1986 in British television

January

2 January – A special edition of Tomorrow's World travels back a century to discover the latest developments in science and technology from 1886.

4 January – Televised football returns to British television after the contractual dispute from the previous year is resolved.

28 January – NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger spacecraft disintegrates. Pictures from CNN in the United States (owned by Turner Broadcasting System, then owners of American superstation WTBS), are aired in countries around the world.

February

19 February – BBC1 airs Round Britain Whizz, an edition of the science series Q.E.D.. The 30 minute programme consists of a sped up flight around the coastline of Great Britain with guest appearances from geologists and TV personalities including Patrick Moore, David Bellamy and Terry Wogan telling the viewer about the geology and natural history of certain areas.

March

10 March – The first advert for a sanitary towel is broadcast on British television, on Channel 4.

30 March – BBC2 aired the TWO ident, which stayed until 1991.

April

1 April – All commercial activities of the BBC are now handled by BBC Enterprises Ltd.

May

21 May – A Very Peculiar Practice airs.

31 May–29 June – Televised coverage of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. England exit on 22 June with a 2–1 defeat to Argentina, who go on to beat West Germany in the final to win the trophy for the second time.

June

15 June – Singer Helen Shapiro joins Granada's Albion Market as hairdresser Viv Harker.

18 June – In Coronation Street the Rovers Return pub is gutted by fire with landlady Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) trapped inside.

July

23 July – In London, Prince Andrew, Duke of York marries Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey. The event receives significant television coverage both in the UK and around the world.

August

August – "Anyone Can Fall in Love", a song performed by EastEnders actress Anita Dobson which gives words to the soap's theme tune, is released as a single, and peaks at #4 on the UK Singles Chart.

5 August – Michael Cashman makes his EastEnders debut as Colin Russell, the soap's first gay character.

9 August – The Yorkshire Television ITV region becomes the first UK terrestrial channel to broadcast 24 hours a day, initially simulcasting the cable and satellite music video channel Music Box throughout the night. The other ITV regions gradually switch to 24-hour television over the next two years.

24 August – Granada's ill fated Albion Market airs for the last time.

26 August – In Emmerdale Farm, original character Pat Sugden dies after rolling her car down a hillside to avoid a flock of sheep.

31 August – Debut of Alan Bleasdale's four-part World War I drama The Monocled Mutineer on BBC1.

September

6 September –

Part One of The Trial of a Time Lord is broadcast on BBC1, marking the return to air of Doctor Who after a 17-month hiatus.

The first episode of medical drama Casualty airs on BBC1.

19 September – Central TV revives New Faces, a 1970s talent show produced by its predecessor, ATV. Styled as New Faces of '86, it is presented by Marti Caine, a winner from the previous version.

October

12 October – "Every Loser Wins" performed by the actor Nick Berry begins a three-week run at the top of the UK Singles Chart after featuring in recent episodes of EastEnders. The song was an instant hit on release and went on to win its writers an Ivor Novello Award.

16 October – The first two-hander episode of EastEnders, featuring Den and Angie Watts (Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson), is aired by BBC1. The episode, in which Angie tells Den she has six months to live after he tells her he wants a divorce, was an experiment as the two-hander format had not been tried in a British soap before, but received well by viewers and critics.

27 October –

The Australian soap Neighbours makes its British television debut on BBC1, a year after it was first aired in its homeland.

BBC One starts a full daytime television service. Before today, excluding special events coverage, BBC One had closed down at times during weekday mornings and afternoons broadcasting trade test transmissions and, from May 1983, Pages From Ceefax.

November

13 November – Self-employed hod carrier Michael Lush is killed during his first rehearsal for a live stunt planned for BBC1's The Late, Late Breakfast Show. The stunt, called "Hang 'em High", involved bungee jumping from an exploding box suspended from a 120 ft-high crane. The carabiner clip attaching his bungee rope to the crane sprang loose from its eyebolt during the jump, and he died instantly of multiple injuries. The 15 November edition of Breakfast Show is cancelled after presenter Noel Edmonds resigns, saying he does not "have the heart to carry on".

16 November – Dennis Potter's critically acclaimed television serial The Singing Detective makes its debut on BBC1.

December

6 December – Doctor Who concludes its The Trial of a Time Lord story arc with part 2 of "The Ultimate Foe". This would mark the final televised appearance of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor before he was abruptly fired from the role.

7 December – Jack Rosenthal's original two-hour TV movie of London's Burning, directed by Les Blair is broadcast on ITV. It returns for a full series in February 1988.

13 December – Comedian Duggie Small wins New Faces of '86.

17 December – Ringo Starr narrates his last ever Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends episode, the second series finale, "Thomas & the Missing Christmas Tree".

25 December – 30.15 million tune in to watch "Dirty" Dennis Watts hand wife Angie her divorce papers in EastEnders, making it the highest rated episode of any drama in British television history.

26 December – The Rainbow 30 minute Christmas special, The Colours of the Rainbow is the highest ever rating episode of the show. It was thought that Rainbow would end following this episode, but Thames Television renewed the contract after good ratings.

BBC1

10 January – Lovejoy (1986–1994)

8 February – Every Second Counts (1986–1993)

23 April – Jossy's Giants (1986–1987)

1 May – Bread (1986–1991)

28 May – Pingu (1986–2000, 2004–2006)

31 August – The Monocled Mutineer (1986)

1 September – Brush Strokes (1986–1991)

6 September – Casualty (1986–present)

27 October – BBC News at One (1986–present)

16 November – The Singing Detective (1986)

BBC2

12 May – Naked Video (1986–1991)

ITV

8 January – Allsorts (1985–1995)

10 January – Central Weekend (1986–2001)

12 January – Catchphrase (1986–2002, 2013–present)

14 January – Boon (1986–1992, 1995)

16 February – Hot Metal (1986–1989)

3 April – The Raggy Dolls (1986–1994)

3 May – Get Fresh (1986–1988)

6 October – The Trap Door (1986–1987)

20 October – Executive Stress (1986–1988)

29 October – Strike It Lucky and Strike It Rich (1986–1999)

31 October – The Two of Us (1986–1990)

22 November – Beadle's About (1986–1996)

Channel 4

11 April – The Chart Show (1986–1998, 2008–2009)

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

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

Unknown – New Faces (1973–1978, 1986–1988)

1940s

Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

Panorama (1953–present)

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)

The Jetsons (1962–1963, 1985–1987)

Doctor Who (1963–1989, 1996, 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)

Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006–present)

Sportsnight (1965–1997)

Call My Bluff (1965–2005)

The Money Programme (1966–2010)

The Big Match (1968–2002)

1970s

Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)

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

Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)

Emmerdale (1972–present)

Newsround (1972–present)

Weekend World (1972–1988)

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)

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

Children in Need (1980–present)

Razzamatazz (1981–1987)

Bergerac (1981–1991)

Sorry! (1981–1988)

'Allo 'Allo! (1982–1992)

Wogan (1982–1992)

Saturday Superstore (1982–1987)

The Tube (1982–1987)

Brookside (1982–2003)

Countdown (1982–present)

Let's Pretend (1982–1988)

No. 73 (1982–1988)

Timewatch (1982–present)

Right to Reply (1982–2001)

Breakfast Time (1983–1989)

Dramarama (1983–1989)

Don't Wait Up (1983–1990)

Good Morning Britain (1983–1992, 2014–present)

First Tuesday (1983–1993)

Highway (1983–1993)

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

How Dare You (1984–1987)

Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–1989)

Bob's Full House (1984–1990)

Wide Awake Club (1984–1992)

Spitting Image (1984–1996)

The Bill (1984–2010)

Channel 4 Racing (1984–2016)

C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985–1987)

No Limits (1985–1987)

Victoria Wood As Seen On TV (1985–1987)

All in Good Faith (1985–1988)

Your Mother Wouldn't Like It (1985–1988)

Three Up, Two Down (1985–1989)

Home to Roost (1985–1990)

Howards' Way (1985–1990)

Busman's Holiday (1985–1993)

EastEnders (1985–present)

The Cook Report (1985–1998)

Crosswits (1985–1998)

Telly Addicts (1985–1998)

Comic Relief (1985–present)

Ending this year

1 February – Inspector Gadget (1983–1986)

20 February – Alias the Jester (1985–1986)

25 February – Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)

27 March – In Loving Memory (1969–1986)

2 April – The Wall Game (1985–1986)

4 April – That's My Boy (1981–1986)

15 April – Bananaman (1983–1986)

22 April – Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)

5 May – The Practice (1985–1986)

3 June – Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983–1986)

18 June – Bertha the Machine (1985–1986)

28 June – Robin of Sherwood (1984–1986)

9 August – Closedowns on Yorkshire Television (1968–1986)

15 August – The Practice (1985–1986)

24 August – Albion Market (1985–1986)

24 October – BBC News After Noon (1981–1986)

8 November – The Late, Late Breakfast Show (1982–1986)

11 December – Girls on Top (1985–1986)

25 December

Just Good Friends (1983–1986)

Duty Free (1984–1986)

We Love TV (1984–1986)

Births

11 January – Rachel Riley, television presenter

21 February – Charlotte Church, soprano

25 February – Jameela Jamil, model, and television and radio presenter

27 April – Jenna Coleman, actress

13 May – Robert Pattinson, actor

25 May – Lauren Crace, actress

26 August – Nathalie Lunghi, actress

2 October – Tom Hudson, actor

13 November – Kevin Bridges, Scottish comedian