1972 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
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This is a list of British television related events from 1972.

Events

• 4 April
  • After a three-year courtship, Emily Nugent marries Ernest Bishop on Coronation Street.
  • The first edition of John Craven's Newsround, a news programme for younger viewers, airs on BBC1.
• 24 July – The Independent Television Authority (ITA) is renamed the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).
• 8 September – The Pilot episode of Are You Being Served is aired on BBC1. The programme returns for a regular series in 1973.
• 11 September – First broadcast of the BBC quiz programme Mastermind.
• October – The lifting of restrictions on broadcasting hours permits extension of daytime television.
• 16 October – The first episode of Emmerdale Farm is aired by Yorkshire Television. Originally conceived and broadcast as a daytime programme in an afternoon slot, it is rescheduled to an evening slot in 1978.
• 23 October – The BBC announces that development work has begun on the Ceefax teletext service.
• 30 December – The BBC airs part one of "The Three Doctors", a four-part serial of the science-fiction programme Doctor Who created to celebrate its tenth anniversary (which would occur on 23 November of the following year).
• Unknown
  • The first BBC film programme Film '72 hosted by Barry Norman is aired. The show's title is updated annually, but is collectively referred to as "The Film Programme".
  • The BBC broadcasts Ways of Seeing, a four-part series by John Berger on art.
  • The BBC Schools and Colleges service was converted to colour and started using the Diamond ident, which stayed until 1977.

Debuts

BBC1

• 10 March – The Brothers (1972–1976)
• 4 April – Newsround (1972–present)
• 8 September – Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
• 11 September – Mastermind (1972–present)
• 28 September – War and Peace (1972–1973)
• 19 October – Colditz (1972–1974)
• 16 November – The Film Programme (1972–present)
• 15 December – Record Breakers (1972–2001)
• Unknown – Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)

ITV

• 13 April – Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1977)
• 14 April – Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• 1 September – Rainbow (1972–1991, 1994–1995)
• 13 September – Van der Valk (1972–1973, 1977, 1991–1992)
• 29 September – The Protectors (1972–1974)
• 1 October – Weekend World (1972–1988)
• 11 October – Crown Court (1972–1984)
• 16 October – Emmerdale Farm (1972–present)
• 19 October – General Hospital (1972–1979)
• 6 December – Arthur of the Britons (1972–1973)

Television shows

1940s

• Watch with Mother (1946–1973)
• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984)
• Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990)
• This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992)
• Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)
• 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)
• Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974)
• Z-Cars (1962–1978)
• 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)
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
• World of Sport (1965–1985)
• Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–2010)
• The Golden Shot (1967–1975)
• ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
• Father, Dear Father (1968–1973)
• Dad's Army (1968–1977)
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• On the Buses (1969–1973)
• Clangers (1969–1974)
• Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974, 2015–present)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• ...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973)
• The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973)
• Follyfoot (1971–1973)
• Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975, 2010–2012)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• Sale of the Century (1971–1983, 1989–1992, 1997–1998)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)

Ending this year

• Callan (1967–1972)
• Please Sir! (1968–1972)
• A Family at War (1970–1972)
• Doomwatch (1970–1972)
• Queenie's Castle (1970–1972)
• Mr Benn (1970–1972, 2005)
• A Class by Himself (1971–1972)
• Budgie (1971–1972)
• The Persuaders! (1971–1972)

Births

• 4 January — Charlotte Hudson, English actress
• 12 January — Sid Owen, actor
• 23 January
  • Harriet Scott, radio and television presenter
  • Lisa Snowdon, English fashion model, actress and television presenter
• 10 February — Helen Willetts, BBC weather presenter
• 19 February — Lisa Faulkner, actress
• 22 February — Jo Guest, glamour model and media personality
• 22 April — Sarah Patterson, actress
• 28 April — Anita Anand, journalist and television presenter
• 19 May — Amanda de Cadenet, television presenter, actress and photographer
• 20 May
  • Daisy McAndrew, journalist
  • Tina Hobley, actress
• 26 May — Patsy Palmer, actress and television presenter
• 4 June — Debra Stephenson, actress
• 3 July — Asha Gill, British-born television host
• 7 July — Liza Walker, British actress
• 7 August — Sarah Cawood, television presenter
• 9 September — Natasha Kaplinsky, newsreader
• 29 September — Robert Webb, comedian and actor
• 22 October — Saffron Burrows, actress and model
• 2 November — Samantha Womack, actress
• 6 November — Thandie Newton, actress
• 8 November — Ben Hull, actor
• 14 December — Miranda Hart, comedian
• 18 December — Melissa Porter, television presenter
• Unknown – Sarah Tansey, UK actress (Heartbeat)

Deaths

• 16 October – Leo G. Carroll, 85, Actor (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)