
On This Day...
19th February
Programmes
1952
The first episode of Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School airs on BBC TV.
1957
The first episode of Emergency Ward 10 airs on ITV.
1972
The final episode of Whack O! airs on BBC One.
1975
The final episode of Cilla's Comedy Six airs on ITV.
1979
The final episode of Tomorrow People (original series) airs on ITV.
1980
The first episode of Take the High Road airs on ITV.
1982
The first episode of We'll Meet Again airs on ITV.
1985
The first episode of EastEnders airs on BBC One.
1988
The first edition of Friday Night Live airs on Channel 4.
1989
The first edition of Big World Café airs on Channel 4.
1989
The first episode of Laura and Disorder airs on BBC One.
1990
The first edition of Cutting Edge airs on Channel 4.
1996
The final episode of Call Red airs on ITV.
1997
The first episode of Insiders airs on BBC One.
2001
The final episode of The Grimleys airs on ITV.
2005
An Audience with Joe Pasquale airs on ITV.
2010
The 25th anniversary live episode of EastEnders airs on BBC One.
2021
The final episode of It's a Sin airs on Channel 4.
2022
The final episode of Hidden Assets airs on BBC Four.
Crime drama. Set in Ireland and Belgium, starring Angelina Ball as Emer Berry.
2024
The first episode of The Way airs on BBC One. Drama set in an industrial Welsh town. Directed by and starring Michael Sheen.
2024
The first episode of Breathtaking airs on ITV 1. Drama based on Rachel Clarkes’s memoir of her experiences on the NHS frontline during Covid. Starring Joanne Froggatt.
Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
1975
BBC One tape The Poacher airs for the first time.
1979
BBC One tape
Villa Vista airs for the final time.
EXTERNAL LINK: recreation of Villa Vista.
1979
BBC Two tape El Camino airs for the final time.
1979
BBC Two tape Victorian Drawing Room airs for the final time.

On This Day...
19th February
Births
1900
Former actor, comedian and TV presenter, Fred Emney.
1930
Former TV sports presenter/commentator, Gerald Sinstadt.
1955
Former TV news presenter, Sue Beardsmore.
1960
Actress and TV presenter, Kim Goody.
1984
TV presenter, Tim Dixon.
Deaths
2020
Former astronomer and TV presenter, Heather Couper.
2023
Former TV presenter, Dickie Davies.
Events
1961
It is announced that
Kenneth Kendall will disappear from viewers' TV screens to go on attachment to the BBC TV Planning Department. He made his final appearance reading the news on 12th March 1961 with a reported "quiet goodbye".
1990
Lynette Lithgow presents the BBC TV daytime hourly news summaries for the first time.
1999
Jill Dando co-presents the
Six o'Clock News (BBC One) with Martyn Lewis 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.