1981 in Australian television

none October 2025 July 2015 July 2015 March 2011 1981 Australian television This article is a summary of 1981 in Australian television. Events Television 15 February – Channel Nine Celebrates 25 Years Of Television, hosted by Bert NewtonTV Guide 15 February 1981 http://www.televisionau.com/tv150281.htm TELEVISIONAU 2 MarchNovember 2020 – Network Ten introduces its new breakfast TV show, Good Morning Australia, marking the return of breakfast television to Australian television screens. 30 March – British sitcom To the Manor Born debuts on ABC. 10 April – The TV Week Logie Awards air on Network Ten for the first time. 23 May – Nine Network premieres a brand new sports program called Wide World of Sports. 27 July – Wheel of Fortune premieres on the Seven Network, hosted by Ernie Sigley with Adriana Xenides. 29 July – The Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer is broadcast across ABC and almost every commercial channel in Australia. 16 September – The Nine Network celebrates 25 years of television in Australia. 12 November – Final episode of the Australia soap opera The Restless Years airs on Network Ten. 15 November – The Nine Network premieres its Sunday morning political current affairs program Sunday, hosted by Jim Waley. 23 November – A Country Practice debuts on Seven Network. December – After a two year-battle, Rupert Murdoch's News Limited finally gains control of the Melbourne headquarters of Network Ten after appealing the decision by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal which blocked the takeover. Debuts Program Network Debut date And Here Comes Bucknuckle ABC 1981-01-26 26 January Daily at Dawn Seven Network 1981-02-03 3 February Good Morning Australia Network Ten 1981-03-02 2 March Fatty and George ABC 1981-03-03 3 March Outbreak of Love ABC 1981-15-03 15 March Levkas Man ABC 1981-18-03 18 March Wide World of Sports Nine Network 1981-05-23 23 May Ratbags Network Ten 1981-06-02 2 June I Can Jump Puddles ABC 1981-06-07 7 June Holiday Island Network Ten 1981-06-17 17 June Bellamy Network Ten 1981-06-26 26 June Intimate Strangers ABC 1981-12-07 12 July Wheel of Fortune Seven Network 1981-07-21 21 July The New Price Is Right Seven Network 1981-09-07 7 September The Nargun and the Stars ABC 1981-09-15 15 September Sunday Nine Network 1981-11-15 15 November A Country Practice Seven Network 1981-11-23 23 November The National Today Show aka Today Nine network 1981- New international programming 4 February – USA Knots Landing (Seven Network) 10 February – USA Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Nine Network) 14 February – USA Freebie and the Bean (Network Ten) 21 February/26 June – USA Here's Boomer (21 February: Seven Network – Sydney, 26 June: Seven Network – Melbourne) 4 March – UK Worzel Gummidge (ABC) 4 March – USA Leatherstocking Tales (ABC) 8 March – UK To Serve Them All My Days (ABC) 14 March/7 May – UK The Sandbaggers (14 March: Nine Network – Sydney, 7 May: Nine Network – Melbourne) 30 March – UK To the Manor Born (ABC) 30 April – UK The Enigma Files (ABC) 4 May – JPN Monkey (ABC) 12 May – USA/AUS Drak Pack (Seven Network) 15 May – CAN Romie-0 and Julie-8 (Seven Network) 22 May – CAN The Devil and Daniel Mouse (Seven Network) 30 May – USA Magnum, P.I. (Network Ten) 5 June – CAN Matt and Jenny (ABC) 20 June – UK Yes Minister (ABC) 15 July – UK Jukes of Piccadilly (ABC) 8 August – USA Richie Rich (Nine Network) 24 August – USA Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald (Seven Network) 26 August – UK The Swish of the Curtain (ABC) 2 September – UK Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World (Nine Network) 7 September – CAN Wayne and Shuster (ABC) 7 October – UK God's Wonderful Railway (ABC) 22 October – AUS/UK Tenko (ABC) 27 October – CAN Huckleberry Finn and His Friends (Seven Network) 18 November – USA It's a Living (Nine Network) 18 November – USA Ladies' Man (Nine Network) 20 November – USA Goodtime Girls (Network Ten) 13 December – USA A Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's Court (Network Ten – Melbourne) 21 December – USA How Bugs Bunny Won the West (Network Ten) 23 December – CAN A Cosmic Christmas (ABC) 31 December – UK Hi-de-Hi! (ABC) Changes to network affiliation This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks. International Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date USA The Nutty Squirrels Present NRN ABC 1981-03-25 25 March Television shows 1950s Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999) 1960s Four Corners (1961–present) 1970s Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999, 2009–2010) Young Talent Time (1971–1988) Countdown (1974–1987) The Don Lane Show (1975–1983)David Bowie on The Don Lane Show https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/96739-david-bowie-don-lane-show National Film and Sound Archive of Australia 3 November 2024 60 Minutes (1979–present) Prisoner (1979–1986) 1980s Sale of the Century (1980–2001) Kingswood Country (1980–1984) Wheel of Fortune (1981–2008) A Town Like Alice, mini-series produced by Network Seven. Ending this year Date Show Channel Debut 22 April Levkas Man ABC 18 March 1981 28 April Daily at Dawn Seven Network 3 February 1981 5 May Fatty and George ABC 3 March 1981 19 July Intimage Strangers ABC 12 July 1981 27 July Skyways Seven Network 9 July 1979 2 August I Can Jump Puddles ABC 7 June 1981 13 October The Nargun and the Stars ABC 15 September 1981 12 November The Restless Years Network Ten 6 December 1977 18 December Bellamy Network Ten 26 June 1981 See also 1981 in Australia List of Australian films of 1981 References 1981