2005 in British television

none April 2013 May 2024 2005 British television This is a list of British television-related events in 2005. Events January 1 January Sky takes over production of Five News from ITN. The first scheduled Sky produced news programme had been due to air on 3 January, but two shorter bulletins for 1 and 2 January are hastily added to provide updates following the 2004 Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami.Ian Beaumont https://www.transdiffusion.org/2005/02/01/5news New look for Five News Transdiffusion Broadcasting System 1 February 2005 29 January 2019 Fox Kids UK finally rebrands to Jetix, as part of a global rebranding package by ABC Cable Networks Group. The first programme shown is Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!. 5 January – Desperate Housewives makes its initial UK debut, at 10:00pm on Channel 4. Overnight figures indicate it achieves an audience of 4.4 million viewers, becoming the second highest rating debut for an American series in the channel's history, behind ER in 1995.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4151243.stm Housewives draw 4.4m UK viewers BBC News 6 January 2005 1 June 20142005-01-06 'Desperate Housewives' is huge hit for C4 https://www.digitalspy.com/media/a18125/desperate-housewives-is-huge-hit-for-c4/ 2024-08-09 Digital Spy en-GB 8 January – Jerry Springer: The Opera, featuring Jesus, Mary and God as guests on The Jerry Springer Show, airs on BBC Two, despite protests from Christian Voice and other groups.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4154071.stm Protests as BBC screens Springer BBC News 10 January 2005 1 June 2014 10 January Christian Voice confirms plans to launch a private blasphemy prosecution against the BBC for screening Jerry Springer: The Opera.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4161109.stm Group to act over Springer opera BBC News 10 January 2005 1 June 2014 The group subsequently attempts to prosecute BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, but their bid is rejected by the High Court. An attempt to overrule that decision is also rejected in December 2007.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7128552.stm Springer opera court fight fails BBC News 5 December 2007 1 June 2014 Vote for Me, a contest to find an independent Parliamentary candidate, makes its debut on ITV.http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Vote_for_Me Vote for Me UKGameshows 22 June 2014 11 January – Debut of the six-part BBC Two documentary series Auschwitz: The Nazis and 'The Final Solution' which tells the story of Auschwitz concentration camp.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/05ae7507d2c34e6d8dcc2d725a5b6962 https://web.archive.org/web/20181105063216/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/05ae7507d2c34e6d8dcc2d725a5b6962 dead 5 November 2018 Auschwitz: the Nazis & the "Final Solution" – BBC Two England – 11 January 2005 BBC Genome 4 November 2018 The final part is aired on 15 February.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f309004e451046a3a46d61bc3ae9a92c https://web.archive.org/web/20181105062927/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f309004e451046a3a46d61bc3ae9a92c dead 5 November 2018 Auschwitz: the Nazis & the "Final Solution" – BBC Two England – 15 February 2005 BBC Genome 4 November 2018 14 January – ITV's Vote for Me contest is won by former lawyer and convicted fraudster Rodney Hylton-Potts, who presents a "cabbies manifesto" that includes halting immigration, scrapping the Human Rights Act and legalising all drugs. However, the programme is soon caught up in controversy because of the winning candidate's extreme political views.Jamie Doward https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jan/16/broadcasting.raceintheuk Row erupts as TV's new political idol accused of being racist The Observer 16 January 2005 22 June 2014Duffy Jonathan https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4182093.stm Rank and bile BBC News 18 January 2005 22 June 2014 Hylton-Potts goes on to stand against Conservative leader Michael Howard as a candidate for Folkestone and Hythe at the general election, but comes in seventh place and loses his deposit. 21 January – The auction channel bid-up.tv is rebranded as bid.tv. 23 January – Happy Mondays dancer Mark Berry, known professionally as Bez wins the third series of Celebrity Big Brother.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4199773.stm Celebrity Big Brother won by Bez BBC News 23 January 2005 23 April 2014 26 January – Debut of The Rotters' Club on BBC Two, a three-part adaptation of Jonathan Coe's novel of the same name about growing up in 1970s Birmingham, scripted by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.Jonathan Coe https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2005/jan/16/features.review17 You had to be there The Observer 16 January 2005 26 August 2018https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b3db1ce265e146fea7d19088f01c6f69 https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214425/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b3db1ce265e146fea7d19088f01c6f69 dead 26 August 2018 The Rotters' Club – BBC Two England – 26 January 2005 BBC Genome 26 August 2018 27 January – Holocaust Memorial Day and the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp are observed in the UK. BBC Two and BBC News 24 air Auschwitz Remembered, a special news programme providing coverage of memorial events.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4211499.stm Pupils hear of Holocaust horrors BBC News 27 January 2005 5 May 2014 February 3 February – An audience member on the evening's edition of Question Time uses the show's final question to propose to his girlfriend, who says yes. It is the first time a marriage proposal has occurred on the programme in its 25-year history.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4234907.stm Popping the Question Time on TV BBC News 3 February 2005 28 May 2014 8 February – Teachers' TV, run by the Department for Education and Skills, launches on Sky Digital (channel 686) and Freeview.http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a19092/teachers-tv-launches.html#~oFXyL6cNvCHugL Teachers' TV launches Digital Spy 8 February 2005 1 June 2014https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4243481.stm Teachers' TV station takes to air BBC News 8 February 2005 1 June 2014 9 February – The Africa-based BBC journalist and producer Kate Peyton is killed in a shooting incident in Mogadishu, Somalia while reporting on that country's nascent peace process. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article512980.ece Kate Peyton: BBC producer devoted to reporting from her adopted home of Africa Times Online 11 February 2005 2 August 2010September 2024 medicmedic 16 February – The first series of the UK version of The Apprentice with businessman Alan Sugar debuts on BBC Two.https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/08/apprentice.shtml BBC Press Office The Apprentice 10 February 2005 5 May 2014http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a19308/slow-ratings-start-for-the-apprentice.html Slow ratings start for 'The Apprentice' Digital Spy 17 February 2005 4 May 2014 18 February – Adele Silva will reprise her role as Emmerdale temptress Kelly Windsor five years after leaving the series, it is reported.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4277437.stm Emmerdale actress Silva to return BBC News 18 February 2005 25 September 2018 19 February – EastEnders celebrates its 20th anniversary on the air, airing a special episode in which Dirty Den Watts is killed by his new wife Chrissie. 14.34 million watch the episode (shown on 18 February). https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4279379.stm Dirty Den's demise watched by 14m BBC News 19 February 2005 27 April 2009 It is the UK's second highest rated programme of 2005 (the first is an episode of Coronation Street three days later).https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4585022.stm Street tops 2005 TV shows league BBC News 5 January 2006 1 June 2014 21 February – MasterChef relaunches as MasterChef Goes Large. 22 February – Eamonn Holmes announces he will step down from his role as a GMTV presenter after twelve years.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4287663.stm Entertainment | GMTV's Eamonn Holmes to step down BBC News 2005-02-22 2018-01-13 23 February – UKTV Style Gardens, a channel dedicated to gardening programmes, launches. 24 February – ITV airs another episode of its police drama The Bill to feature a storyline in which characters are killed off in a fire at Sun Hill police station. Computer generated imagery is used because producing a real explosion and fireball ripping through the station corridors is not possible. Tibballs Geoff The Bill: The Official Case Book Carlton 2006 1844421732 26 February – Sound TV, known pre-launch as The Great British Television Channel, launches on Sky Digital (588). It closes in the Autumn. March 3 March – Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern opens RTÉ's new studios in London, based at Millbank opposite the Houses of Parliament.http://www.rte.ie/laweb/brc/brc_timeline.html RTÉ Libraries and Archives: preserving a unique record of Irish life RTÉ 10 April 2012 4 March – Channel 4 signs a £1m deal with Appletiser to sponsor repeat episodes of Friends during 2005.http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/channel-4-nets-1m-signs-appletiser-sponsor-friends/464417 Channel 4 nets £1m as it signs up Appletiser to sponsor Friends Campaignlive.co.uk 2018-01-13 5 March – Cat Deeley presents her final edition of CD:UK, after 6 years.https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/cat-quits-cduk-7180024.html Cat quits CD:UK Evening Standard London 17 February 2005 26 August 2018 10 March – BBC One airs an edition of Question Time from Changhai, China, as part of the BBC's China Week. 11 March – BBC One airs the tenth Comic Relief fundraiser. Highlights include a crossover between Antiques Roadshow and The Vicar of Dibley, as well as specials of Little Britain and Blind Date.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2005-03-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20141018100004/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2005-03-11 dead 18 October 2014 BBC One London – 11 March 2005 BBC Genome 12 November 2016 17 March – ITV signs up Jerry Springer to present a daytime talk show to replace Trisha.Matthews Sam http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/466693/ITV-brings-Jerry-Springer-new-chatshow-fill-vacant-Trisha-slot/ ITV brings on Jerry Springer in new chatshow to fill vacant Trisha slot Brand Republic 17 March 2005 26 July 2014Owen Gibson https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/mar/18/broadcasting.ITV1 Jerry Springer signs for ITV... but there won't be any fights The Guardian London 18 March 2005 26 July 2014 19 March – Ahead of the return of Doctor Who later in the month, BBC Two airs a "Doctor Who Night", with three programmes celebrating the series. The Story of Doctor Who features cast and crew, including Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy discussing the original series. Some Things You Need to Know About Doctor Who provides a bitesize guide to the programme. Finally John Humphrys presents a Doctor Who special of Mastermind in which fans answer questions about the series.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/2005-03-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20141018090531/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/2005-03-19 dead 18 October 2014 BBC Two England – 19 March 2005 BBC Genome 25 November 2018 20 March BBC Director General Mark Thompson announces BBC staff of 27,000 will be cut by 3,780.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4366545.stm BBC to cut 2,000 programme jobs BBC News 21 March 2005 1 June 2014 Actress Kim Medcalf, who plays Sam Mitchell in EastEnders speaks to the Sunday Mirror about her decision to leave the series, and her plans to focus on stage acting. Her final scenes will be filmed in May and her final onscreen appearance will be in November.Kilkelly Daniel http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/news/a20020/medcalf-speaks-about-quitting-enders.html#~oFhEkmsMaC6gMp Medcalf speaks about quitting 'Enders Digital Spy 20 March 2005 25 May 2014 23 March – Five announces plans to move its Trisha Goddard show to a morning slot from April to rival ITV's forthcoming The Springer Show.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4374891.stm Trisha and Jerry 'in TV battle' BBC News 23 March 2005 6 June 2014 26 March Nine years after its last new episode and sixteen years since its last regular run, Doctor Who returns to BBC One for a new series, the twenty-seventh in total since 1963. Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper star. An average 10.81 million viewers, over 40% of the watching audience, tune in, winning its timeslot and making it No. 3 BBC show and No. 7 across all channels for the week. The premiere episode of the revival, "Rose", written by Russell T Davies, goes on to become the UK's seventh highest rated programme of 2005. Gordon Hendricks, performing as Elvis Presley wins the sixteenth and final series of Stars in Their Eyes. He is the second Elvis impersonator to win the contest. Stars in Their Eyes continues until the following year, with a final junior series and a number of celebrity specials. 30 March As a test trial, the small Welsh towns of Ferryside and Llansteffan have their analogue television signals switched off.http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/analogue-is-a-real-turn-off-for-welsh-1-1006901 Analogue is a real turn-off for Welsh Johnston Press The Scotsman 30 March 2005 26 July 2014 The trial proves a success and the digital switchover fully begins two and a half years later in Cumbria. Only days after his having debuted as the Ninth Doctor, the BBC announces that Christopher Eccleston will be leaving Doctor Who after only one season.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Who+will+take+on+Doctor's+Tardis%3F-a0131039342 Who will take on Doctor's Tardis? Middlesbrough Evening Gazette 31 March 2005 1 June 2014 A UK version of Pakistan's Geo TV is launched on Sky Digital EPG 838. April 1 April – Thomasina Miers wins the 2005 series of MasterChef Goes Large. 2 April – Digital channel BBC Four broadcasts a live re-make of the famous 1953 science-fiction drama The Quatermass Experiment. The production is the first live drama broadcast by the BBC for over twenty years, and draws BBC Four's second highest audience to date, with an average of 482,000 viewers. 4 April – BBC Four airs Speak No Evil – The Story of the Broadcast Ban, a documentary recalling the 1988 broadcasting restrictions imposed by the Government of Margaret Thatcher on organisations in Northern Ireland believed to support terrorism.Welch Francis https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4409447.stm The 'broadcast ban' on Sinn Fein BBC News 5 April 2005 27 May 2014 5 April – It is reported that Ofcom may fine ITV Central for broadcasting a pre-recorded late Central News bulletin for the East Midlands.ITV faces live news fine Jason Deans, The Guardian, 5 April 2005 8 April – 13.03 million viewers watch Ken Barlow tie the knot with Deirdre Rachid on Coronation Street, one day before the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla Parker Bowles (7.36 million viewers watch). The scheduling move echoes Ken and Deirdre's first wedding, which occurred two days before Charles's wedding to Diana in 1981, and which also beat the Royal wedding in the television ratings. 11 April – ITV1 refreshes its daytime schedule under the brand name ITV Day, which features established programmes such as This Morning and Loose Women joined by a whole host of new shows over the coming months. The ITV Lunchtime News is also extended to an hour as part of the schedule refresh.http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/itv-revamps-daytime/1020919.article ITV revamps daytime Broadcast 10 March 2005 6 June 2014 14 April – The BBC removes advice from its website warning that Doctor Who is too scary to be watched by children under the age of eight, describing the statement as "a mistake".https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4443901.stm BBC stands by 'scary' Doctor Who BBC News 14 April 2005 31 March 2014 16 April – David Tennant is announced as the Tenth Doctor.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4396961.stm Actor David Tennant conquers TV BBC News 16 April 2005 1 June 2014 18 April – Launch of the teleshopping channel iBuy. 23 April – Celebrity Wrestling debuts on ITV1. It lasts for four weeks on Saturday evenings, before the second half of the series is demoted to Sunday mornings due to low ratings and poor reviews from critics. 27 April – Eamonn Holmes presents his final edition of GMTV after twelve years with the broadcaster.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4488781.stm Entertainment | Holmes bids farewell to GMTV sofa BBC News 2005-04-27 2018-01-13 28 April – BBC One airs a special election edition of Question Time, featuring the leaders of the three main political parties. Tony Blair (Labour), Michael Howard (Conservative) and Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrats) are each questioned for 30 minutes by the audience. May 3 May – The Sun reports that Labour Party chiefs are concerned that the 5 May episode of EastEnders in which Dot Cotton learns to drive could distract viewers from voting.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/may/03/election2005.rostaylor Election briefing: Broadsheets are red all over Taylor Ros 3 May 2005 The Guardian London 21 August 2014 4 May – Tim Campbell, a 27-year-old transport manager with London Underground, wins the first series of The Apprentice. His prize is a £100,000 job with Alan Sugar's firm, Amstrad.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4513233.stm Transport manager wins Apprentice BBC News 4 May 2005 5 May 2014 5–6 May – Coverage of the 2005 general election is shown on British television. The Labour Party attains a third successive general election victory. 7 May – Family Affairs wins Best Storyline at the British Soap Awards for a story in which a couple discover a family friend has been abusing their daughter.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4526191.stm The winners: British Soap Awards BBC News 8 May 2005 7 June 2014 9 May – Corpus Christi College, Oxford wins the 2004–05 series of University Challenge, beating University College London 250–140. 13 May – To celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, Rolf Harris is to create an oil portrait of her as part of a special edition of his BBC One show Rolf on Art, it is announced. https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/13/rolf.shtml Rolf Harris to paint Her Majesty The Queen BBC Press Office 13 May 2005 1 July 2014 The programme airs on New Year's Day 2006.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4545401.stm Queen grants Rolf royal portrait BBC News 13 May 2005 1 July 2014 16 May – BBC Weather relaunches, changing from 2D to 3D graphics.https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/14/weather.shtml BBC Press Office Brighter outlook as BBC Weather goes 3D 14 May 2005 6 June 2014 ITV launches Love Island, a rival to Big Brother. This appears to be a ratings flop. 19 May – Eamonn Holmes has signed a deal with Sky News to present their early morning programme Sky News Sunrise, it is reported.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4562627.stm Entertainment | TV host Holmes sets alarm for Sky BBC News 2005-05-19 2018-01-13 21 May – Greece's Helena Paparizou wins the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest (staged in Kyiv) with "My Number One". 23 May – Over one-third of BBC staff join a strike in response to proposed job cuts at the corporation.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4570237.stm BBC calls for talks amid strike BBC News 23 May 2005 6 June 2014 26 May – BBC One airs a special edition of Question Time from Paris, France, ahead of the French referendum on the European Constitution. 29 May – BBC One airs the final edition of Breakfast with Frost after a twelve-year run.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9ba7fafe9d6b4dcebe1e7c6905898e11 https://web.archive.org/web/20190221112558/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9ba7fafe9d6b4dcebe1e7c6905898e11 dead 21 February 2019 Breakfast with Frost – BBC One London – 29 May 2005 BBC Genome 10 November 2015 30 May – Fifi and the Flowertots, a new stop motion animated series for children created by Keith Chapman, the creator of Bob the Builder, begins its screening on Five. 31 May – David Easter, who plays villain Pete Callan in Family Affairs, is to leave the series in September, it is announced.Green Kris http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/news/a21509/long-standing-affairs-actor-to-leave.html#~oHhuZ4sCFWtTgP Long-standing 'Affairs' actor to leave Digital Spy 31 May 2005 15 June 2014 June 5 June – BBC covers the finals of football's UEFA Women's Championship for the first time starting with the 2005 edition in England. 18 June – Christopher Eccleston's final episode of the Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who, "The Parting of the Ways", is broadcast on BBC One. David Tennant becomes the Tenth Doctor in the same episode. 20 June – Former nightclub owner Fran Cosgrave and presenter Jayne Middlemiss win the first series of Love Island.Lee-Ann Fullerton https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Celebrity+Love+Island%3A+JAYNE+loves+FRAN%3B+Couple+win+Love+Island.-a0133396695 Celebrity Love Island: Jayne loves Fran; Couple win Love Island Daily Record 21 June 2005 17 June 2023 25 June – The Girl in the Café, a comedy-drama by Richard Curtis made as part of the global Make Poverty History campaign is shown by both BBC One in the United Kingdom and HBO in the United States on the same day. 26 June – Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley dies at Leeds General Infirmary following a short illness. His final episodes air between 28 June and 1 July.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4625119.stm Presenter Richard Whiteley dies BBC News Dept 26 June 5 26 June 2005 31 December 2009 29 June – CBeebies airs the last episode of children's show Balamory. It is set to be revived in 2026.'What's the new story in Balamory?' – kids' show gets a reboot 17 September 2024 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly6vvdy449o July 1 July – Channel 4 broadcasts the last episode of Countdown to be hosted by Richard Whiteley.http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a22213/whiteleys-final-countdown-ep-to-air-today.html#~oF82wnwaTleWuy Whiteley's final 'Countdown' ep to air today Digital Spy 1 July 2005 23 May 2014 2 July – Broadcast of Live 8, a string of benefit concerts, in the G8 states and South Africa. They are timed to precede the 31st G8 summit being held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July; they also coincide with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. 4 July – The BBC apologises to viewers after a computer malfunction causes its new 3D weather graphics to freeze.Robert Booth https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/05/broadcasting.bbc1 BBC weather map freezes The Guardian London 5 July 2005 6 June 2014 6 July – London wins the bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The announcement of the decision is broadcast live on BBC One and as a newsflash on all other major terrestrial networks. 7 July Regular programming is suspended by major networks to provide ongoing news coverage after a series of co-ordinated terrorist bombings strike London's public transport system during the morning rush hour.Claire Cozens https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/08/terrorism.attackonlondon1 BBC news ratings double The Guardian London 8 July 2005 23 April 2014 BBC One makes a news report before Homes Under the Hammer at 10am, only to interrupt it twenty-one minutes later to simulcast BBC News 24, when the gravity of the incident becomes clearer. ITV1 breaks during the commercial break of The Jeremy Kyle Show (only in its fourth day on air) to simulcast the ITV News Channel news coverage at 10.12am, while Five airs a breaking news ticker during The Wright Stuff, later interrupting the programme at 10.48am to broadcast Sky News. ITV1 then airs the ITV Lunchtime News (without opening credits) with Mark Austin and Andrea Catherwood in its usal time slot, with Five switching by then to blanket news coverage, presented by Kate Sanderson. BBC One's One O'Clock News is extended to fifty-five minutes, with Huw Edwards presenting the newscast from the Westminster studio, joined by Darren Jordon for five minutes at BBC Television Centre. By 1.05pm, Sky 1 airs Sky News, with BBC One airing a five-minute regional news magazine at 1.55pm. Normal programming resumes on Five at 2.03pm with the film The Spoilers. At the same time, MTV, VH1, TMF, VH2 and VH1 Classic suspends all scheduled programming and are showing continuous music videos, with local channels Channel M and Solent TV doing the same thing, this time showing a simulcast of EuroNews and Sky News respectively. BBC One and ITV's children programming then moves to their secondary channels, with CBBC (alongside the Neighbours afternoon broadcast) airing on BBC Two and ITV2 broadcasting CITV. ITV1 resumes its regular schedule at 7pm, with Emmerdale, followed by local newscasts (airing one and a half hour later than planned) and The Bill, before airing Target London: An ITV News Special, a two-hour news special from 9 to 11pm, presented by Trevor McDonald, with Britain's Biggest Brood following until midnight, when normal programming resumes with a rerun of the American series Providence. BBC One suspends blanket news coverage to air EastEnders at 7.30pm, but airs a Newsnight special at 8pm, with Jeremy Paxman presenting. The documentary series Elephant Diaries follows at 8.30pm, one and a half hour later than scheduled, with Huw Edwards making a ten-minute newsflash at 9pm, with a repeat of a 2000 Ground Force about Nelson Mandela airing instead of what was supposed to be the last programme of the series, which was scheduled to air at 8pm, displaced by the aformentioned Newsnight special. BBC One's last programme change was at 12.25am: the BBC News 24 simulcast (originally due to air on BBC Two until 2am) replaces both the film Fast Company (who moves to BBC Two) and the Sign Zone programme block. Finally, a news special airs at 10.50pm on Channel 4, presented by Jon Snow. Among the programmes to be pulled from the day's schedule, are the lunchtime showing of Neighbours, Cash in the Attic and Diagnosis: Murder on BBC One, This Morning and Heartbeat on ITV1, and lunchtime repeats of Family Affairs and Home and Away, alongside BrainTeaser on Five. On 12 September, the BBC defends its decision to await corroboration before giving details of the event, but on 26 September Ofcom censures the BBC and other broadcasters for insensitive use of pictures. BBC One airs an edition of Question Time from Johannesburg, South Africa as world leaders convene for the 31st G8 summit in Scotland, and following the Live 8 concerts.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/question_time/4549698.stm Classic Question Times BBC News 20 February 2008 7 April 2014 8 July – The Animals of Farthing Wood airs on CBBC for the very last time but continues to air on RTÉ2 in Ireland. 12 July – BBC One airs the 250th episode of Holby City.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8d7362a48233476e9d25b4205fb8bbaa https://web.archive.org/web/20170802205441/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8d7362a48233476e9d25b4205fb8bbaa dead 2 August 2017 Holby City – BBC One London – 12 July 2005 BBC Genome 2018-01-13 17 July – After forty-one years broadcasting on BBC One, music show Top of the Pops is switched to BBC Two due to declining audiences.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4646937.stm TOTP announces Sunday move date BBC News 3 July 2005 21 June 2014 This is not enough to save it, and it is axed the following year.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5099894.stm BBC calls time on Top of the Pops BBC News 20 June 2006 21 June 2014 19 July – Jessie Wallace confirms she will leave EastEnders at the end of the year, having played Kat Slater since 2000.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4695653.stm EastEnders' Wallace to leave soap BBC News 19 July 2005 30 May 2014 21 July – Regular programming is once again suspended by major networks to provide ongoing news coverage of the 21 July 2005 London attempted bombings which disrupted the London Transport network. August 1 August – BBC Broadcast, formerly Broadcasting & Presentation and responsible for the playout and branding of all BBC Channels, is sold to Creative Broadcast Services, owned by the Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and Macquarie Bank. It is renamed Red Bee Media on 31 October. 2 August – Five announces its soap, Family Affairs will be axed at the end of the year.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4737745.stm Five pulls plug on Family Affairs BBC News 2 August 2005 4 April 2014 4 August – BBC One airs Sinatra: Dark Star, a documentary investigating rumours of Frank Sinatra's links to organised crime.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8bf4b2544e2748c3be679b4aa28bc0d5 https://web.archive.org/web/20170213092304/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8bf4b2544e2748c3be679b4aa28bc0d5 dead 13 February 2017 Sinatra: Dark Star – BBC One London – 4 August 2005 BBC Genome 12 February 2017 10 August – Lost premieres on Channel 4, garnering an audience of 6 million viewers, overtaking ER as the highest rated debut for a US series in the channel's history.2005-08-11 Ratings soar as viewers find Lost https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4141504.stm 2024-08-09 en-GB 12 August – Anthony Hutton wins series six of Big Brother.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4144666.stm Anthony triumphs in Big Brother BBC News 12 August 2005 2 April 2014 17 August – ITV announces plans to launch a children's channel to rival CBBC.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4160758.stm ITV to launch children's channel BBC News 17 August 2005 6 June 2014 22 August – Peppa Pig makes its debut in the United States, on Cartoon Network's Tickle U programming block, re-dubbed with American voice actors. This turns out to be a flop, so Nick Jr airs the original British version. September 3 September – After several revamps and presenting changes, BBC One airs the final edition of its children's entertainment series The Saturday Show.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/faea6d693cba46f4a0305bcf434bf4e0 https://web.archive.org/web/20160407195203/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/faea6d693cba46f4a0305bcf434bf4e0 dead 7 April 2016 The Saturday Show – BBC One London – 3 September 2005 BBC Genome 26 March 2016 5 September – Pitt & Kantrop debuts on BBC1 7 September – The BBC and ITV announce plans to launch Freesat, a Free-to-air satellite television series to rival Sky.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4221722.stm BBC and ITV to start Sky TV rival BBC News 7 September 2005 6 June 2014 Channel Five airs The Spy Who Stole My Life, a television documentary about conman and imposter Robert Hendy-Freegard, who masqueraded as an MI5 agent.The Spy Who Stole My Life (2005) https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8b444442 https://web.archive.org/web/20160307164018/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8b444442 dead 7 March 2016 BFI 8 September – Faze TV, a British digital channel aimed at gay men, cancels its launch after failing to secure sufficient funding to deliver "sufficient quality."http://www.media247.co.uk/skydigital/news.php Welcome to Sky Digi Online part of Media 247 Media247.co.uk 10 March 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120204114755/http://www.media247.co.uk/skydigital/news.php 4 February 2012 11 September – BBC One launches Sunday AM, a Sunday morning current affairs programme presented by Andrew Marr.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cab364211d284078968eef6a84c92dad https://web.archive.org/web/20190221054925/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cab364211d284078968eef6a84c92dad dead 21 February 2019 Sunday AM – BBC One – 11 September 2005 BBC Genome 20 February 2019 12 September – In an interview with The Guardian, the BBC Director of News and Current Affairs Helen Boaden defends the broadcaster's decision to stick with initial reports of a power surge on the London Underground on the morning of 7 July until actual events could be corroborated, saying it was the right thing to do. "Some of our competitors talked immediately of 90 dead. They talked about three bus bombs. That was off a range of various wire services and it was complete speculation and we wouldn't go with that. We would be careful – we would try to check things out."Matt Wells https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/sep/12/mondaymediasection.tvnews Interview with Helen Boaden The Guardian London 12 September 2005 23 April 2014 14 September – Supernanny UK airs the episode in which Sue and Paul Young and their sons Nathaniel, Caleb, Benjamin, Jacob and Joel's horrific behaviour has led to corporal punishment. With so many children to deal with, the house has become a case of mob rule as the elder boys spit, fight and destroy things. Desperate to regain control, Sue and Paul have resorted, unsuccessfully, to physical punishment, including smacking their boys with slippers and wooden spoons. 17 September – Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon debuts on ITV1, as part of ITV's 50th anniversary celebrations. The seven week series features celebrity contestants taking part in one-off revivals of seven of ITV's classic gameshows – The Price is Right, Take Your Pick, The Golden Shot, Sale of the Century, Play Your Cards Right, Bullseye and Family Fortunes – to raise money for their chosen charities and win prizes for viewers at home. The series is a success and leads to revived series of both The Price is Right and Family Fortunes airing on ITV1 the following year whilst Bullseye is also revived by Challenge. 19 September – The most famous children's classic television character Muffin the Mule (who disappeared from TV screens in the mid-1950s) is back with a brand new 2D animated series on BBC Two. 20 September After seven and a half years, Emmerdale sees a new sequence to the opening titles of the series, with the same 1998 theme music alongside another helicopter montage, this time marginally slower and without the actors and the closing credits are generic ITV Network style credits over a continuous shot of the village, again from a helicopter, but filmed from a different angle. BBC One airs Derailed, a docudrama dealing with the 1999 Ladbroke Grove rail crash.Kathryn Flett https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2005/sep/25/features.review7 TV: Derailed, Waking the Dead, Underground Britain: Psychic Surgeon, Tittybangbang The Observer 25 September 2005 11 June 2015 22 September – ITV airs a second live episode of The Bill to mark the broadcaster's 50th year on air. 23 September – It is announced that Des Lynam will succeed Richard Whiteley as presenter of Channel 4's Countdown, with his first episode airing on 31 October.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1499036/Des-Lynam-to-be-new-countdown-host.html Des Lynam to be new countdown host The Daily Telegraph London 23 September 2005 25 November 2016 25 September ITV1 airs an episode of A Touch of Frost called "Near Death Experience" to mark the broadcaster's 50th year on air. BBC One airs the network premiere of the 2003 Christmas-themed romantic comedy film Love Actually starring Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson and Mr. Bean star Rowan Atkinson. 26 September – The BBC is censured by Ofcom for its coverage of the London bombings on 7 July. Of particular concern to them was an incident in which footage of a man being carried by stretcher into the Royal London Hospital was shown as a BBC News 24 presenter commentated "Let's just take a look at some of the pictures coming from the Royal London." Ofcom concludes that "the pictures were used generically and the commentary did not reflect the seriousness of the images being transmitted". Channel 4 News is also criticised for not "fully reflecting the enormity of the images being reflected", although it had not breached the Ofcom regulations as the images were not used casually. ITV News is not criticised, however, because it provided a "clear narrative context [with] sensitive accompanying reporting".Dominic Timms https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/sep/26/broadcasting.attackonlondon BBC attacked over 7/7 coverage The Guardian London 26 September 2005 23 April 2014 26–27 September – No Direction Home, Martin Scorsese's documentary on Bob Dylan, receives its broadcast premiere on BBC Two in the UK, under the Arena banner.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1bed5e4506504d5ba9f63174acd40f43 https://web.archive.org/web/20161120091014/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1bed5e4506504d5ba9f63174acd40f43 dead 20 November 2016 Arena: No Direction Home – Bob Dylan – BBC Two England – 26 September 2005 BBC Genome 25 November 2016http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0444a7de36e74da597d8656e07250754 https://web.archive.org/web/20161120091445/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0444a7de36e74da597d8656e07250754 dead 20 November 2016 Arena: No Direction Home – Bob Dylan – BBC Two England – 27 September 2005 BBC Genome 25 November 2016 30 September – CBBC identity relaunched, with its second marketing campaign since the launch of the CBBC Channel. September – ITV celebrates its 50th anniversary with a collection of special programmes, under the name ITV 50. October 3 October BBC Four airs Our Hidden Lives, a dramatisation of the novel of the same name by Simon Garfield that explores the lives of four people on 8 May 1945 as World War II comes to an end. The film stars Richard Briers, Sarah Parish, Ian McDiarmid and Lesley Sharp, and is the centrepiece of the BBC's Lost Decades season.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f124a3d4b3334b56a659c2a412317af5 https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014332/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f124a3d4b3334b56a659c2a412317af5 dead 26 September 2018 Our Hidden Lives – BBC Four – 3 October 2005 BBC Genome 25 September 2018 Live action Icelandic health and fitness based kids' TV show LazyTown makes it debut on both CBeebies & Nick Jr. 5 October – The 6am CBeebies programming block on BBC Two ends and is replaced by an hour of Pages from Ceefax. 8 October – BBC One airs the 500th episode of Casualty.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f752ea8cb66144908c084836c7f2b594 https://web.archive.org/web/20170802214902/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f752ea8cb66144908c084836c7f2b594 dead 2 August 2017 Casualty – BBC One London – 8 October 2005 BBC Genome 2018-01-13 10 October – More4, a digital channel from Channel 4 offering factual content, launches.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4325828.stm Channel 4's More4 makes its debut BBC News 10 October 2005 6 June 2014 24 October – Sky News moves to new studios, with a new schedule and on-air look.Douglas Torin https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4370000.stm Ambitious relaunch for Sky News BBC News 24 October 2005 6 June 2014 25 October – The relaunched Doctor Who is the major winner at the annual National Television Awards in the UK, taking the Most Popular Drama award, with its stars Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper winning Most Popular Actor and Most Popular actress. 27 October–16 December – Bleak House, a 15-episode adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name designed to capture a soap opera-style audience by using Dickens's original serial structure in half-hour episodes is broadcast on BBC One. 28 October – Sheffield-based rock band Arctic Monkeys make their first appearance on BBC Two's Later...with Jools Holland.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7dc970781ba64a79b523cf2e88ccacad https://web.archive.org/web/20170917033431/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7dc970781ba64a79b523cf2e88ccacad dead 17 September 2017 Later with Jools Holland – BBC Two England – 28 October 2005 BBC Genome 2018-01-13 29 October – The snooker series Pot Black is revived for the third time but rather than a regular series of one frame matches, It is shown as part of that day's Grandstand with all matches taking place on the day, While most of the matches up to the semi-finals are shown in highlights, the final is shown live. This format will remain for another two years. 31 October Sky3 is launched on British digital terrestrial and satellite platforms. On the same day Sky Mix is rebranded as Sky Two, and Sky Travel ceases transmission on Freeview. The first episode of Countdown hosted by Des Lynam airs,https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4371574.stm Lynam reveals Countdown anxiety BBC News 24 October 2005 25 November 2016 as does the first episode of Deal Or No Deal, reviving Noel Edmonds's TV career on Channel 4.Jason Deans https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/dec/07/channel4.broadcasting Edmonds gets new Deal from Channel 4 The Guardian London 7 December 2005 25 November 2016 November 1 November ITV4, a digital channel aimed at men, is launched in the UK.https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/13/broadcasting.ITV ITV4 to launch in November Chris Tryhorn 13 July 2005 9 March 2024 The Guardian London It is launched on Sky Digital Channel 120 on 7 November after airing on the Men & Motors channel space for a few days.Sam Matthews https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/itv4-air-sky-digital-last-minute-deal/525345?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social ITV4 to air on Sky Digital after last-minute deal Campaign Live 31 October 2005 9 March 2024 ITV1 airs The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend in which Richard Hammond recreates elements of the Gunpowder Plot if Guy Fawkes was successful in blowing up the House of Lords. 3 November – A special edition of Question Time featuring David Cameron and David Davis, the two candidates in the forthcoming Conservative Party leadership election.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4401724.stm Tory rivals row over tax and spin BBC News 4 November 2005 6 April 2014 7–28 November – BBC One broadcasts ShakespeaRe-Told, a series of four adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays based in 21st century Britain. The plays in order are Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream. 11 November – EastEnders is the first British drama to feature a two-minute silence. This episode later goes on to win the British Soap Award for 'Best Single Episode'.Green Kris http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/news/a33354/in-pictures-the-british-soap-awards-2006.html#~oFLR0rI0fZIacB The British Soap Awards 2006 Digital Spy 23 May 2006 30 May 2014 16 November – Lucy Ratcliffe wins the first cycle of Britain's Next Top Model, securing for herself a modelling contract among other prizes.https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/behind-bar-front-camera-1597316 From behind bar to in front of camera Rob Kennedy 17 November 2005 ChronicleLive 17 June 2023 17 November – Little Britain moves to BBC1 due to it being a success on BBC3, kicking things off with the first episode of the third series. Tom Baker provides this evening's continuity announcements on BBC1. 18 November BBC One broadcasts this year's annual Children in Need appeal. It contains several highlights including Catherine Tate in EastEnders, the BBC Newsreaders performing Bohemian Rhapsody, and a brand new Doctor Who adventure. The first to fully star David Tennant as the Doctor, the 7-minute episode directly follows on from "The Parting of the Ways" and directly leads on to "The Christmas Invasion".http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2005-11-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20141018093957/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/2005-11-18 dead 18 October 2014 BBC One London – 18 November 2005 BBC Genome 2018-01-13 It is announced that Five has bought a stake in DTT's pay-TV operator, Top Up TV.RTL Group 18 November 2005 http://www.rtlgroup.com/PressRelease2511.htm RTL Group announces strategic relationship between Five and Top Up TV 4 September 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20060704222831/http://www.rtlgroup.com/PressRelease2511.htm 4 July 2006 22 November – Producers of ITV's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! confirm that contestant Elaine Lordan will not be returning to the show following a stay in hospital. She had twice collapsed on the set of the jungle-based reality show, but has been given a clean bill of health by doctors.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4461126.stm Actress Lordan quits jungle show BBC News 22 November 2005 26 March 2016 28 November – The actress and I'm a Celebrity contestant Kimberley Davies is taken to hospital with a suspected fractured rib after she is injured in a stunt that goes wrong. Davies had jumped from a helicopter as part of one of the series' "bush tucker trials" when the incident occurred. Responding to criticism that it had not taken the correct safety precautions, ITV says that Davies was given a full safety briefing before she performed the stunt.Byrne Ciar https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/itv-under-pressure-after-im-a-celebrity-contestant-is-hurt-517390.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/itv-under-pressure-after-im-a-celebrity-contestant-is-hurt-517390.html 1 May 2022 subscription live ITV under pressure after 'I'm a Celebrity' contestant is hurt Independent Print Limited The Independent 29 November 2005 26 March 2016 29 November – Kimberley Davies withdraws from I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2005/1129/405666-imacelebrity/ Kimberley Davies leaves jungle show RTÉ Ten RTÉ 29 November 2005 26 March 2016 December 2 December – BBC Three's weeknight news bulletin The 7 O'Clock News is broadcast for the final time. It is axed following a report into the BBC's digital outputDigital report sets poser for BBC BBC News, 13 October 2004 which claims that the show "achieves nothing and attracts tiny audiences". 3 December – ITV1 screens the British terrestrial television premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second film in the Harry Potter series. Overnight viewing figures indicate it is watched by an audience of eight million (a 37% audience share). The evening's edition of The X Factor, screened after Chamber of Secrets, is watched by 9.7 million viewers (a 42% audience share), giving ITV1 its best ratings since February 2002.Stephen Brook https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/dec/05/overnights TV ratings: December 3 The Guardian London 5 December 2005 27 January 2018 5 December – Carol Thatcher wins the fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4499800.stm Carol Thatcher named jungle queen BBC News 6 December 2005 23 April 2014 7–16 December – Space Cadets is shown on Channel 4, a hoax reality TV show where the contestants believe they are in a Space Shuttle orbiting Earth, when in fact they are in a set in a disused aircraft hangar in Suffolk. 10 December – Westlife's version of "You Raise Me Up" is voted the 2005 Record of the Year by ITV viewers, the fourth time the Irish boy band have won the title.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4515980.stm Westlife scoop ITV record prize BBC News 10 December 2005 27 May 2014 11 December – Cricketer Andrew Flintoff is named as this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year.https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/12_december/11/spoty_winners.shtml BBC Press Office Andrew Flintoff is BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2005 11 December 2005 6 November 2015 15 December – Sir Trevor McDonald makes his final ITN news broadcast after over 25 years. As a tribute, the closing theme tune for the News at Ten Thirty tonight is replaced with the News at Ten theme used from 1992 to 1999, McDonald having presented the show during that time. McDonald would later make a brief return to ITN during 2008 to help relaunch News at Ten. 17 December – Cricketer Darren Gough and dancing partner Lilia Kopylova win the third series of Strictly Come Dancing. Shayne Ward wins the second series of The X Factor on the same evening.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4538218.stm Shayne and Gough win talent shows BBC News 17 December 2005 23 April 2014 19 December – Rolf Harris unveils his portrait of the Queen at Buckingham Palace.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4541388.stm Rolf shows off Queen's portrait BBC News 19 December 2005 1 July 2014Tweedie Neil https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1505920/Why-the-Queen-had-to-have-her-teeth-fixed-by-Rolf-Harris.html Why the Queen had to have her teeth fixed by Rolf Harris The Daily Telegraph London 20 December 2005 1 July 2014 21 December – The BBC is to trial a three-month experiment in which its Saturday morning schedules for BBC One and BBC Two will be swapped. The changes, taking effect from January 2006, are being implemented because of frequent scheduling changes caused by big events and breaking news stories, and will mean children's programming will be absent from BBC One's Saturday morning lineup for the first time since 1968. This is not enough to save them and the Saturday morning children's programmes will be axed six months later.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4549160.stm BBC mulls Saturday morning switch BBC News 21 December 2005 20 May 2014 23 December The ITV News Channel closes.http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=318353 ITV News Channel to Close THIS Friday! – Broadcasting – Digital Spy Forums Forum.digitalspy.co.uk 19 December 2005 10 March 2012 Five airs the 4000th episode of Home and Away.https://www.backtothebay.net/news/2023/05/19/look-back-home-and-away-airs-8000th-episode/ Looking back as Home and Away celebrates its 8000th episode Dan Foster 19 May 2023 Back to the Bay 10 November 2023 25 December BBC One airs: The Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Christmas Invasion"; this episode marks David Tennant's first full-length story as the Tenth Doctor.Bishop Tom https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4524180.stm New Doctor prepares for invasion BBC News 21 December 2005 30 May 2014 The network television premiere of Pixar's 1999 animated sequel Toy Story 2.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ee7a8cdae37545f18eeb544c5ead6c39 https://web.archive.org/web/20230617205617/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ee7a8cdae37545f18eeb544c5ead6c39 dead 17 June 2023 Toy Story 2 – BBC One – 25 December 2005 BBC Genome 17 June 2023 A Christmas special of The Two Ronnies Sketchbookhttps://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d2806a1722384c889e9867a3c8220139 https://web.archive.org/web/20211026231820/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d2806a1722384c889e9867a3c8220139 dead 26 October 2021 Programme Index – 22:00: The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook BBC Genome 2021-10-12 recorded on 5 July which, following Ronnie Barker's death on 3 October, forms in part a tribute to him and attracts 7.93M viewers. The departure of Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace from EastEnders when their characters Alfie and Kat Moon leave for America.http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/tv-news/441900/jessie-wallace-and-shane-richie-to-return-to-eastenders Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie to return to EastEnders Now Magazine 9 February 2010 30 May 2014 ITV1 airs the 2000 Christmas film The Grinch for a third time. 29 December – The last edition of Click Online broadcast under its original title before it is renamed Click. 30 December Five airs the final episode of its soap Family Affairs.Bishop Tom https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4532080.stm End of the Affairs for Five soap BBC News 30 December 2005 31 March 2014 BBC One airs the network television premiere of Insomnia.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/adf9b01a0986478dafc177173df77eae https://web.archive.org/web/20230617210621/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/adf9b01a0986478dafc177173df77eae dead 17 June 2023 Insomnia – BBC One – 30 December 2005 BBC Genome 17 June 2023 Debuts BBC One 1 January – Star Spell (2005) 3 January – BB3B (2005) 7 January – According to Bex (2005) 21 January – 29 Minutes of Fame (2005) 13 March – Supervolcano (2005) 26 March – Doctor Who (2005–present) 27 March – Fingersmith (2005) 6 June – Gordon the Garden Gnome (2005) 25 June – The Girl in the Café (2005) 5 September – Pitt & Kantrop (2005–2007) 6 September – Medium (2005–2011) 9 September – The Green Green Grass (2005–2009) 11 September – Sunday AM (2005–2021) 27 September – Love Soup (2005, 2008) 27 October – Bleak House (2005) 30 October – Rocket Man (2005) 7 November – Shakespeare Re-Told (4 eps – Much Ado about Nothing / Macbeth / The Taming of the Shrew / A Midsummer Night's Dream) (2005) BBC Two 7 January – Bill Oddie's How to Watch Wildlife (2005–2006) 26 January – The Rotters' Club (2005) 16 February – The Apprentice (2005–present) 21 February – Around the World in 80 Treasures (2005) 27 February – Help (2005) 5 May – The Robinsons (2005) 10 May – The Monastery (2005) 30 May – Springwatch (2005–present) 5 June – Mock the Week (2005–present) 6 July – To the Ends of the Earth (2005) 21 July – Extras (2005–2007) 22 July – Coast (2005–2015) 3 October – LazyTown (2004–2014) (UK version) 22 October – American Dad! (2005–present) 8 November – Autumnwatch (2005–2022) 15 November – Rome (2005–2007) 13 December – Magnificent 7 (2005) BBC Three 11 January – Ideal (2005–2011) 16 January – Twisted Tales (spin-off from Spine Chillers) (2005) 13 March – Casanova (2005) 20 September – Tittybangbang (2005–2007) 23 October – Funland (2005) BBC Four 2 March – Kenneth Tynan: In Praise of Hardcore (2005) 19 April – Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky (2005) 19 May – The Thick of It (2005–2012) CBeebies 7 November – Charlie and Lola (2005–2008) ITV (1/2/3/4) 1 January – Scream! If You Want to Get Off (2005) 5 February – Toonattik (2005–2011) 12 February – New Captain Scarlet (2005) 27 February – The Walk (2005) 6 March – Falling (2005) 20 March – Diamond Geezer (2005; 2007) 27 March – Colditz (2005) 2 April – Hit Me Baby One More Time (2005) 10 April – Malice Aforethought (2005) 11 April – ITV Day (2005–2006) King Arthur's Disasters (2005–2006) 15 April – Splash Camp (2005) 23 April – Celebrity Wrestling (2005) 10 May – PocoyoPocoyo (2004) https://mdblist.com/show/tt0487849/season/1 MDBList 12 January 2026 (2005–2010, 2016–present) 16 May – Love Island (2005–2006) 13 June – Cash Cab (2005–2006) 4 July – The Jeremy Kyle Show (2005–2019) 9 July – Grandma Jane's Garden Adventures (2005–2010) 5 September – Marian, Again (2005) 14 September – The Golden Hour (2005) 24 September – Afterlife (2005–2006) 29 September – Mike Bassett: Manager (2005) 10 October – Vincent (2005–2006) 19 October – Cold Blood (2005–2008) 12 December – Secret Smile (2005) 18 December – Wallis & Edward (2005) Channel 4 5 January – Desperate Housewives (2004–2012) 10 January – Come Dine with Me (2005–present) 11 February – Nathan Barley (2005) 7 March – Coach Trip (2005–2006, 2009–2012, 2013–present) 11 April – John Callahan's Quads! (2001–2002) 10 May – Bring Back... (2005–2009) 27 May – 18 Stone of Idiot (2005) 3 June – 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005–present) 7 June – Sugar Rush (2005–2006) 1 August – The House of Obsessive Compulsives (2005) 10 August – Lost (2004–2010) 31 August – It's Me or the Dog (2005–2008 Channel 4, 2008–2012 Sky) 29 September – Elizabeth I (2005) 30 September – Spoons (2005) Rock School (2005/6) 22 October – Power Rangers: SPD (2005) 31 October – Deal or No Deal (2005–2016) 8 November – Rajan and His Evil Hypnotists (2005) 15 November – The Ghost Squad (2005) 20 November – Not Forgotten (2005–2009) 27 November – The Queen's Sister (2005) More4 10 October – Launch of More4 News on new digital channel More4 (2005–2009). Five 30 May – Fifi and the Flowertots (2005–2010) 9 June – House (2004–2012) 9 September – Swinging (2005–2006) Cartoon Network UK 11 April – What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002–2005) 9 May – Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi (2004–2006) 6 June – Battle B-Daman (2005–2006) 1 November – Robotboy (2005–2008) Boomerang UK 1 November – Camp Lazlo (2005–2008) Disney Channel UK 6 June – The Buzz on Maggie (6 June 2005 – 27 May 2006) Playhouse Disney UK 11 April – Higglytown Heroes (11 April 2005 – 7 January 2008) 3 October – Little Einsteins (2005–2010) Nickelodeon UK 3 January – Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (2004–2007) 4 April – Unfabulous (2005–2008) Zoey 101 (2005–2008) Nicktoons UK 14 January – My Life as a Teenage Robot (2005–2007) Nick Jr. UK 3 October – LazyTown (2004–2014) (UK version) Jetix UK 1 January – Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! (2005–2008) Channels New channels/streaming services DateChannel23 FebruaryUKTV Style Gardens30 MarchGeo TV UK10 OctoberMore431 OctoberSky Three1 NovemberITV415 December YouTube Defunct channels List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#2005 DateChannel23 DecemberITV News Channel Rebranded channels DateOld nameNew name31 OctoberSky MixSky Two Television shows e [e] signifies that this show has a related event in the Events section above. Changes of network affiliation Show Moved from Moved to TrishaITV1 Five Pinky and the Brain BBC One Family Guy (Terrestrial rights) Channel 4 BBC Two Top of the Pops BBC One 24 BBC Two Sky One South Park Sky One Paramount Comedy 1 WWE SmackDown!1 Sky Sports WWE Bottom Line1 WWE After Burn1 WWE Heat1 American Dragon: Jake Long Disney Channel ITV1 on CITV 1 1 All these WWE shows became exclusive to Sky Sports Returning this year after a break of one year or longer Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006) Doctor Who (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present) Mr. Benn (1970–1972, 2005) Roobarb and Custard Too premieres (1974 BBC, 2005–2013 Channel 5) Willo the Wisp (1981–1984, 2005) Fireman Sam (1987–1994, 2005–2013) The Two Ronnies Sketchbook sequels to take over from The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005) Family Guy (1999–2002, 2005–present) Continuing television shows 1930s BBC Wimbledon (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present) Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present) The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present) 1950s Panorama (1953–present) What the Papers Say (1956–2008)What the Papers Say in pictures https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2008/may/29/what.the.papers.say The Guardian London 2 April 2022 29 May 2008 The Sky at Night (1957–present) Blue Peter (1958–present) Grandstand (1958–2007) 1960s Coronation Street (1960–present) Songs of Praise (1961–present) Top of the Pops (1964–2006) Match of the Day (1964–present) The Money Programme (1966–2010) 1970s Emmerdale (1972–present) Newsround (1972–present) Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010) Arena (1975–present) One Man and His Dog (1976–present) Top Gear (1977–2001, 2002–present) Grange Hill (1978–2008) Ski Sunday (1978–present) Antiques Roadshow (1979–present) Question Time (1979–present) 1980s Children in Need (1980–present) Postman Pat (1981, 1991, 1994, 1996, 2004–2008) Timewatch (1982–present) Countdown (1982–present) The Bill (1984–2010) Thomas & Friends (1984–2021) EastEnders (1985–present) Comic Relief (1985–present) Casualty (1986–present) ChuckleVision (1987–2009) This Morning (1988–present) The Simpsons (1989–present) 1990s Have I Got News for You (1990–present) Room 101 (1994–2007, 2012–2018) Stars in Their Eyes (1990–2006, 2015) Heartbeat (1992–2010) Time Team (1994–2013) Top of the Pops 2 (1994–2017) Hollyoaks (1995–present) Arthur (1996–present) Never Mind the Buzzcocks (1996–2015) Silent Witness (1996–present) Midsomer Murders (1997–present) South Park (1997–present) King of the Hill (1997–2010) Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (1998–2014) Bob the Builder (1998–present) Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1999–2010) British Soap Awards (1999–2019, 2022–present) Ed, Edd n Eddy (1999–2009) SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present) Holby City (1999–2022)Holby City – an oral history by the show's stars and creators https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/holby-city/a35594857/holby-city-an-oral-history-by-the-shows-stars-and-creators/ Digital Spy 4 April 2022 29 March 2022 My Parents Are Aliens (1999–2006)Rodger James My Parents Are Aliens cast reunite after 17 years as fans left emotional https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/parents-aliens-cast-reunite-after-26543597 BirminghamLive 25 March 2023 23 March 2023 2000s Doctors (2000–present) Big Brother (2000–2010, 2011–2018) The Weakest Link (2000–2012, 2017–present) The Kumars (2001–2006, 2014) Popworld (2001–2007) Real Crime (2001–2011) Flog It! (2002–2020) Foyle's War (2002–2015) I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2002–present) Harry Hill's TV Burp (2002–2012) Spooks (2002–2011) River City (2002–2026) Daily Politics (2003–2018) Peep Show (2003–2015) All Grown Up! (2003–2008) Tiny Pop (2003–2008) New Tricks (2003–2015) Politics Show (2003–2011) QI (2003–present) The Royal (2003–2011) PointlessBlog (2003–2007) This Week (2003–2019) Strictly Come Dancing (2004–present) Doc Martin (2004–2022) Sea of Souls (2004–2007) Supernanny (2004–2008, 2010–2012) Shameless (2004–2013) The X Factor (2004–2018) Ending this year Date Show Channel(s) Debut(s)30 JanuaryAndy PandyCBeebies1950 & 2002Angelina BallerinaCITV2002Up on the RoofCITV on GMTVDiggin' It2003SuperstarsBBCCall My Bluff1965Cathedral200514 FebruaryThe CrouchesBBC One200325 MarchThe Powerpuff GirlsChannel 5 & Cartoon Network199829 MayBreakfast with FrostBBC199316 JuneUK Top 40CBBC200212 July50/50199720 JulyTo the Ends of the EarthBBC200524 JulyGround Force19973 AugustBorn and Bred200218 AugustShould I Worry About...?200415 OctoberStar Spell200523 OctoberMonarch of the Glen20004 DecemberRocket Man200516 DecemberBleak House25 DecemberThe Two Ronnies Sketchbook30 DecemberFamily AffairsChannel 51997 Births Date Name Cinematic Credibility25 FebruaryNoah JupeBritish actor15 MarchEllie DaddBritish actress (EastEnders) Deaths Date Name Age Known for2 JanuaryCyril Fletcher91British comedian (That's Life!)5 JanuaryGabrielle Daye93Actress (Bless Me Father, Coronation Street)18 JanuaryGabrielle Brune92Actress22 JanuaryPatsy Rowlands74Actress (Bless This House, Hallelujah!)9 FebruarySergei Hackel83Russian Orthodox priest and broadcaster of BBC religious programmesKate Peyton39BBC journalist and producer11 FebruaryStan Richards74Actor (Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale)13 FebruaryHarry Baird73Actor (Danger Man, UFO)6 MarchTommy Vance64Television presenter (Top of the Pops)9 MarchSheila Gish62Actress (The First Churchills, Jewels, The Brighton Belles)10 MarchDave Allen68Irish comedian, host of solo shows on BBC1 and ITV.23 MarchDavid Kossoff85Actor (The Larkins)28 MarchDave Freeman82Television comedy scriptwriter2 AprilBetty Bolton99Actress11 AprilJohn Bennett76Actor (Doctor Who, Porridge, The Avengers, Bergerac)15 AprilMargaretta Scott93Actress (All Creatures Great and Small)21 AprilJimmy Thompson79Actor (Pinky and Perky, The Benny Hill Show, George and Mildred)22 AprilNorman Bird80Actor (Worzel Gummidge, Fawlty Towers, Ever Decreasing Circles, Yes Minister)3 MayDavid Batchelor63Television sound mixer14 MayMary Treadgold95Television producer1 JuneGeoffrey Toone94Actor (Doctor Who)3 JuneMichael Billington63Actor (UFO)13 JuneJonathan Adams74Actor (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Yes Minister)16 JuneAlex McAvoy77Actor (The Vital Spark, The Bill, Dad's Army, Z-Cars)26 JuneRichard Whiteley61Presenter, host of Countdown.30 JuneChristopher Fry97Television scriptwriter30 JuneIan Stirling64Television continuity announcer and actor4 JulyBryan Coleman94Actor (Upstairs, Downstairs)11 JulyGretchen Franklin"EastEnders favourite Gretchen Franklin dies at 94", The Stage. URL last accessed on 27 April 2009. Archived 16 May 2009.94Actress (Ethel Skinner in EastEnders)20 JulyDavid Tomblin74Television director and producer25 JulyDavid Jackson71Actor (Blake's 7, Z-Cars)9 AugustKay Tremblay91Actress (Road to Avonlea)11 AugustJames Booth77Actor22 AugustElizabeth Knight60Actress (It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling)25 AugustTerence Morgan83Actor (Sir Francis Drake)31 AugustMichael Sheard https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4200884.stm Grange Hill favourite Sheard dies BBC News 31 August 2005 27 April 200967Actor (Mr Bronson in Grange Hill)12 SeptemberRonald Leigh-Hunt84Actor (Danger Man, Doctor Who, Freewheelers)23 SeptemberRoger Brierley70Actor (Jeeves and Wooster, Ripping Yarns, Only Fools and Horses)3 OctoberRonnie Barker76Actor and comedian (The Two Ronnies, Porridge, The Frost Report)16 OctoberUrsula Howells83Actress (Dixon of Dock Green, The Forsyte Saga, Bergerac, Casualty)17 OctoberLeslie Duxbury79Television producer (Coronation Street)20 OctoberMichael Gill81Television producer and director25 OctoberBarbara Keogh76Actress (EastEnders)31 OctoberMary Wimbush81Actress (Poldark, Jeeves and Wooster, Century Falls)7 NovemberHarry Thompson45Television producer and scriptwriterSteve Whatley46Television presenter19 NovemberJohn Timpson77Journalist and television presenter (Newsroom)2 DecemberLeonard Lewis78Television director and producer See also 2005 in British music 2005 in British radio 2005 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 2005 References External links List of 2005 British television series at IMDb 2005