Updates from our television presentation sites in the last 24 hours
The latest recordings from TV Home
Updates from our television presentation sites over the last 7 days
Older updates
On This Day...31st July
People
1957
Former BBC Director-General, Sir Mark Thompson is born.
Programmes
1968
The first episode of Dad's Army airs on BBC One.
1985
The BBC announces it has pulled the Real Lives programme, At the Edge of the Union, from its BBC One schedule (for 7th August). The documentary, produced by Vincent Hanna, featured an interview with Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.
The announcement leads to a one-day strike by members of the National Union of Journalists on 7th August. The ban was eventually overturned. A slightly edited version of the programme would air on 16th October.
The announcement leads to a one-day strike by members of the National Union of Journalists on 7th August. The ban was eventually overturned. A slightly edited version of the programme would air on 16th October.
1988
The final episode of Final Run airs on BBC Two.
1990
The 200th edition of BBC Breakfast News airs on BBC One.
1994
The first episode of The Tales of Para Handy airs on BBC One.
1995
The final episode of Nelson’s Column airs on BBC One.
1997
The first of Pilgrim's Rest airs on BBC One. Comedy. Starring Gwen Taylor and Gary Olsen.
2011
The final episode of The Royal airs on ITV.
2022
The Women's Euro Final from Wembley airs on BBC One. England’s Lionesses beat Germany 2-1. The match is watched by a peak BBC One audience of 17.4 million. There were a further 5.9 million streams on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
2023
The first episode of Wolf airs on BBC One. Crime thriller. Based on Mo Hayder's novels. Starring Sacha Shawan, Owen Teale and Juliet Stevenson.
Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
2004
BBC Two tape Just for Fun airs for the final time.
On This Day...31st July
Births
1929
Writer and former actress and TV reporter, Lynne Reid Banks.
1939
Former TV/radio presenter, Paul Barnes.
1944
Former TV announcer, Endaf Emlyn.
1959
TV/radio presenter, Andrew Marr.
1962
TV presenter, Jackie Bird.
Deaths
2001
Former TV/radio weather presenter, Bert Foord.
Events
1982
Frances Coverdale presents a BBC TV news programme for the first time.
1986
Philip Hayton co-presents the Six o'Clock News (BBC One) for the first time.
1989
John Humphrys returns to news presenting on BBC TV, co-presenting the Six o’Clock News (BBC One). He had previously been a TV news presenter from June 1981 to December 1984.
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.
TV Pres has been created to promote our partnership of independent television presentation sites. These feature high-quality, curated video content that documents the history of TV ephemera such as idents, promotions, advertisements, programme graphics and set design.
TV Pres from The Ident Gallery © 2021-2026 Andrew J Wood