List of longest-running television shows by category

Last updated

This is a list of the longest-running television shows by category. The criterion for the longest-running show is the number of years the show has been on the air, and not the number of episodes produced.

The Brazilian show Programa Silvio Santos is the longest-running television show of all time hosted by the same person.

YearsCategoryShow nameCountryDurationChannel/networkNo. of
episodes
87 Outside broadcast Lord Mayor's Show Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1937–1938, 1946–present (not broadcast during WW2 1939–1945) [1] BBC Television Service, BBC One
87 Outside broadcast Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1937–1938, 1946–present (not broadcast during WW2 1939–1945)BBC Television Service, BBC One
87Sports outside broadcast The Championships, Wimbledon [2] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1937, [3] 1939,1946–present (not played during World War II, nor in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns)BBC Television Service, BBC One/Two
77News show Meet the Press Flag of the United States.svg United States1947–present NBC 4,946+
76 Newscast CBS Evening News Flag of the United States.svg United States1948–present CBS 16,400+
75 Religious programMusic and the Spoken Word Flag of the United States.svg United States1949–presentKSL (Television since 1949, radio since 1929)3900+
75 Religious program Le Jour du Seigneur Flag of France.svg France1949–present TF1 (1949–87)
France 2 (since 1987)
73 Song contest Sanremo Music Festival Flag of Italy.svg Italy1951–present RAI (radio broadcast since 1951, TV broadcast since 1955)
72 Sports show Hockey Night in Canada Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada1952–present CBC, City/Sportsnet, CTV
71Sports magazine show La Domenica Sportiva Flag of Italy.svg Italy1953–present RAI 3318 (as of 10 May 2020)
Music talent show NHK Nodo Jiman Flag of Japan.svg Japan1953–present NHK 2,900 (as of 2012)
Current affairs series Panorama Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1953–present BBC One
70 Talk show The Tonight Show Flag of the United States.svg United States1954–present NBC
69Annual live international beauty pageant Miss Universe Flag of the United States.svg United States 1955–present CBS, NBC, FOX 72
Annual live national beauty pageant Miss America Flag of the United States.svg United States 1955–present ABC, NBC, CBS 96 (102)
68Annual live song contest Eurovision Song Contest Flag of Europe.svg Europe 1956–present EBU 104
67Science show The Sky at Night Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1957–present BBC One, BBC Four 825 (as of Oct 2022)
66Children's show Blue Peter Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1958–present BBC One, CBBC 5,294 (as of 13 October 2023)
Historical drama Zenigata Heiji Flag of Japan.svg Japan1958–2006various
Agriculture information Plodovi zemlje Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia1958–present HRT 1 1,900 (as of 14 March 2017)
65Animated Sandmännchen Flag of Germany.svg Germany1959–present Deutscher Fernsehfunk, Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg 22,200
64 Soap opera Coronation Street Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1960–present ITV 10,000+
63Comedy KVN Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union (1961–1991)
Flag of Russia.svg Russia (1991–present)		1961–present Channel One Russia, KVN TV
TV feedback show Points of View Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1961–presentBBC One, BBC Two
Quiz show It's Academic Flag of the United States.svg United States1961–present [4]
Documentary Four Corners Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1961–present Australian Broadcasting Corporation
62 Song contest Festivali i Këngës Flag of Albania.svg Albania 1962–present RTSH
Medicine talk show Trupi dhe Shëndeti Flag of Albania.svg Albania 1962–present RTSH 1000+
61 Science fiction Doctor Who Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1963–1989, 1996, [5] 2005–present BBC One 881 (as of 6 June 2024)
61Variety show Programa Silvio Santos Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil1963–presentSBT3000+
60 Music chart show Top of the Pops Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1964–2006; Christmas shows only 2006–presentBBC One, BBC Two2,219
59 Nature documentary Le Jardin extraordinaire Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium1965–present RTBF 2400+
59 Educational game show Shell Quiz Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand1965–2009 TV4, MCOT HD,

TV11, ETV, Nation TV

58 Game show Des chiffres et des lettres Flag of France.svg France1965–2024 France 2 (1965–2006)
France 3 (2006–2024)		20,000 (as of October 2012)
Children's show (preschool) Play School Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia 1966–presentAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)4,500+
Comedy special Áramótaskaupið Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland 1966–present Ríkisútvarpið 56
55 Anime for kids Sazae-san Flag of Japan.svg Japan1969–present Fuji Television 7,000+ [6]
Kids Educational Sesame Street Flag of the United States.svg United States1969–present NET (1969–1970), PBS (1970–), HBO (2016–2020), HBO Max (2020–)4000+
54 Police procedural Tatort Flag of Germany.svg Germany1970–present Das Erste 1,136 (as of 6 September 2020) [7]
51 Sketch comedy show Radio Rochela Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela1959–2010 RCTV 2,652
48Charity show The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon Flag of the United States.svg United States1966–2014Various48
Talk show - hosted continuously by same host Barbara and You Flag of the United States.svg United States1976–2024Various48
Sports variety Grandstand Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1958–2007BBC One, BBC Two3500
Political satire Extra 3 Flag of Germany.svg Germany1976–present Das Erste
Automotive Top Gear (relaunched in 2002) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1976–2001, 2002–2023 BBC Two, BBC One
47 Film review Film Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1971–2018 BBC One
40 Glove puppetry show Pili Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan1984–present [8] Pili TV2,000+
37 Sitcom Last of the Summer Wine Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1973–2010 BBC One 295
37 Music video show Rage Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia1987–present Australian Broadcasting Corporation
37 Comedy drama Kopi kade Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka 1987–present ITN 1,900+
35 Reality show America's Funniest Home Videos Flag of the United States.svg United States1989–present American Broadcasting Company
35 Adult animation The Simpsons Flag of the United States.svg United States1989–present Fox Broadcasting Company 700+

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The Lord Mayor's Show dates". BBC Genome. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
  2. ↑ "Wimbledon". Genome Project. 9 October 2018.
  3. ↑ "Wimbledon and the BBC 1927 to 2017". History of the BBC. 22 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Mac McGarry, 'It's Academic' host, dies at 87". The Washington Post . Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "BBC – Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – Doctor Who: The TV Movie – Details". 2015-05-05. Archived from the original on 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  6. ↑ "Sazae-san".
  7. ↑ "Die Fälle – Tatort – ARD | Das Erste".
  8. ↑ "Pili Glove Puppetry". Taiwan Ministry of Culture. 2017-01-03.
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