1987 in British television

none 1987 British television This is a list of British television related events from 1987. Events January 1 January – New Year's Day highlights on BBC1 include the network television premiere of Local Hero and the film To Have and Have Not.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-01-01 BBC One London – 1 January 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 21 October 2018 10 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201010042550/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-01-01 dead 2 January The Japanese-American animated series ThunderCats makes its UK debut on BBC1.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f9656ee9bfe54d2499251d85e259c559 Thundercats 18 December 1986 3291 134 3 February 2019 BBC Genome 4 February 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190204015518/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f9656ee9bfe54d2499251d85e259c559 dead The network television premiere of the 1982 Steven Spielberg-produced supernatural horror film Poltergeist on BBC1, starring JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b152bec67c254b11aba8d2a872dae20c Poltergeist – BBC One London – 2 January 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 22 September 2018 22 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180922211517/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b152bec67c254b11aba8d2a872dae20c dead 3 January Closedowns reappear on Yorkshire Television when its experiment with 24-hour television, which had begun last August and had consisted of a simulcast of music video channel Music Box, is put on hiatus. The US sitcom Perfect Strangers makes its British debut on BBC1.Perfect Strangers – BBC1 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9ec3d0a1f5644662967499a30f29a48e 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 3 January 1987 BBC Genome Project 5 January – EastEnders is sold to Australia and goes to air on ABC along with In Sickness and In Health. 6 January The Guardian reports that Central has acquired the European division of the American production company Filmfair for £1.5million.News In Brief The Guardian 6 January 1987 Filmfair goes on to produce several of the station's networked children's series before being sold on to the Storm Group (Caspian) in 1991.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%2FC+O+R+R+E+C+T+I+O+N+--+CINAR+Films+Inc.%2F(Correction+Notice)-a018898126 /C O R R E C T I O N – CINAR Films Inc./(Correction Notice) Thefreelibrary.com 16 December 2014 6 August 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170806220736/https://www.thefreelibrary.com//C+O+R+R+E+C+T+I+O+N+--+CINAR+Films+Inc./(Correction+Notice)-a018898126 deadhttp://playbackonline.ca/1996/12/02/18489-19961202/ News Briefs Playbackonline.ca 16 December 2014 Inspector Morse, based on the books by Colin Dexter, makes its debut on ITV with John Thaw in the title role; the series will run until 2000 and generate spin-offs. 7 January – Ben Elton's comedy series Filthy Rich & Catflap premieres on BBC2.Filthy Rich and Catflap – BBC2 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8d2b4dd13f424d2197b947f55c2ee822 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 7 January 1987 BBC Genome Project 9 January – The Friday night chat show The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross makes its debut on Channel 4. 12 January – The five-part Australian World War I drama Anzacs makes its UK debut on BBC1, starring Paul Hogan.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c01ebfb07f86492692c63a87fc803cf7 Anzacs – BBC One London – 12 January 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 5 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181105013023/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c01ebfb07f86492692c63a87fc803cf7 dead 13 January – Yorkshire Television becomes the second ITV region to launch a Jobfinder service. It broadcasts for an hour after closedown.Television and radio. The Times (London, England), Friday, 30 January 1987; pg. 43 16 January The Zircon affair becomes public knowledge when The Guardian reports that the government ordered the BBC to shelve a documentary in the Secret Society series about the Zircon satellite. Two days later, documentary maker Duncan Campbell is subject to an injunction preventing him from discussing or writing about the programme's content, but he subsequently writes an article about the episode for the New Statesman magazine. During a live trailer shown on ITV for the Channel 4 music show The Tube, presenter Jools Holland uses the phrase "be there or be ungroovy fuckers". The programme is taken off air for three weeks as a result. 29 January Alasdair Milne is forced to resign as Director-General of the BBC by the newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors, Marmaduke Hussey.Alasdair Milne DG: The Memoirs of a British Broadcaster London Hodder & Stoughton 1988 0340427728 201 His deputy, senior BBC accountant Michael Checkland, becomes acting D-G. A strike by set designers means that Crimewatch UK is, this month, broadcast from the Grandstand studio. February 5 February – The 200th edition of the sports quiz A Question of Sport is broadcast on BBC1. At this occasion, Princess Anne appears on the programme,A Question of Sport – BBC1 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5d235b2cd7c34cad9883c441f9e311ea 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 5 February 1987 BBC Genome Project a matter of weeks after team captain Emlyn Hughes mistook a picture of her on a horse for jockey John Reid. The episode gains a record audience of nineteen million viewers. 10 February – ITV begins showing the American legal drama series L.A. Law, starring Harry Hamlin. 15 February – Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears makes its UK television premiere on ITV. 21 February – An apparently inebriated Oliver Reed appears on the ITV chat show Aspel & Company where he stumbles and lurches around the set. 24 February – The sitcom Hardwicke House, set in a dysfunctional comprehensive school, makes its debut on ITV. However, the series is badly received by critics and viewers and is abruptly cancelled after just two episodes are shown, the second being broadcast the following evening. The remaining five episodes, although recorded and scheduled are never transmitted. 26 February – Michael Checkland is formally appointed as Director-General of the BBC. 27 February – The BBC and ITV begins a week of programming aimed at educating people about the AIDS virus. Highlights include AIDS – The Facts on BBC1, a short programme of facts and figures covering frequently asked questions about the disease and First AIDS, an ITV comedy-sketch show produced by London Weekend Television and featuring Mike Smith, Jonathan Ross and Emma Freud.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5b69bc1d787647b4b548c0d8f1bae220 AIDS – The Facts – BBC One London – 27 February 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 4 August 2018 4 August 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180804231939/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5b69bc1d787647b4b548c0d8f1bae220 deadhttp://www.tvcream.co.uk/telly/tv-a-z/a-m/f-is-for/first-aids/ First AIDS – TV Cream 4 August 2018 26 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201126154623/https://www.tvcream.co.uk/telly/tv-a-z/a-m/f-is-for/first-aids/ dead March 3 March – BBC1 begins showing the Rock and roll themed drama series Tutti Frutti,Tutti Frutti – BBC1 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2a61b4b30d084de7a8ac7c1472cb1fd1 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 3 March 1987 BBC Genome Project starring Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson. 5 March – Channel 4 shows Neil Jordan's 1984 fantasy horror film The Company of Wolves. 6 March – BBC1 airs The Elephant Man, David Lynch's acclaimed 1980 film about Joseph Merrick, starring Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/aead1c36e6004e28b654799e3525a2f3 The Late Film: The Elephant Man – BBC One London – 6 March 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 3 August 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170803021532/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/aead1c36e6004e28b654799e3525a2f3 dead 9 March Debut of Central's Intimate Contact, a drama dealing with the issue of AIDS. Debut of the comedy sketch series French and Saunders on BBC2, written by and starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.French and Saunders – BBC2 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c509d62c3dbb43b29037cb248006789e 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 9 March 1987 BBC Genome Project 21 March – Opportunity Knocks returns after a decade-long break on BBC1. It is presented by Bob Monkhouse and airs under the title Bob Says Opportunity Knocks.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ce186ab8cc844baca49032e08567a73d Bob Says Opportunity Knocks – BBC One London – 21 March 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 4 August 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170804021941/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ce186ab8cc844baca49032e08567a73d dead April 3 April – Debut of the panel game show Through the Keyhole on ITV, presented by David Frost with Loyd Grossman. 6 April – Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends makes its debut in Australia on ABC within the Barley the Clown strand. 9 April The children's animated series The Adventures of Spot, based on the books by Eric Hill and narrated by Just Good Friends actor and singer Paul Nicholas, makes its debut on BBC1.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b128061e1cc8447f80f8e632a4aa91b5 The Adventures of Spot – BBC One London – 9 April 1987 BBC Genome BBC 6 April 2017 19 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201019071409/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b128061e1cc8447f80f8e632a4aa91b5 dead The children's animated series The Raggy Dolls makes its debut in Australia on ABC. 11 April – Jan Leeming presents her final bulletin for BBC News.News and Sport – BBC1 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0975d6e984344b9ba0dbc0955c9bbf99 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 11 April 1987 BBC Genome Project 18 April – The final edition of the Saturday morning children's show Saturday Superstore is broadcast on BBC1.Saturday Superstore – BBC1 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/445f45cf723c4e05b21f35f5fabd97d5 12 August 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 18 April 1987 BBC Genome Project 20 April – The network television premiere of the 1983 thriller WarGames on BBC1, starring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy and Dabney Coleman.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1974ec1218f04bd39240db85caa8e3e4 WarGames – BBC One – 20 April 1987 BBC Genome BBC 3 April 2019 3 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190403232149/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1974ec1218f04bd39240db85caa8e3e4 dead 23 April Channel 4 starts broadcasting into the early hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays when it launches Nightime.C4 / Channel 4 Nighttime first TX & Closedown −1987 One of the programmes is the discussion show After Dark which is broadcast live and with no scheduled end time. Yorkshire extends broadcasting into the early hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights by introducing a Through Till Three strand. 24 April – The final episode of the music series The Tube is broadcast on Channel 4. 25 April The Australian soap opera Prisoner: Cell Block H makes its debut on Central. This is believed by many viewers to be the series debut on British television, but in fact it has been running in the Yorkshire region since 1984. Central is the first region to conclude the series, in December 1991. Central becomes the first station to keep its transmitters on air all night when it launches More Central. Programmes are shown into the early hours with the rest of the night filled by its Jobfinder service which airs from closedown until the start of TV-am.http://tvlive.org.uk/tv-presentation/itv/regions/central/more-central/ TV Live – More Central 4 August 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20161220043657/http://tvlive.org.uk/tv-presentation/itv/regions/central/more-central/ 20 December 2016 usurped The US sitcom ALF makes its UK debut on ITV. 28 April – BBC television programming in Hindi and Urdu finishes after more than 20 years following the transmission of the final editions of Asian Magazinehttps://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-04-26 BBC One London – 26 April 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 4 August 2018 28 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210128042301/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-04-26 dead and Gharbar.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-04-28 BBC Two England – 28 April 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 4 August 2018 28 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210128155338/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-04-28 dead A new programme for the Asian community will be launched later in the year but will be broadcast in English. 28 April – ITV shows the network premiere of the 1984 comedy film Police Academy, starring Steve Guttenberg and Kim Cattrall. May 1 May – Launch of the late-night discussion programme After Dark on Channel 4 which is broadcast live and is notable for having no scheduled end time. 3 May – The youth show Network 7 makes its debut on Channel 4. It is shown live at Sunday lunchtime. 9 May – Ireland's Johnny Logan wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1987, held in Brussels and broadcast on BBC1, with "Hold Me Now". 10 May – ITV airs Escape from Sobibor, a made-for-television film telling the story of the mass escape from the Sobibór extermination camp during World War II, the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners of German extermination camps.Corinna Adatn http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/16th-may-1987/17/television Television – from the Tablet Archive Tablet Publishing Company The Tablet 16 May 1987 16 October 2016 18 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161018212721/http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/16th-may-1987/17/television dead 14 May – Two television reporters, Michael Buerk from the BBC and Peter Sharp from ITN, are expelled from South Africa as a result of their coverage of university demonstrations.https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/05/15/s-africa-expels-two-british-tv-correspondents/a35235c1-3b1a-4e0b-9c4d-9fdef3d271ba/ William Claiborne 1 March 2025 15 May 1987 S. Africa Expels Two British TV Correspondents The Washington Post 22 May – 20 June – The BBC airs coverage of the first Rugby World Cup from Australia and New Zealand. This is the only time that they have shown the tournament. 31 May – The final episode of the children's fantasy series Super Gran airs on ITV. June 1 June – Live presentation of Children's ITV is launched and are presented by former Central announcers Gary Terzza and Debbie Shore.Timeline: CITV from start to finish 8 June – BBC2 shows the Moonlighting episode "I Am Curious... Maddie" in which, after two years of romantic tension, Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepard finally make love following a huge argument. 9 June – Debut of the Tyne Tees-produced chart show The Roxy, presented by David Jensen and Kevin Sharkey. The show is intended as a stablemate for the Independent radio hit parade The Network Chart Show following a similar format to the BBC's Top of the Pops, but its Newcastle upon Tyne location impinges on its ability to secure live performances. It also suffers from poor ratings because it does not have a regular slot on the ITV network and is cancelled in April 1988. 11–12 June – Coverage of the results of the 1987 General Election is shown on BBC1 and ITV. 19 June – Screening of The Grand Knockout Tournament, an It's a Knockout special featuring members of the British Royal Family alongside sporting and other celebrities. Also known as It's a Royal Knockout, the event attracts much media derision and is deemed to have been a failure, although it raises £1 million for charity. 22 June – The BBC's lunchtime children's block moves from BBC1 to BBC2. It is shown slightly earlier, at 1:20pm. 27 June – Family Fortunes returns to ITV after a 2-year break, with new presenter Les Dennis who goes on to become the show's longest-serving host until 2002. The new series also sees the debut of the short-lived coloured game board. 29 June – Schools programmes are broadcast on ITV for the last time. The service will be transferred to Channel 4 from September to allow ITV to launch a regular daytime schedule. July 5 July – Watching, Jim Hitchmough's comedy about a mismatched couple and starring Paul Bown and Emma Wray, makes its debut on ITV. 7 July – Jeremy Isaacs, Chief Executive of Channel 4, announces that advertising revenue for the channel for 1986–87 has exceeded costs for the first time since its launch, providing a £20m profit. 16 July – Channel 4 shows the first day-long coverage of women's cricket in the UK when England play Australia at Lord's."Briefing", The Times page 31, 8 July 1987 Coverage begins at 10.45 am and finishes at 6.30 pm, with breaks for the lunch and tea intervals. However, only the late-night highlights are shown in Wales, where S4C show Glamorgan against Pakistan instead."Television and radio", The Times page 23, 16 July 1987 17 July – ITN's News at One airs for the last time, it also marks Leonard Parkin's retirement from newsreading. 18 July – After a hiatus of a year, BBC1 starts showing the US crime series Miami Vice again, with the second season's feature-length episode The Prodigal Son. 20 July ITV's lunchtime news programme moves to a 12:30pm slot. Consequently, News at One ends after eleven years on the air. Also pre school children's programmes and other programmes previously shown between 12 and 1:00pm move an hour earlier to 11 to 12:00am as the new series of long running game show Winner Takes All airs at the old slot time of 12:00pm now hosted by Geoffrey Wheeler replacing Jimmy Tarbuck. 22 July – ITV's investigational show The Cook Report airs its first edition. 25 July – A new weekly programme for the Asian community, Network East, makes its debut on BBC2. Broadcast in English, the show replaces Asian Magazine and Gharbar which had ended three months earlier.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-07-25 BBC Two England – 25 July 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 4 August 2018 28 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210128104010/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1987-07-25 dead July – TV-am reintroduces a weekday news programme, GMB Newshour, airing initially from the start of programmes until 7am. Good Morning Britain now airs between 7am and 9am. August 2 August – Debut of the crime drama The Ruth Rendell Mysteries on ITV. 17 August – Thames begins 24-hour broadcasting and becomes the first ITV region to begin transmitting all through the night on a permanent basis. 20 August – In the wake of the previous day's Hungerford massacre in which 16 people were shot dead by gun enthusiast Michael Ryan, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 pull several forthcoming films and programmes containing violence from their schedules. Among them are the 1966 western Nevada Smith, an episode of The Professionals and the 1982 post-apocalyptic film Battletruck. A showing of First Blood is also cancelled. The BBC also takes Miami Vice off the air, initially for three weeks, then completely for ten months, due to the on-going debate about screen violence.Timothy Harper https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1987/09/13/britain-shoots-down-tv-shoot-em-ups-many-blame-augusts-massacre-on-violent-us-programs-films/ Britain Shoots Down Tv Shoot 'Em-ups Many Blame August's Massacre On Violent U.s. Programs, Films Orlando Sentinel 13 September 1987 7 June 2013 22 March 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140322002358/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1987-09-13/news/0140410160_1_british-society-gun-britain live 25 August – BBC1 finally airs Dennis Potter's television play Brimstone and Treacle which was originally scheduled to air in 1976 but was withdrawn shortly before broadcast.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5ac553a3f9cf4ab9ac9da8ba332ae653 Brimstone and Treacle – BBC One – 25 August 1987 BBC Genome BBC 21 February 2019 22 February 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190222042322/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5ac553a3f9cf4ab9ac9da8ba332ae653 dead 28 August – LWT and Anglia begin 24-hour transmissions. The first edition of the LWT produced Night Network is broadcast that night in both regions, along with TVS, and is described as a late night version of a Saturday morning children's show. The programme is an immediate success and is expanded to most other ITV regions the following year. 31 August – The final episode of the sitcom Terry & June is broadcast on BBC1. September 1 September – Channel 4 premieres the Martin Scorsese-directed music video of Michael Jackson's "Bad". 5 September – BBC1 shows the network premiere of the 1983 Tom Cruise-starring teen comedy film Risky Business. 7 September TV-am recommences broadcasts each day from 6am. This is the first time since its launch in 1983 that they have transmitted throughout their allocated broadcast hours. ITV launches a full morning schedule with advertising for the first time. The new service includes regular five-minute national and regional news bulletins. The new game show Chain Letters makes its debut today as part of the service, presented by Jeremy Beadle shown at 9:25am. At 10:00am, The American daytime soap opera Santa Barbara becomes the first one of that genre to be broadcast on TV in the UK. The series originally shown as one hour episodes were split into two half hour episodes. In addiction, today's episode was also repeated at 3:00pm. Debut of the morning discussion show The Time, The Place being shown at 10:30am. The Disney animated series DuckTales makes its UK debut on Children's ITV before being aired in the US in syndication several days later. Debut of the children's adventure game show Knightmare on Children's ITV. Sylvester McCoy becomes the seventh actor to play The Doctor in the long-running science-fiction series Doctor Who, making his first full appearance in the role in the serial Time and the Rani. He also makes his sole cameo debut as the Sixth Doctor following Colin Baker's refusal to reprise the role for the serial, in part due to his abrupt removal from the show. 8 September – Anglia announces that its Anglia knight ident will be replaced by a computer-generated logo from early 1988. However, the knight will continue to have a presence in the Anglia headquarters reception. Anglia TV's silver knight rides into the sunset Eastern Evening News 8 September 1987 10 September – ITV screens Robert Zemeckis's 1984 action comedy film Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny Devito. 12 September – The third series of game show Telly Addicts moves to a Saturday for this year only on the slot which formerly had The Late, Late Breakfast Show. Therefore host Noel Edmonds remained on BBC1's Saturday night schedule after the aforementioned show got cancelled the previous year. 13 September – ITV debuts the comedy series The New Statesman, starring Rick Mayall as the slimy and lecherous MP Alan B'Stard. 14 September – After 30 years on ITV, ITV Schools moves to Channel 4. Consequently, Channel 4's weekday programming begins at 9:30am, or noon when schools programmes are not being shown. 17 September – CNN International launches its UK operation from an office located at 25/28 Old Burlington Street, London. Cable Authority annual report and accounts 1987–88 – Ofcom (page 25) // 1988 Rowan Atkinson stars in the third series of the BBC comedy Blackadder the Third, now set during the Georgian Era, also featuring Tony Robinson and Hugh Laurie. 21 September – As part of Channel 4's expansion of programme hours, a new weekday lunchtime schedule is introduced. The first edition of a weekday business and financial news programme Business Daily is broadcast and this is followed by a new children's slot called Just4Fun. At 1pm, a one-hour block of programmes from the newly formed Open College begins. 25 September – A US version of Top of the Pops makes its debut on CBS in the US with Nia Peeples as its presenter. The launch of a US version of TOTP allows American acts to make live appearances on the show more easily without the need to travel to London while also giving British acts a chance to appear on US television as each edition includes footage from the UK series and details of the current UK Top Ten. 26 September Debut of the Saturday morning children's show Going Live! on BBC1, presented by Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene. Debut of the long-running children's series ChuckleVision on BBC1.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-09-26 BBC One London – 26 September 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 20 July 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200720075941/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-09-26 dead 28 September – Charlene Mitchell, played by Kylie Minogue, makes her first British appearance on BBC1's Neighbours. 30 September – BBC2 airs Malcolm McKay's ScreenPlay The Interrogation of John, a film concerning the police questioning of a potential murder suspect,http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/94a406ce60e24c0b83a2a80df3b15d12 ScreenPlay: The Interrogation of John – BBC Two England – 30 September 1987 BBC Genome BBC 25 November 2016 16 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201116053438/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/94a406ce60e24c0b83a2a80df3b15d12 dead starring Denis Quilley, Bill Paterson and Michael Fitzgerald; it later forms the first of a three-part series titled A Wanted Man which further develops the story and airs in 1989.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/767e155addf647b2bf89aa0799a20ace A Wanted Man – BBC Two England – 25 September 1989 BBC Genome BBC 25 November 2016 14 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181114060719/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/767e155addf647b2bf89aa0799a20ace dead October 5 October – Following his expulsion from South Africa in May, Michael Buerk presents the BBC One O'clock News for the first time. 9 October–8 November – The BBC covers the 1987 Cricket World Cup. However, due to the time difference – the tournament is held in India and Pakistan – live coverage is restricted to the final overs of England's matches, although England's semi-final and the final are broadcast live, and in full.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-10-09 BBC One London – 9 October 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 11 October – The children's strand Now on Two is launched on Sunday mornings on BBC2. It airs during the Open University off-season.BBC Genome Project – BBC2 listings 11 October 1987 Consequently, Sunday Ceefax transmissions all-but end although on Saturdays, Ceefax continues to air throughout the morning, generally until around midday. 12 October – The debut of Going for Gold on BBC1, a general knowledge quiz presented by Henry Kelly in which contestants from fourteen different European countries compete to become the series champion. The winner of the first series, Daphne Hudson, later Fowler, receives ringside tickets at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and goes on to appear in a number of other shows including Fifteen to One which would debut the following year and Eggheads which started airing in 2003.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ffce2e77d300402e945e55db4ff0896c Going For Gold – BBC One London – 12 October 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 5 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181105014303/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ffce2e77d300402e945e55db4ff0896c dead http://www.somerset-life.co.uk/people/celebrity-interviews/weston-s-quiz-show-queen-daphne-fowler-1-1641284 Weston's Quiz Show Queen: Daphne Fowler Latest in celebrity interviews & entertainment Somerset Life 13 January 2018 15 October – During a weather forecast, BBC meteorologist Michael Fish reports "Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't, but having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.".https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqs1YXfdtGE https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/uqs1YXfdtGE 20 December 2021 live YouTube footage of Michael Fish Youtube.com 19 February 2012 Hours later, Britain is hit by the worst storm for 284 years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7044050.stm Lessons learned from Great Storm BBC News 14 October 2007 28 May 2009 Fish later draws media criticism for the comments, but later claims that they referred to Florida, USA and were linked to a news story immediately preceding the weather bulletin, but had been so widely repeated out of context that the British public remains convinced that he was referring to the approaching storm.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7042220.stm 28 February 2025 The Wrong Man Mark Kinver BBC 15 October 2007 16 October – As a result of the Great Storm of 1987, electrical power to TV-am's studios is lost and an emergency programme has to be transmitted from facilities at Thames's Euston Road centre using reports from TV-am's own crews and those of ITN, TSW and TVS. The BBC's Breakfast Time, which would usually come from Lime Grove, is unable to broadcast as the studios are without power, as is most of BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane. The early part of the programme is broadcast from the continuity suite at Television Centre, usually used for Children's BBC presentation, as this area has generator support, before a larger studio is able to be brought into use. 17 October – The network television premiere of the 1983 horror film The Dead Zone on BBC1, which is the first of three films based on Stephen King's works to receive their UK debuts over three consecutive Saturdays.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/48e18fe572c24386bec8c94c62456a15 Saturday Night at the Movies: Stephen King's The Dead Zone – BBC One London – 17 October 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 25 September 2018 25 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180925180813/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/48e18fe572c24386bec8c94c62456a15 dead 18–19 October – Channel 4 airs the 1985 Holocaust film Shoah over two nights. It is shown from 8:15pm to 12:45am on 18 October and 8:30pm to 1:20am on 19 October and without ad breaks.http://indexe0a5.html/?page_id=929 1987 : Off The Telly 23 January 2019May 2020 InternetArchiveBot yes 19 October – While Telly Addicts in on the Saturday night slot, Noel Edmonds hosts a new game show on the former's traditional slot on BBC1, Whatever Next... which would only last one series. The series would run until 22nd February 1988. 24 October – The network television premiere of the 1983 Stephen King horror film, Cujo on BBC1.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/160266862e0b48b4b46a12b04afa1cb6 * Saturday Night Horror: Stephen King's Cujo – BBC One London – 24 October 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 25 September 2018 25 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180925180736/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/160266862e0b48b4b46a12b04afa1cb6 dead 29 October – The Spanish animated series Around the World with Willy Fog makes its British debut on BBC1.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/448b764ff86c47f38bd241d565a2f91f Around the World with Willy Fog – BBC One London – 29 October 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 12 January 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180112103101/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/448b764ff86c47f38bd241d565a2f91f dead The 26-part series concludes on 28 April 1988.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/35c2e3de54be4778be630bbb4bd35f5f Around the World with Willy Fog – BBC One London – 28 April 1988 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 12 January 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180112102143/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/35c2e3de54be4778be630bbb4bd35f5f dead 30 October – Debut of Channel 4's flagship current affairs documentary series Dispatches. 31 October – BBC1 shows a Halloween special of The Paul Daniels Magic Show as well as the network television premiere of the 1985 anthology horror film Stephen King's Cat's Eye.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/fcb2ae2e499a49fbbb89449d2d092052 Saturday Night Horror: Stephen King's Cat's Eye – BBC One London – 31 October 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 7 November 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171107032324/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/fcb2ae2e499a49fbbb89449d2d092052 dead November 2 November – Channel 4's fifth anniversary includes a showing of Tony Harrison's controversial televisual poem V which attracts complaints (mostly prior to broadcast) due to its frequent use of extreme language.https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-blaggers-guide-to-tony-harrison-7687291.html The Blagger's Guide To: Tony Harrison The Independent London 2012-04-28 2017-07-04 4–18 November – Damon and Debbie from Brookside becomes the first 'soap bubble' where they have their own miniseries which takes them into new locations and tells their own story. 5 November – Irish-born presenter Eamonn Andrews, best known for hosting shows such as World of Sport, What's My Line? and This Is Your Life, dies in London following heart failure at the age of 64. 11 November – BBC1 airs Paul Hamann's documentary Fourteen Days in May, a film that recounts the final days before the execution of Edward Earl Johnson, an American prisoner convicted of rape and murder and imprisoned in the Mississippi State Penitentiary.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/df48fe33878d4f99a69405f1474950e2 Fourteen Days in May – BBC One London – 11 November 1987 BBC Genome BBC 26 October 2016 5 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181105015900/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/df48fe33878d4f99a69405f1474950e2 dead 17 November Fireman Sam, a stop-motion animated children's series about a Welsh fireman voiced and narrated by actor John Alderton makes its debut on BBC1. The first episode of EastEnders to feature a gay kiss airs on BBC1. The scenes see Colin Russell, played by Michael Cashman kiss partner Barry Clark (Gary Hales) on the forehead. The episode attracts a record number of complaints from angry viewers. In addition, some sections of the British media reacts with fury, dubbing the show EastBenders. Smith Rupert EastEnders: 20 years in Albert Square 2005 BBC books 978-0-563-52269-0 EastEnders spin-offs#Non-fiction books Questions are also asked in parliament about whether it is appropriate to have gay men in a family show when AIDS is sweeping the country.https://www.theguardian.com/gayrights/story/0,12592,1105351,00.html Without prejudice Libby Brooks The Guardian London 2003-12-12 2025-04-17 22 November – The original run of the game show Play Your Cards Right comes to an end on that day on ITV, although the series would return in March 1994 on the same channel with Bruce Forsyth presenting again.http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Play_Your_Cards_Right Play Your Cards Right UKGameshows.com 18 August 2017 23 November – The TV-am strike begins after members of the technicians union, the ACTT walk out in a dispute over the station's 'Caring Christmas Campaign'. What is meant to be a 24-hour stoppage continues for several months when staff are locked out by Managing Director Bruce Gyngell. TV-am is unable to broadcast Good Morning Britain, instead, the regular format is replaced with repeats of old shows such as Flipper, Happy Days and in particular Batman, which goes on to see a renewed appreciation of the 1960's series. By December, a skeleton service that sees non-technical staff operating cameras and Gyngell himself directing proceedings, begin to allow Good Morning Britain to start broadcasting again. The strikers are eventually sacked and replaced with non-union staff. Viewing figures remain high throughout the disruption which continues well into 1988, although normal programming gradually resumes. Other ITV stations later follow Gyngell's example. 25 November – BBC1 airs the first part of Desmond Wilcox's two-part documentary The Visit – Coma, a film about 11-year-old Connie who is left in a coma after being hit by a taxi while on her way home from Christmas shopping in Glasgow. The film follows Connie's journey as she begins the slow process of recovery. The second part airs on 2 December.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/20a1a68bca6141f29d5c0f2738eeb543 The Visit: Coma 19 November 1987 3339 69 14 December 2018 BBC Genome 15 December 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181215022526/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/20a1a68bca6141f29d5c0f2738eeb543 deadhttps://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a02792b6f3da42219e19f4e030f42e42 The Visit: Coma 26 November 1987 3340 65 14 December 2018 BBC Genome 15 December 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181215022459/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a02792b6f3da42219e19f4e030f42e42 dead 28 November – Ventriloquist Jimmy Tamley wins New Faces of '87, coming just ahead of comedian Joe Pasquale who is second. November Michael Grade, from the BBC, is appointed Chief Executive of Channel 4 and will succeed Jeremy Isaacs on 1 January 1988. A new corporate logo for the BBC, the first in sixteen years and designed by the Michael Peters Group, starts appearing in Christmas-themed product promotions. https://rewind.thetvroom.com/49031/channel-presentation/bbc-two-continuity-including-product-promotion-for-bbc-records-books-videos-29th-november-1987/ The TV Room BBC Two continuity including product promotion for BBC Records/Books/Videos (29th November 1987) 29 March 2025 15 August 2026 It would gradually be adopted over a period of two years, and closing credits would not regularly use the new logo until the beginning of 1990. https://rewind.thetvroom.com/46153/features/when-did-the-michael-peters-bbc-logo-officially-launch/ The TV Room When did the Michael Peters BBC logo officially launch? 26 August 2024 15 August 2026 December 7 December – TV-am is able to switch from airing 100% pre-recorded material with the introduction of a 30-minute live segment presented each morning by Anne Diamond.https://books.google.com/books?id=WpQ_esoMKLMC&dq=%22Batman%22+%22TV-am%22&pg=PA96 Morning Glory: A History of British Breakfast Television Ian Jones Eight: "I know a lot of people can't stand me" 978-1903053201 30 November 2003 Kelly Publications 93–102 Tyne Tees begins 24-hour broadcasting by launching a Jobfinder service which broadcasts throughout the night from its usual close-down time until the start of TV-am at 6am. 13 December – The Singing Detective is sold to Australia where it is shown on ABC. 14 December – TV-am extends its live broadcasting to an hour a day. 16 December – Yorkshire Television announces that 3-2-1 is to be cancelled as a regular series but will continue to be shown in a series of 'special' shows. An Olympics special and Christmas special are shown in 1988, but after that it is cancelled altogether.Daily Mirror 17 December 1987. 18 December – Frank Bough, who launched breakfast television on 17 January 1983, presents Breakfast Time for the final time.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-12-18 BBC One London – 18 December 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 3 February 2019 3 December 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191203204131/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-12-18 dead 22 December – Channel 4 shows the 1983 Disney produced supernatural film Something Wicked This Way Comes, based on Ray Bradbury's novel and starring Jonathan Pryce and Jason Robards. 25 December Christmas Day highlights on BBC1 include Julie Andrews.... The Sound of Christmas, a show featuring music and presented by Julie Andrews from Salzburg, Austria. The network television premieres of Steven Spielberg's 1984 action-adventure sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, with Harrison Ford and the 1983 Deborah Winger-starring family drama Terms of Endearment, both on BBC1.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-12-25 BBC One London – 25 December 1987 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 22 September 2018 25 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201125232043/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1987-12-25 dead ITV shows back to back network television premieres of two Disney films; the 1951 animated version of Alice in Wonderland and the Angela Lansbury starring 1971 musical fantasy Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The final episode of the long-running comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies is broadcast on BBC1. ITV enjoys a record-breaking audience when more than twenty-six million viewers tune in to the Christmas Day episode of Coronation Street in which Hilda Ogden (Jean Alexander) makes her last appearance in the show after 23 years.http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/since1981/?year=1987&view=top10 1987 24 September 2005 BARB 6 December 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110604011747/http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/since1981/?year=1987&view=top10 4 June 2011 26 December The network television premiere of the 1984 supernatural comedy Ghostbusters on ITV, starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver. This is the television edit of the film containing alternate takes to accommodate for a more family friendly viewing, such as Dan Aykroyd's profanity towards the character Walter Peck being changed to "Wally Wick". The pilot episode of the comedy sketch show A Bit of Fry & Laurie airs on BBC1; a full series would begin in January 1989. 30 December – Channel 4 airs "Salute to ATV", an evening of programmes celebrating ATV which includes episodes of Sunday Night at the London Palladium, The Saint and Edward VII. 31 December In an unusual move for a pre-recorded series, the chimes of Big Ben are integrated into an episode of EastEnders on BBC1. Character Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) brings a television into the bar of the "Queen Vic", 'watches' the chimes in their entirety and the episode resumes.St. Clement Pam https://books.google.com/books?id=btOIBAAAQBAJ&dq=%22EastEnders%22+%22Big+Ben%22+%221987%22&pg=PT165 The End of an Earring Headline 978-1472222138 2015 BBC2 airs a five-hour Whistle Test special to welcome in 1988 which airs from 9:35pm on New Year's Eve to 2:55am on New Year's Day. The special takes a look back through the archives in what is the programme's final outing.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7531a047218742969d9af6d538ec2607 87 Whistle Test 88 – BBC Two England – 31 December 1987 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 13 January 2018 14 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181114061143/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7531a047218742969d9af6d538ec2607 dead It will be three decades later in 2018 before a new edition of the programme is broadcast.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43002005# What's old, grey and making a comeback? BBC News BBC 9 February 2018 9 February 2018 Frontcaps which are shown before programmes on ITV are used for the last time after 32 years. The final edition of the long-running game show University Challenge, presented by Bamber Gascoigne, is broadcast on ITV. The series will return for a one-off episode on BBC2 in 1992 and then full-time in 1994 on the same channel, presented by Jeremy Paxman. December The switching on of Channel 4 from all of the UK's television transmitters is completed when the relays at Cerne Abbas and Gunnislake have Channel 4 added.IBA Engineering Announcements 3rd November 1987 Thamesside TV, an unlicensed television station set up by Thameside Radio, goes on the air in London. There are only two known broadcasts.http://www.thamesideradio.net/events.htm Special Events – do you remember these? Thameside Radio 19 February 2012http://www.thamesideradio.net/endings.htm The Thameside Radio story Thamesideradio.net 15 May 1983 19 February 2012 Unknown Network 21, an unlicensed television station in London, broadcasts for around 30 minutes on Friday evenings. Two separate government studies identify spare frequency space on the UHF band, prompting political debate about the viability of a fifth UK terrestrial television channel.Maggie Brown https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/23/channel-five-timeline Channel Five: a timeline The Guardian 23 July 2010 21 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181122092106/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/23/channel-five-timeline 22 November 2018 live Sir Richard Attenborough replaces Edmund Dell as Chairman of Channel 4.https://www.channel4.com/media/documents/corporate/foi-docs/4_at_25.pdf Channel 4's 25 year Anniversary Channel 4 2007 26 January 2019 Debuts BBC1 2 January – ThunderCats (1987–1991) 3 January Carrott Confidential (1987–1989) Perfect Strangers (1986–1993) 4 January – The Diary of Anne Frank (1987) 9 January – Rockliffe's Babies (1987–1988) 12 January – Anzacs (1985) 21 January – Corners (1987–1991) 3 March – Tutti Frutti (1987) 4 March – The Raccoons (1985–1991) 8 March – The First Eden (1987) 12 March – Life Without George (1987–1989) 16 March – Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983–1990) 21 March – The Houseman's Tale (1987) 9 April – The Adventures of Spot (1987–1993) 17 April – Perry Mason Returns (1985–1993) 22 April – Best Of British (1987–1994) 25 June – Boogie Outlaws (1987) 5 September – Pulaski (1987) 6 September The Happy Valley (1987) Vanity Fair (1987) 8 September – You Must Be The Husband (1987–1988) 15 September – Bad Boyes (1987–1988) 17 September – Blackadder the Third (1987) 26 September ChuckleVision (1987–2009) Going Live! (1987–1993) Double Dare (1987–1992) 5 October – Star Wars: Ewoks (1985–1986) 11 October – Fortunes of War (1987) 12 October – Going for Gold (BBC 1987–1996, Channel 5 2008–2009) 17 October – My Family and Other Animals (1987) 29 October – Around the World with Willy Fog (1983) 16 November – Simon and the Witch (1987–1988) 17 November – Fireman Sam BBC2 7 January – Filthy, Rich & Catflap (1987) 26 January – A Small Problem (1987) 15 February – Northanger Abbey (1987) 9 March – French and Saunders (1987–2007) 25 March – A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery (1987) 22 April – Secret Society (1987) 24 April – The Ritz (1987) 14 May – The Celts (1987) 6 July – Star Cops (1987) 25 August – Brimstone and Treacle (originally made in 1976) (1987) 16 September – The Victorian Kitchen Garden (1987) 9 October – Sport on Friday (1987–1997) 4 November – A Perfect Spy (1987) 26 December – A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1987–1995) ITV 5 January Playbox (1987–1992) The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1987) 6 January – Inspector Morse (1987–2000) 7 January High & Dry (1987) Sporting Triangles (1987–1990) Creepy Crawlies (1987–1989) Allsorts (1987–1995) Y-E-S (1987) 9 January My Husband and I (1987–1988) Yesterday's Dreams (1987) 10 February – L.A. Law (1986–1994) 18 January – A Little Princess (1987) 15 February – Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985–1991) 24 February – Hardwicke House (1987) 6 March – Running Wild (1987–1989) 9 March – Intimate Contact (1987) April – The Shoe People (1987) 3 April – Through the Keyhole (1987–2008, 2013–2019) 21 April – Dennis (1986–1988) 25 April – ALF (1986–1990) 26 April – Scoop (1987) 1 May – Matlock (1987–1997) 24 May – Tarby's Frame Game (1987–1989) 7 June – The Honey Siege (1987) 9 June The Roxy (1987–1988) America's Top 10 (1987–1992) 14 June – Floodtide (1987–1988) 19 June – Valentine Park (1987–1988) 1 July – Home James! (1987–1990) 5 July – Watching (1987–1993) 22 July – The Cook Report (1987–1999) 26 July – Shadow of the Stone (1987) 2 August – The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1987–2000) 23 August – Shadow in a Landscape (1987) 28 August – Night Network (1987–1988) 4 September – Bust (1987–1988) 6 September Knights of God (1987) A Wreath of Roses (1987) 7 September DuckTales (1987–1990) Knightmare (1987–1994) The Time, The Place (1987–1998) Chain Letters (1987–1997) 9 September The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (1986–1987) Ffizz (1987–1989) 11 September – Wimpole Village (1987) 12 September – The Dame Edna Experience (1987–1989) 13 September – The New Statesman (1987–1994) 16 September – The Pondles (1987) 12 October – Runway (1987–1993) 16 October – The Bretts (1987–1988) 18 October – The Charmer (1987) 13 December – The Beiderbecke Tapes (1987) Channel 4 6 January – Tales of Little Women (1987) 9 January – The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross (1987–1988) 4 February – Up Line (1987) 4 March – Tickets for the Titanic (1987–1988) 18 March – The Media Show (1987–1991) 7 April – Lost Belongings (1987) 1 May – After Dark (1987–1997, BBC 2003) 3 May – Network 7 (1987–1988) 5 May – Hold the Dream (1987) 13 May – Brond (1987) 3 June – Porterhouse Blue (1987) 21 September – Business Daily (1987–1992) 4 October – Worzel Gummidge Down Under (1987–1989) 30 October – Dispatches (1987–present) 4 November – Damon and Debbie (1987) The Children's Channel Unknown Edward and Friends (1987) Kaboodle (1987–1990) Channels New channels DateChannel30 JanuarySuper Channel1 AugustMTV Europe17 SeptemberCNN International Defunct channels DateChannel30 JanuaryMusic BoxJulyStar Channel Television shows Returning this year after a break of one year or longer 21 March – Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978 ITV, 1987–1990 BBC) 27 June – Family Fortunes (1980–1985, 1987–2002, 2006–2015, 2020–2023) 5 October – Watch with Mother (1952–1975) (1987, 1989, 1993 VHS Only) Continuing television shows 1920s BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present) 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 Come Dancing (1949–1998) 1950s What's My Line? (1951–1964, 1984–1996) 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 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) Doctor Who (1963–1989, 1996, 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. (1965–1999) World of Sport (1965–1985) Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006) Sportsnight (1965–1997) Call My Bluff (1965–2005) The Money Programme (1966–2010) Reksio (1967–1990) The Big Match (1968–2002) 1970s The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987) The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005) Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986) Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1997) Emmerdale (1972–present) Newsround (1972–present) Weekend World (1972–1988) We Are the Champions (1973–1987) Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010) That's Life! (1973–1994) Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003) Arena (1975–present) Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994) One Man and His Dog (1976–present) 3-2-1 (1978–1988) Grange Hill (1978–2008) Ski Sunday (1978–present) Terry and June (1979–1987) The Book Tower (1979–1989) Blankety Blank (1979–1990, 1997–2002) The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994) Antiques Roadshow (1979–present) Question Time (1979–present) 1980s Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003) Family Fortunes (1980–2002, 2006–2015, 2020–present) Juliet Bravo (1980–1985) Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986) Children in Need (1980–present) Finders Keepers (1981–1985) Freetime (1981–1985) Game for a Laugh (1981–1985) Tenko (1981–1985) That's My Boy (1981–1986) Razzamatazz (1981–1987) Bergerac (1981–1991) Odd One Out (1982–1985) On Safari (1982–1985) 'Allo 'Allo! (1982–1992) Wogan (1982–1992) Saturday Superstore (1982–1987) The Tube (1982–1987) Brookside (1982–2003) Countdown (1982–present) Let's Pretend (TV series) (1982–1988) No. 73 (1982–1988) Timewatch (1982–present) Right to Reply (1982–2001) Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983–1985) Inspector Gadget (1983–1986) Bananaman (1983–1986) Just Good Friends (1983–1986) Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983–1986) Breadwinners (1983–1986) Breakfast Time (1983–1989) Dramarama (1983–1989) Don't Wait Up (1983–1990) Good Morning Britain (1983–1992) First Tuesday (1983–1993) Highway (1983–1993) Blockbusters (1983–93, 1994–95, 1997, 2000–01, 2012, 2019) Ending this year 2 January – Razzamatazz (1981–1987) 9 February – The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1987) 25 February – Up Line (1987) 9 March – Relative Strangers (1985–1987) 8 April – Jossy's Giants (1986–1987) 18 April – Saturday Superstore (1982–1987) 24 April – The Tube (1982–1987) 26 April – Asian Magazine (1982–1987) 28 April – Gharbar (1977–1987) 5 June – Drummonds (1985–1987) 6 June – C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985–1987) 15 July – How Dare You! (1984–1987) 19 July – The Honey Siege (1987) 13 August – We Are the Champions (1973–1987) 31 August – Terry and June (1979–1987) 22 November Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003) The Charmer (1987) 1 December – The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987) 15 December – The Telebugs (1986–1987) 17 December – Chish 'n' Fips (1984–1987) 18 December – Victoria Wood As Seen On TV (1985–1987) 20 December – The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005) 31 December University Challenge (1962–1987 ITV, 1994–present BBC) Tales of Little Women (1987) Births 9 January – Nicola Coughlan, actress 20 January – Mark Wright, television personality 9 March – Stacey Dooley, documentary presenter 29 March – Stephanie Parker, Welsh actress (died 2009) 1 May – Matt Di Angelo, actor 26 May – Aaron Chalmers, reality television personality and martial artist 3 June – Michelle Keegan, actress 5 June – Charlie Clements, actor 14 August – James Buckley, actor 3 September – Chris Fountain, actor 22 September – Tom Felton, actor 28 November – Karen Gillan, actress 28 December – Hannah Tointon, actress Deaths Date Name Age Cinematic Credibility2 JanuaryArthur Gould-Porter81actor25 JanuaryWilliam Devlin75actor (The Avengers)4 FebruaryPatrick Waddington85actor (Dad's Army)19 FebruaryHugh Carleton Greene76television director25 FebruaryJohn Collin58actor (The Saint, Z-Cars)9 MarchArthur Tolcher64harmonica player and co-actor (Morecambe and Wise)11 MarchJoe Gladwin81actor (Last of the Summer Wine)18 MarchElizabeth Poston81theme tune composer28 MarchPatrick Troughton67actor (Doctor Who)7 MayColin Blakely56actor (King Lear, The Beiderbecke Affair, Paradise Postponed)27 MayCecil Madden84television producer6 JuneFulton Mackay64actor (The Saint, The Avengers, Porridge, Fraggle Rock (as the only human))13 JulyPatience Collier76actress (Who Pays the Ferryman?, Sapphire & Steel)15 JulyPolly Elwes59television announcer16 JulyAlfie Bass71actor (Till Death Us Do Part, Are You Being Served?)30 JulyMcDonald Hobley70continuity announcer31 JulyMichael Staniforth44actor (Rentaghost)14 AugustSydney Bromley78actorBrewster Mason64actor (The Pallisers, Quatermass, Tales of the Unexpected)27 AugustJoan Haythorne72actress (Thriller, Hadleigh)1 SeptemberPhilip Friend72actor7 SeptemberHarry Locke73actor (Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), War and Peace, Just William)9 SeptemberBill Fraser79actor (Love Thy Neighbour, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Rumpole of the Bailey)11 SeptemberHugh David62television director21 SeptemberJohn Chandos70actor (The Avengers)25 SeptemberEmlyn Williams81dramatist and actor30 SeptemberGeoffrey Burridge38actor (Emmerdale Farm, Blake's 7)8 OctoberDonald McWhinnie66television director24 OctoberRaymond Francis76actor (No Hiding Place)5 NovemberEamonn Andrewshttps://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/07/obituaries/eamonn-andrews-64-british-tv-personality.html Eamonn Andrews, 64; British TV Personality The New York Times 7 November 1987 2 January 201264Irish born television presenter23 NovemberSarah Long39actress and television presenter29 NovemberIrene Handl85actress (For the Love of Ada, Maggie and Her, Mapp and Lucia) See also 1987 in British music 1987 in British radio 1987 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 1987 References External links List of 1987 British television series at IMDb 1987