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On This Day...17th October
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1987
In the early hours of the morning, a major storm hit the south of England. BBC Television Centre lost its main power supply. Via a back-up generator NC1 (Network Control for BBC One) kept BBC One on air, with an impromptu edition of BBC Breakfast Time, presented by Nicholas Witchell from the BBC One continuity studio (NC1 Con), also known as The Broom Cupboard by viewers of CBBC. The programme later switched to a temporary studio.
TV-am was initially broadcast from a small studio at Thames TV before power was restored at its main studios in Camden.
Although BBC Two was not due on air until 9am, with Pages from Ceefax, followed by Daytime on Two at 9.30pm, an apology caption is believed to have been in place (accompanied by music) from c. 8am. It read: "BBC 2 - We apologise for the lack of programmes. This is due to a major power failure in the south east. Further news on BBC 1."
EXTERNAL LINK: TV-am/BBC One/BBC Two on the morning of The Great Storm (1987).
EXTERNAL LINK: BBC Two/Channel 4/BBC One on the morning of The Great Storm (1987).
TV-am was initially broadcast from a small studio at Thames TV before power was restored at its main studios in Camden.
Although BBC Two was not due on air until 9am, with Pages from Ceefax, followed by Daytime on Two at 9.30pm, an apology caption is believed to have been in place (accompanied by music) from c. 8am. It read: "BBC 2 - We apologise for the lack of programmes. This is due to a major power failure in the south east. Further news on BBC 1."
EXTERNAL LINK: TV-am/BBC One/BBC Two on the morning of The Great Storm (1987).
EXTERNAL LINK: BBC Two/Channel 4/BBC One on the morning of The Great Storm (1987).
1991
Following changes to the system of ITV licence allocation laid out in The Broadcasting Act 1990, the Independent Television Commission today announced the results of the franchise round, for licences beginning 1st January 1993.
- Thames – the biggest programme supplier to the ITV network – was outbid by broadcasting and media services company, Carlton Television.
- TV-am was outbid by £20m by Sunrise TV.
- TVS failed to renew its licence because it bid too much – Meridian Broadcasting won that franchise.
- TSW lost out to Westcountry TV, despite bidding more.
RELATED ARTICLE: Reflections on the 1991 franchise auction.
- Thames – the biggest programme supplier to the ITV network – was outbid by broadcasting and media services company, Carlton Television.
- TV-am was outbid by £20m by Sunrise TV.
- TVS failed to renew its licence because it bid too much – Meridian Broadcasting won that franchise.
- TSW lost out to Westcountry TV, despite bidding more.
RELATED ARTICLE: Reflections on the 1991 franchise auction.
Programmes
1958
The first edition of Blue Peter airs on BBC TV.
1965
The first episode of Get Smart airs on BBC One.
1972
The first edition of Rainbow airs on ITV.
1972
The first edition of First Report airs on ITV.
1972
The first episode of Emmerdale Farm airs on ITV.
1974
The first colour edition of Bootsie and Snudge airs on ITV.
1974
The first episode of Welsh language soap Pobol y Cwm (translated as People of the Valley) airs on BBC One Wales.
The programme transferred to S4C in 1982.
The programme transferred to S4C in 1982.
1975
The first episode of Get Some In airs on ITV.
1977
The final edition of Going for a Song airs on BBC One.
1979
The first edition of Not the Nine o'Clock News airs on BBC Two.
1983
The first episode of By the Sword Divided airs on BBC One.
1983
The first episode of Sweet Sixteen airs on BBC One.
1983
The first episode of Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime airs on ITV.
1984
The first edition of The Bill (series) airs on ITV.
1987
The final edition of Ask Margo airs on BBC One.
1987
The first episode of The Bretts airs on ITV.
1989
The first episode of Birds of a Feather (original incarnation) airs on BBC One.
1992
The final edition of Terry and Julian airs on Channel 4.
1994
The first edition of Schofield’s Quest airs on ITV.
1998
The 40th anniversary edition of Blue Peter (3,153th edition) airs on BBC One. With four current presenters: Stuart Miles, Katy Hill, Richard Bacon and Konnie Huq.
Seventeen former presenters also featured in the special edition of the programme: Leila Williams, Valerie Singleton, John Noakes, Peter Purves, Simon Groom, Chris Wenner, Tina Heath, Sarah Greene, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis, Mark Curry, Caron Keating, Yvette Fielding, John Leslie, Diane-Louise Jordan, Anthea Turner and Tim Vincent.
Three former presenters were missing: Anita West, Lesley Judd and Romana D'Annunzio. Two deceased presenters: Chris Trace and Michael Sundin.
Seventeen former presenters also featured in the special edition of the programme: Leila Williams, Valerie Singleton, John Noakes, Peter Purves, Simon Groom, Chris Wenner, Tina Heath, Sarah Greene, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis, Mark Curry, Caron Keating, Yvette Fielding, John Leslie, Diane-Louise Jordan, Anthea Turner and Tim Vincent.
Three former presenters were missing: Anita West, Lesley Judd and Romana D'Annunzio. Two deceased presenters: Chris Trace and Michael Sundin.
2000
The first edition of the BBC News at Ten airs on BBC One. Presented by Michael Buerk.
2003
The first edition of the latest incarnation of Superstars airs on BBC One.
2004
The final edition of The National Lottery: In It to Win It airs on BBC One.
2004
An Audience with Harry Hill airs on ITV.
2013
The One and Only Cilla Black airs on ITV.
2018
The 60th anniversary edition of Blue Peter (5,037th edition) airs on CBBC. Broadcast from two large studios in Salford and presented by Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya, with 25 former presenters.
Former presenters featured: Leila Williams, Anita West, Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves, Lesley Judd, Sarah Greene, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis, Yvette Fielding, John Leslie, Diane-Louise Jordan, Anthea Turner, Tim Vincent, Stuart Miles, Katy Hill, Romana d’Annunzio, Richard Bacon, Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Liz Barker, Zoe Salmon, Andy Akinwolere, Helen Skelton, Joel Defries and Barney Harwood.
Four deceased presenters and six missing: Simon Groom, Chris Wenner, Tina Heath, Mark Curry who was unwell, Matt Baker who was presenting The One Show and Gethin Jones.
Former presenters featured: Leila Williams, Anita West, Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves, Lesley Judd, Sarah Greene, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis, Yvette Fielding, John Leslie, Diane-Louise Jordan, Anthea Turner, Tim Vincent, Stuart Miles, Katy Hill, Romana d’Annunzio, Richard Bacon, Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Liz Barker, Zoe Salmon, Andy Akinwolere, Helen Skelton, Joel Defries and Barney Harwood.
Four deceased presenters and six missing: Simon Groom, Chris Wenner, Tina Heath, Mark Curry who was unwell, Matt Baker who was presenting The One Show and Gethin Jones.
2018
The first episode of There She Goes airs on BBC Two.
2021
The first episode of The Madame Blanc Mysteries airs on Channel 5. Written by and starring Sally Lindsay.
2022
50th anniversary edition of Emmerdale airs on ITV - on the same day it began 50 years ago.
Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
1990
BBC Two tape Time Kode airs for the first time.
EXTERNAL LINK: Pages from Ceefax accompanied by some tracks from Time Kode (16th December 1993).
EXTERNAL LINK: Pages from Ceefax accompanied by some tracks from Time Kode (16th December 1993).
1991
BBC One tape Turkish March airs for the final time.
2011
BBC Two server compilation Hey Rozalinda airs for the first time.
On This Day...17th October
Births
1939
TV presenter, Melvyn Bragg.
1969
TV news presenter, Suzanne Virdee.
1971
TV/radio presenter, Rick Adams.
1975
TV news presenter, Sally Biddulph.
Events
1967
Johnny Ball presents Play School (BBC Two) for the first time.
1998
Richard Bacon presents Blue Peter (BBC One) for the final time.
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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