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1957 in British radio
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October 2023
1957 British radio British television British music
This is a list of events from British radio in 1957.
Events
25 July – Patricia Greene joins the cast of BBC's The Archers to play the character Jill Archer, which she will continue to do until shortly before her death in 2026.Annabel Rackham https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy04erw9y42o Longest-serving Archers star Patricia Greene dies aged 95 BBC News 2026-07-10 2026-07-10
2 September – The BBC Light Programme starts broadcasting at breakfast and now goes on-air each day, apart from Sunday, at 7am.
30 September –
Network Three launches, providing a service of adult educational programmes. It broadcasts on the frequencies of the Third programme, and is on air for 75 minutes each day, resulting in the Third Programme coming on air a little later in the evening.
The BBC Home Service's lighter content transfers to the Light Programme.
September – For the first time, a chart rundown with the format of running through the charts of the week, playing the top tens from various music papers plus entries to top 20s, is introduced as part of Pick of the Pops.
28 October – The Today programme launches on the BBC Home Service as a programme of "topical talks" to give listeners an alternative to listening to light music which the Home Service had previously broadcast at breakfast.BBC Genome Project – Home Service listings 28 October 1957
Programme debuts
1 January – My Word!, series run, on the BBC Home Service (1957–1988)
April – The Clitheroe Kid, series run, on the BBC Home Service (1957–1972)
Summer – Test Match Special on the BBC Third Programme (1957–Present)Martin-Jenkins Christopher Ball by Ball: The Story of Cricket Broadcasting Grafton Books London 1990 91 0-246-13568-9
28 October – The Today Programme on the BBC Home Service (1957–Present)
Semprini Serenade on the BBC Light Programme (1957–c1982)
Continuing radio programmes
1930s
In Town Tonight (1933–1960)
1940s
Music While You Work (1940–1967)Music While You Work https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/june/music-while-you-work/ www.bbc.com 1 November 2024
Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
Family Favourites (1945–1980)
Down Your Way (1946–1992)
Have A Go (1946–1967)
Housewives' Choice (1946–1967)
Letter from America (1946–2004)
Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
Twenty Questions (1947–1976)
Any Questions? (1948–Present)
Mrs Dale's Diary (1948–1969)
Take It from Here (1948–1960)
Billy Cotton Band Show (1949–1968)
A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)
Ray's a Laugh (1949–1961)
1950s
The Archers (1950–Present)
Educating Archie (1950–1960)
Listen with Mother (1950–1982)
The Goon Show (1951–1960)
Hancock's Half Hour (1954–1959)
From Our Own Correspondent (1955–Present)
Pick of the Pops (1955–Present)
Station debuts
30 September – Network Three
Births
28 January – Frank Skinner, comedy performer
16 March – Trevor Harrison, actor
22 March – Michael Mosley, Indian-born science presenter (died 2024)
12 May – Victor Lewis-Smith, broadcaster, producer, comedy presenter and columnist (died 2022)
9 July – Paul Merton, né Martin, comedy performer and broadcast panel show participant
24 August – Stephen Fry, comedy actor and broadcast panel show participant
7 August – Daire Brehan, Irish-born actress, broadcaster and barrister (died 2012)
13 September – Sally Boazman, BBC Radio 2 travel news reporter
3 October – Tim Westwood, DJ
October – Moray Hunter, Scottish comedy writer-performer
24 November – Edward Stourton, radio news presenter (died 2026)
7 December – Winifred Robinson, radio presenter
9 December – Maria McErlane, comedy actress and radio presenter
Approximate date – Garry Richardson, radio sports presenter
Deaths
8 February – Mabel Constanduros, comedy actress and scriptwriter (born 1880)
1 May – Robb Wilton, character comedian (born 1881)
9 March – Rhoda Power, children's broadcaster (born 1890)
22 July – Robert Moreton, actor, scriptwriter and comedian, suicide (born 1922)
See also
1957 in British music
1957 in British television
1957 in the United Kingdom
List of British films of 1957
References
Category:Years in British radio
Radio