1957 in British television

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This is a list of British television related events from 1957.

Events

January

• No events.

February

• 16 February – The "Toddlers' Truce" (an arrangement whereby there were no television broadcasts between 6pm and 7pm, to allow parents to put their children to bed) is abolished - it has been a major stumbling block to the success of ITV.
• 19 February – ITV begins showing medical soap opera Emergency – Ward 10 made by ATV; it will run continuously two evenings a week until 1967.
• 20 February – The US live action comic book series Adventures of Superman debuts on ITV. Starring George Reeves as Superman.

March

• 3 March – The United Kingdom enters the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, with "All" performed by Patricia Bredin. The United Kingdom finish in third place.

April

• 1 April – British current affairs programme Panorama broadcasts the famous Spaghetti trees hoax report. ^[1]
• 20 April – Debut of the US comedy series The Phil Silvers Show on the BBC.
• 21 April – Historical documentary series Men, Women and Clothes begins airing. It is the first BBC programme filmed in colour, although it can only be transmitted in black and white.
• 24 April – The Sky at Night appears for the first time, presented by Patrick Moore. It continues to air with Moore as presenter until his death in December 2012.

May

• No events.

June

• 2 June - BBC Television broadcasts the final of the 1957 European Amateur Boxing Championships live from Prague. For the first time, the BBC broadcasts an event held in a Communist state, which was also relayed to the rest of the Eurovision network in other Western European countries. ^[2]

July

• No events.

August

• 31 August – Central Scotland's ITV franchise Scottish Television goes on air, the first 7-day-a-week ITV franchise to do so, broadcasting through Black Hill transmitting station.

September

• September – The first broadcasts of regional news bulletins take place.
• 18 September – The sports programme Scotsport begins airing on Scottish Television, although the programme was originally called Sports Desk. ^[3] By the time it ends in 2008 it is recognised as the world's longest running television sports magazine.
• 24 September – The ITV Schools and BBC Schools services, broadcasting programmes for schools and colleges, both go on air.
• 30 September – Regional television news bulletins for the north of England begin from Piccadilly's studio N in Manchester. ^[4]

October

• No events.

November

• No events.

December

• 3 December – Face to Face debuts on the BBC Television Service.
• 24 December – BBC television show the 1946 Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life , starring James Stewart.
• 25 December – The Royal Christmas Message is first televised with Queen Elizabeth II on camera for the first time.

Debuts

BBC Television Service/BBC TV

• 2 January – Potts and the Phantom Piper (1957)
• 3 January – Our Miss Pemberton (1957–1958)
• 13 January – The Adventures of Peter Simple (1957)
• 17 January – My Pal Bob (1957–1958)
• 8 February – Kenilworth (1957)
• 16 February – Six-Five Special (1957–1958)
• 18 February – Tonight (1957–1965)
• 22 February – On Safari (1957–1965)
• 3 March – The Railway Children (1957)
• 28 March – The Wharf Road Mob (1957)
• 9 April – Portraits of Power (1957–1958)
• 17 April – Lenny the Lion Show (1957–1960)
• 20 April – The Phil Silvers Show (1955–1959)
• 24 April – The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• 25 April – Alma Cogan Show (1957; 1962)
• 30 April – Sara Crewe (1957)
• 6 May – Drake's Progress (1957–1958)
• 12 May – The Kilt Is My Delight (1957–1963)
• 19 May – The Machine Breakers (1957)
• 29 May – Precious Bane (1957)
• 2 June – From Me to You (1957)
• 13 June – Sheep's Clothing (1957)
• 16 June – Huntingtower (1957)
• 22 July – Scott Free (1957)
• 27 July – Escape (1957)
• 28 July – A Tale of Two Cities (1957)
• 4 September – Mister Charlesworth (1957)
• 2 October – Educated Evans (1957–1958)
• 12 October – Thunder in the West (1957)
• 16 October – The Royalty (1957–1958)
• 18 October – Nicholas Nickelby (1957)
• 25 October – Be Soon (1957)
• 13 November A Time of Day (1957)
• 24 November – The Silver Sword (1957)
• 7 December
  • Angel Pavement (1957–1958)
  • Caxton's Tales (1957–1958)
• 15 December – The Trial of Mary Lafarge (1957)
• Unknown
  • Captain Pugwash (BBC 1957–1966; 1974–1975, ITV 1997–2002)
  • Pinky and Perky (1957–1968)

ITV

• 2 January
  • The Adventures of Long John Silver (1954-1955)
  • The Arthur Haynes Show (1957–1966)
• 5 January – The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956-1957)
• 9 January – The Carroll Levis Show (1957-1960)
• 17 January – A Date with Don (1957-1958)
• 24 January – Wyatt Earp (1955-1961)
• 26 January – The Man Who Was Two (1957)
• 8 February – The Cisco Kid (1950-1956)
• 11 February – Yes, It's the Cathode-Ray Tube Show! (1957)
• 18 February –Outlook on... (1957)
• 19 February –
  • Make Way for Tomorrow (1957)
  • The Adventures of Long John Silver (1954-1955)
  • Emergency – Ward 10 (1957–1967)
• 20 February –
  • The Adventures of Superman (1953-1958)
  • Youth Wants to Know (1957-1958)
• 21 February – Answers Please! (1957-1958)
• 9 March – The Gentle Killers (1957)
• 14 March – Jim's Inn (1957–1963)
• 19 March –
  • Bury the Hatchet (1957)
  • Roving Report (1957–1964)
• 25 March –
  • Destination - Downing Street (1957)
  • Cooper or Life with Tommy (1957)
• 26 March – Soldiers of Fortune (1956-1957)
• 4 April – The Adventures of Superman (1953-1958)
• 5 April – Together Again (1957)
• 12 April – Living It Up (1957–1958)
• 20 April – Electrode 93 (1957)
• 22 April – Walt Disney Presents (1957-1965)
• 25 April – Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans (1957)
• 20 May – The Gay Cavalier (1957)
• 15 June
  • Hour of Mystery (1957)
  • Motive for Murder (1957)
  • Overseas Press Club - Exclusive! (1957)
• 17 June –
  • Criss Cross Quiz (1957-1967)
  • Shadow Squad (1957–1959)
• 18 June – Tell the Truth (1957-196?)
• 19 June – The Army Game (1957–1961)
• 12 July – The Gay Cavalier (1957)
• 3 August – The Schirmer Inheritance (1957)
• 5 August – Highland Fling (1957)
• 7 August – Dead Giveaway (1957)
• 9 August – The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1957–1958)
• 14 September – Five Names for Johnny (1957)
• 16 September – Murder Bag (1957–1958)
• 17 September – Chelsea at Nine (1957–1960)
• 18 September – Out of Step (1957)
• 22 September – O.S.S. (1957–1958)
• 12 October – White Hunter (1957–1959)
• 13 November – The Adventures of Twizzle (1957–1959)
• 21 December – Web (1957)
• Unknown
  • Mark Saber (1955–1960)
  • The Adventures of a Jungle Boy (1957)

STV

• 18 September – Scotsport (1957–2008)

Continuing television shows

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)

1930s

• Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present)
• The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
• BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
• What's My Line? (1951–1963)
• Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
• All Your Own (1952–1961)
• Watch with Mother (1952–1975)
• Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• The Woodentops (1955–1958)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955–1960)
• Picture Book (1955–1965)
• Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974)
• Take Your Pick! (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
• Double Your Money (1955–1968)
• Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)
• Crackerjack (1955–1970, 1972–1984, 2020–2021)
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956–1961)
• Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• Armchair Theatre (1956–1974) ^[5]
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008) ^[6]

Ending this year

• The Appleyards (1952–1957)
• The Grove Family (1954–1957)
• The Adventures of Aggie (1956–1957)
• The Tony Hancock Show (1956–1957)
• The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956–1957)

Births

• 17 January – Keith Chegwin, presenter (d. 2017)
• 24 January – Ade Edmondson, comic actor
• 27 February – Timothy Spall, actor
• 22 March – Michael Mosley, Indian-born science presenter (d. 2024)
• 5 May – Richard E. Grant, actor
• 11 May – Mike Nesbitt, broadcast journalist and politician
• 4 June – Sue Hodge, actress
• 10 June – Stevie Spring, media executive and businesswoman
• 4 July – Jenny Seagrove, actress
• 9 July – Paul Merton, comic actor and game show participant
• 12 July – Christopher Quinten, actor
• 17 July – Fern Britton, presenter
• 23 July – Jo Brand, comedian
• 12 August – Amanda Redman, actress
• 24 August – Stephen Fry, comic actor, presenter and author
• 8 September – Dave Myers, presenter (d. 2024)
• 12 September – Rachel Ward, actress
• 11 October – Dawn French, comic actress
• 24 October – Sarah Greene, presenter
• 26 October - Julie Dawn Cole, actress
• 17 November – Debbie Thrower, presenter
• 30 November – Colin Mochrie, comedian
• 23 December – Trisha Goddard, presenter
• 26 December – Dermot Murnaghan, journalist and presenter

Deaths

• 7 August – Oliver Hardy, part of Laurel and Hardy, aged 65

See also

• 1957 in British music
• 1957 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1957

References

1. "BBC fools the nation". BBC On This Day. 1957-04-01. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
2. "...And Iron Curtain gives way to TV show". The Straits Times. 3 June 1957. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
3. "Scotsport's debut". STV. July 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
4. "CHAPTER FOUR - BBC MANCHESTER – A HISTORY" (PDF). BBC Trust. p. 26. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
5. Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline
6. "What the Papers Say in pictures". The Guardian. 29 May 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2022.

External links

• List of 1957 British television series at IMDb