regions soon follow suit.

8 February – Minipops premieres on Channel 4. Though a ratings success, it is axed after only one series due to heavy media criticism.

23 February – After months of "will she or won't she?" drama, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) makes the choice to break up with Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) and reunite with her estranged husband Ken (William Roache) on Coronation Street. The episode was one of the highest-rated in the soap's history.

5 May – Top of the Pops celebrates its 1000th edition.

11 May – Peter Adamson makes his last appearance as Len Fairclough on Coronation Street.

9 June–10 June – BBC1 and ITV broadcast coverage of the 1983 general election.

15 June – The first episode of The Black Adder, the first in the successful Blackadder series of sitcoms, debuts on BBC One.

27 June – The shareholders of Satellite Television agree a £5 million offer to give News International 65% of the company.

16 August – ITV broadcasts Woodentop as part of its Storyboard series. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled The Bill, commencing in October 1984 and lasting until August 2010.

29 August – Blockbusters is launched on ITV, hosted by Bob Holness and features sixth-formers as contestants.

6 September – ITV broadcasts Killer. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled Taggart.

17 September – The BBC's schools programming strand is moved to BBC2 and is renamed Daytime on Two.

12 October – Doris Speed makes her last appearance as Annie Walker on Coronation Street.

23 November – 20th anniversary of the first broadcast of Doctor Who.

25 November – The BBC airs "The Five Doctors", a 90-minute episode of Doctor Who made to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

ITV's animated series Danger Mouse viewing figures reach 21.59 million, an all-time high for a British children's programme.

BBC1

17 January – Breakfast Time (1983–1989)

17 February – Gran (1983)

15 June – Blackadder (1983–1989)

22 September – Just Good Friends (1983–1986)

3 October – Bananaman (1983–1986)

24 October – Sixty Minutes (1983–1984)

25 October – Don't Wait Up (1983–1990)

BBC2

10 March – Tucker's Luck (1983–1985)

ITV

3 January – CITV (Afternoon block 1983–2007, Morning block 1983–present)

10 January – Alphabet Zoo (1983–1984)

1 February –

Good Morning Britain (1983–1992)

TV-am (1983–1992)

5 April – First Tuesday (1983–1993)

16 April – Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983–1986)

29 August – Blockbusters (1983–93, 1994–95, 1997, 2000–01, 2012)

6 September

Taggart (1983–2011)

Rocky Hollow (1983)

12 September – Dramarama (1983–1989)

16 October – Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983–1984)

23 October – Highway (1983–1993)

30 November – Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983–1985)

27 December – The Wind in the Willows (1983–1990)

Channel 4

8 February – Minipops (1983)

1940s

Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

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)

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)

Sportsnight (1965–1997)

Call My Bluff (1965–2005)

The Money Programme (1966–2010)

The Big Match (1968–2002)

Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)

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

Crown Court (1972–1984)

Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)

Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)

Weekend World (1972–1988)

Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)

Emmerdale (1972–present)

Newsround (1972–present)

We Are the Champions (1973–1987)

Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)

That's Life! (1973–1994)

Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)

Arena (1975–present)

Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)

Rentaghost (1976–1984)

One Man and His Dog (1976–present)

3-2-1 (1978–1988)

Grange Hill (1978–2008)

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)

1980s

The Gentle Touch (1980–1984)

Juliet Bravo (1980–1985)

Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)

Children in Need (1980–present)

A Fine Romance (1981–1984)

Punchlines (1981–1984)

Finders Keepers (1981–1985, 1991–1996, 2006)

Freetime (1981–1985)

Game for a Laugh (1981–1985)

Tenko (1981–1985)

That's My Boy (1981–1986)

Razzamatazz (1981–1987)

Bergerac (1981–1991)

The Saturday Show (1982–1984)

The Young Ones (1982–1984)

Odd One Out (1982–1985)

On Safari (1982–1985)

"Only Fools And Horses" (1981–2003)

'Allo 'Allo! (1982–1992)

Wogan (1982–1992)

Saturday Superstore (1982–1987)

The Tube (1982–1987)

Brookside (1982–2003)

Let's Pretend (1982–1988)

No. 73 (1982–1988)

Timewatch (1982–present)

Countdown (1982–present)

Right to Reply (1982–2001)

Ending this year

6 February – The Professionals (1977–1983)

8 March – Animal Magic (1962–1983)

21 April – ITV Playhouse (1967–1983)

12 May – Gran (1983)

5 July – The Gaffer (1981–1983)

21 July – Andy Robson (1982–1983)

5 August – Nationwide (1969–1983)

19 October – Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)

28 October – The Bounder (1982–1983)

30 December – The Good Old Days (1953–1983)

Births

5 February – Gemma McCluskie, actress (d. 2012),

14 March – Johnny Flynn, actor

15 March – Sean Biggerstaff, actor

21 March – Bruno Langley, actor

22 April – Elliott Jordan, actor

5 May – Lucy-Jo Hudson, actress

13 May – Natalie Cassidy, actress

30 May – Jennifer Ellison, actress

31 May – Reggie Yates, actor and television and radio presenter

6 June

Gemma Bissix, actress

Ella Smith, actress

30 June – Cheryl Cole, singer

19 July – Brooke Kinsella, actress and writer

20 July – Rory Jennings, actor

5 August – Kara Tointon, actress

7 August – Tina O'Brien, actress

21 August – Chantelle Houghton, reality TV star

24 August – Christopher Parker, actor

28 October – Joe Thomas, actor

17 November – Harry Lloyd, actor

Unknown – Natalie Denning, British model