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On This Day...25th December
Channels
1978
Yorkshire Television is blacked out by an industrial dispute.
Miscellaneous
2007
BBC iPlayer officially launches.
People
2020
Branding expert Martin Lambie-Nairn dies. News of his passing was only reported on 28th December.
RELATED ARTICLE: Channel 4 tribute to Martin Lambie-Nairn.
RELATED ARTICLE: Martin Lambie-Nairn: a giant of TV branding.
RELATED ARTICLE: Channel 4 tribute to Martin Lambie-Nairn.
RELATED ARTICLE: Martin Lambie-Nairn: a giant of TV branding.
Programmes
1957
The Queen's Christmas broadcast is televised for the first time (on BBC TV) and carried simultaneously on radio.
1958
The first edition of Christmas Night with the Stars airs on BBC TV.
1959
The final episode of Educating Archie airs on ITV.
1960
The first edition of Disney Time airs on BBC TV.
1966
The final episode of Thunderbirds airs on ITV.
1967
The final edition of The Sooty Show (BBC series) airs on BBC One.
1969
The first edition of The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show airs on BBC One.
1969
The first edition of All Star Comedy Carnival airs on ITV.
Hosted by Des O'Connor.
Hosted by Des O'Connor.
1971
The final episode of Bachelor Father airs on BBC One.
1972
The final edition of Christmas Night with the Stars airs on BBC One.
1973
The final edition of All Star Comedy Carnival airs on ITV.
Hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck.
Hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck.
1978
The final episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em airs on BBC One.
1979
The final episode of George and Mildred airs on ITV.
1984
The first Noel Edmonds-hosted Christmas Day special airs on BBC One.
1984
Bring Me Sunshine airs on ITV.
Tribute to Eric Morecambe, from the London Palladium, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
Tribute to Eric Morecambe, from the London Palladium, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
1985
The first episode of Muppet Babies airs on BBC One.
1985
The final special of The Noel Edmonds Live, Live Breakfast Show airs on BBC One.
1986
The final episode of Just Good Friends airs on BBC One.
1986
Miss Marple: The Murder at the Vicarage airs on BBC One.
1986
The final episode of Duty Free airs on ITV.
1986
The first edition of Christmas Morning with Noel airs on BBC One.
1986
The EastEnders episode where Den Watts serves his wife Angie with divorce papers airs on BBC One.
It managed an audience of 30.15m. It is the most-watched UK TV programme, excluding sports and news events.
It managed an audience of 30.15m. It is the most-watched UK TV programme, excluding sports and news events.
1987
The final edition of The Two Ronnies airs on BBC One.
1987
Miss Marple: 4.50 From Paddington airs on BBC One.
1987
It'll Be Alright on Christmas Night airs on ITV.
1987
The final episode of Tales from Fat Tulip's Garden airs on ITV.
1987
Hilda Ogden (played by Jean Alexander since 1964), makes her final appearance in Coronation Street on ITV.
The episode was watched by 26.65m.
The episode was watched by 26.65m.
1988
10 Years of It'll Be Alright on the Night airs on ITV.
1988
The final edition of Christmas Morning with Noel airs on BBC One.
1989
Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery airs on BBC One.
1989
The first edition of Noel's Christmas Presents airs on BBC One.
1993
The first Alternative Christmas Day Message airs on Channel 4.
1995
The final episode of Keeping Up Appearances airs on BBC One.
1995
Auntie's Brand New Bloomers airs on BBC One.
1996
Auntie's All New Christmas Bloomers airs on BBC One.
1997
The Queen's Christmas broadcast is produced outside of the BBC (by ITN) for the first time.
1997
Auntie's New Festive Bloomers airs on BBC One.
1997
The final Christmas episode of One Foot in the Grave airs on BBC One.
1998
Big Hug: The Story of Teletubbies airs on BBC Two.
2003
The final Christmas episode of Only Fools and Horses airs on BBC One.
2003
A one-off edition of Christmas Night with the Stars airs on BBC One.
Michael Parkinson is joined by stars from the world of music.
Michael Parkinson is joined by stars from the world of music.
2004
The final edition of Grumpy Old Women at Christmas airs on BBC Two.
2005
The final edition of The Two Ronnies Sketchbook airs on BBC One.
2007
To the Manor Born returns for a one-off Christmas special on BBC One.
The original series finished 26 years previous.
The original series finished 26 years previous.
2007
The final edition of The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC One.
2009
Nan's Christmas Carol (Catherine Tate Christmas Special) airs on BBC One.
2011
The final edition of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow airs on BBC One.
2012
The final episode of The Royle Family airs on BBC One.
2013
The 800th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC One.
Episode title: The Time of the Doctor.
Episode title: The Time of the Doctor.
2014
The final edition of The Michael McIntyre Chat Show airs on BBC One.
2015
The final episode of Downton Abbey airs on ITV.
2015
The first edition of Michael McIntyre's Big Show airs on BBC One.
2020
The first episode of Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix.
2021
The final Christmas Day edition of Top of the Pops airs on BBC One.
2022
King Charles III's first Christmas Message is televised.
Based at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, the programme is watched by a total audience of 10.6 million across BBC One (8.1m), BBC Two and ITV 1. The biggest audience since 2002.
Based at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, the programme is watched by a total audience of 10.6 million across BBC One (8.1m), BBC Two and ITV 1. The biggest audience since 2002.
2022
The final episode of Doc Martin airs on ITV 1.
2023
The final episode of Ghosts airs on BBC One.
2024
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl airs on BBC One.
Animated comedy.
Animated comedy.
2024
Gavin and Stacey: the Finale airs on BBC One.
Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
1979
BBC Christmas tape Deck the Halls airs on BBC Two for the first time.
1996
BBC Christmas tape Jingle Bells (1) (Christmas Strings) airs on BBC One for the final time.
1997
BBC Christmas tape Deck the Halls airs on BBC Two for the final time.
1998
BBC Two Christmas tape Jingle Bells (Al Dickinson) airs for the first time.
2004
BBC Two Christmas tape Carol of the Bells (Carpenters) airs for the first time.
2005
BBC Two Christmas tape Carol Symphony airs for the final time.
2005
BBC Two Christmas tape We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1) (Stuck) airs for the first time.
2009
BBC Two Christmas tape We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1) (Stuck) airs for the final time.
2010
BBC Two Christmas tape We Wish You a Merry Christmas (2) (Stuck) airs for the first time.
2011
BBC Two Christmas tape We Wish You a Merry Christmas (2) (Stuck) airs for the final time.
On This Day...25th December
Births
1919
Former actress and TV announcer/presenter, Noele Gordon.
1944
Former TV/radio presenter, Kenny Everett.
1944
Former TV sports commentator/presenter, Nigel Starmer-Smith.
1963
TV business news reporter/presenter, Sara Coburn.
1969
Actress and TV presenter, Liana Bridges.
Deaths
1980
Former actor, comedian and TV presenter, Fred Emney.
1995
Former radio presenter and TV announcer, Guy Blackmore.
2021
Former TV/radio presenter, Janice Long.
Events
1976
Bruce Forsyth presents The Generation Game (BBC One) for the final time (for the time being). He returned to present a revived version of the programme from 1990 until 1994.
Research for On This Day in TV History is by Paul R. Jackson.
Details about test card/teletext in-vision music and BBC trade test films are available as a result of decades of research and logging by members of the Test Card Circle.
Details about test card/teletext in-vision music and BBC trade test films are available as a result of decades of research and logging by members of the Test Card Circle.
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