
On This Day...
26th March
Channels
2013
BBC HD ceases broadcasting.
It's replaced by an HD version of BBC Two.
2013
BBC Two HD begins broadcasting.
It replaced the BBC HD channel.
Programmes
1960
The Grand National is televised for the first time - on BBC TV.
1968
The final episode of Beggar My Neighbour airs on BBC One.
1970
The final episode of Castle Haven airs on ITV.
Yorkshire TV's first soap. Created by Kevin Laffan.
Cast includes Kathy Staff, Roy Barraclough, Gretchen Franklin, Sally James, Jack Carr, Jill Summers, John Comer and George Waring.
1984
What's My Line airs on ITV for the first time.
Previous series aired on BBC TV (1951 - 1953 and 1973 - 1974).
1989
The first edition of Railwatch airs on BBC One.
1989
The final episode of Laura and Disorder airs on BBC One.
1990
The first edition of Turnabout airs on BBC One.
Quiz show. Presented by Rob Curling.
1992
The final episode of The Camomile Lawn airs on Channel 4.
1992
The final edition of You and Me airs on BBC Two.
Schools series. Featuring puppetry and illustrated stories.
1993
The 500th episode of The Bill airs on ITV.
1995
The first episode of Hamish Macbeth airs on BBC One.
1996
The final edition of Take Two airs on BBC One.
Presented by Andy Crane.
1999
The 8,000th edition of BBC Look North airs on BBC One North.
Presented by Harry Gration and Cathy Killick, with Paul Hudson (weather).
2000
The first episode of Doctors airs on BBC One.
2002
The final edition of When Louis Theroux Met... airs on BBC Two.
2005
The first edition of Strictly Dance Fever airs on BBC One.
Presented by Graham Norton.
2005
The first episode of Doctor Who (latest incarnation) airs on BBC One.
Starring Chris Eccleston as The Doctor.
2005
The final edition of Stars in Their Eyes airs on ITV.
2005
The first edition of Doctor Who Confidential airs on BBC Three and BBC One.
2010
The 5,000th edition of Countdown airs on Channel 4.
2020
The 20th anniversary episode of Doctors airs on BBC One.
2023
The first episode of Great Expectations airs on BBC One.
Adaptation by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, from Charles Dickens' classic novel.
Starring Olivia Colman, Johnny Harris and Fionn Whitehead.
2025
The first edition of Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks airs on BBC One.
2025
The final episode of A Cruel Love: the Ruth Ellis Story airs on ITV 1.
True-crime drama. Set in the 1950s about the last woman hanged in Britain.
Starring Lucy Boynton.

On This Day...
26th March
Births
1909
Former TV producer/presenter, Philip Bate.
1923
Former journalist and TV/radio presenter, Sir Charles Wheeler.
1947
Comedian and TV presenter, Ian Tough.
1953
Former TV announcer, Gordon Radley.
1986
Magician and TV presenter, Ben Hanlin.
Deaths
2025
Former TV/radio presenter, Paul Barnes.
Events
1981
Anna Ford presents an ITN news programme for the final time.
1986
Sue Carpenter presents News After Noon (BBC One) for the first time.
1988
Mike Smartt presents NewsView (BBC Two) for the first time.
2016
James Martin presents Saturday Kitchen (BBC One) for the final time.
2021
Pam Royle presents ITV Tyne Tees' local news programme for the final time, after nearly 40 years working in various ITV regions.
RELATED ARTICLE: Pam Royle leaves ITV News Tyne Tees after 30 years.
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.