1979 in British television

January

• 2 January – BBC2 broadcasts the first in Michael Wood's groundbreaking history documentary series, In Search of the Dark Ages.
• 28 January – Thomas & Sarah, a spin-off of Upstairs, Downstairs premieres on LWT. It runs for only one series.

February

• 25 February – The first episode of the children's television series Worzel Gummidge begins on ITV.

March

• 16 March – Long running American children's educational television series Sesame Street is shown for the first time on STV.
• 24 March – Tales of the Unexpected, an Anglia Television series based on the short stories of Roald Dahl, makes its debut on ITV.

April

• No events

May

• 3–4 May – BBC1 and ITV broadcast coverage of the 1979 General Election. The election is won by the Conservatives and sees Margaret Thatcher become the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.^[1]

June

• June – BBC2 launches the world's first computer-generated ident when it launches the BBC Two 'Computer Generated 2' ident.^[2]

July

• No events

August

• 6 August – Technicians at Thames Television go on strike following a long-running dispute.^[3]
• 10 August – The whole of the ITV network except the Channel Islands is affected by a technicians' strike for eleven weeks.
• 27 August – Lord Mountbatten was murdered by IRA bombers. His death set a record audience for a news bulletin, as 26 million viewers watched the coverage on BBC1. Strike action at ITN led to the record viewing figures.

September

• 2 September – Subtitling of television programmes on Ceefax begins.
• 25 September – Robin Day presents the first edition of the long-running political debate programme Question Time on BBC1. The programme continues to air to the present day.

October

• 24 October – On ITV's first night back on the air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
• 25 October – Final episode of the comedy series Fawlty Towers is broadcast on BBC2.
• 29 October – ITV debuts its comedy drama series Minder starring George Cole and Dennis Waterman.

November

• 11 November – Last episode of the first series of the sitcom To the Manor Born on BBC1 receives 23.95 million viewers, the all-time highest figure for a recorded programme in the UK.^[4]

December

• 1 December – BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world. US broadcaster NBC unveils their first computer-generated symbol later that year.

BBC1

• 3 January – The Aphrodite Inheritance (1979)
• 7 January – Telford's Change (1979)
• 18 January – Blankety Blank (1979–1990, BBC1 1997–1999, ITV 2001–2002)
• 18 February – Antiques Roadshow (1979–present)
• 9 June – The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994)
• 16 July – Jigsaw (1979–1984)
• 6 November – Kick Start (1979–1988)
• 25 October – Question Time (1979–present)
• 30 October –
  • To the Manor Born (1979–1981, 2007)
  • Shoestring (1979–1980)
• 4 November – The All-New Popeye Show (1978–1983)
• 24 November – Terry and June (1979–1987)
• 24 December – What a Mess (Series 1) (1979–1980)

BBC2

• 16 January – Life on Earth (1979)
• 17 January – Rebecca (1979)
• 28 October – Friday Night, Saturday Morning (1979–1982)
• 16 November – Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982)
• 16 November – Monkey (1978–1980)

ITV

• 2 January – Give Us a Clue (1979–1992, ITV 1997, BBC)
• 3 January – The Book Tower (1979–1989)
• 6 January – Dick Turpin (1979–1982)
• 14 January – Thomas & Sarah (1979)
• 2 February – Flambards (1979)
• 25 February – Worzel Gummidge (1979–1981)
• 10 March – Mork & Mindy (1978–1982)
• 11 March – Agony (1979–1981)
• 24 March – Tales of the Unexpected (1979–1985, 1987–1988)
• 15 April – End of Part One (1979–1980)
• 10 July – Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982)
• 12 July – Shelley (1979–1992)
• 27 July – Charles Endell Esquire (1979–1980)
• 28 July – The Cannon and Ball Show (1979–1988)
• 29 October –
  • Only When I Laugh (1979–1982)
  • Minder (1979–1994, 2009)
• 1 December – The Allan Stewart Tapes (1979)
• 23 December – Cribb (1979–1981)

BBC Scotland

• Unknown – Can Seo (1979)

Changes of network affiliation

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979)

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–present)

1930s

• BBC Cricket (1939–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

• The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
• Panorama (1953–present)
• Crackerjack (1955–1984)
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• Animal Magic (1962–1983)
• Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present)
• World in Action (1963–1998)
• Top of the Pops (1964–2006)
• Match of the Day (1964–present)
• Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
• Play School (1964–1988)
• Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010, 2012–present)
• World of Sport (1965–1985)
• Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
• It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
• The Money Programme (1966–2010)
• ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
• Magpie (1968–1980)
• The Big Match (1968–2002)
• Nationwide (1969–1983)
• Screen Test (1969–1984)

1970s

• The Goodies (1970–1982)
• The Onedin Line (1971–1980)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
• The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
• Clapperboard (1972–1982)
• Crown Court (1972–1984)
• Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
• Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)
• Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
• Emmerdale (1972–present)
• Newsround (1972–present)
• Weekend World (1972–1988)
• Pipkins (1973–1981)
• We Are the Champions (1973–1987)
• Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)
• That's Life! (1973–1994)
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981)
• Tiswas (1974–1982)
• Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)
• The Cuckoo Waltz (1975–1980)
• Arena (1975–present)
• Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)
• The Muppet Show (1976–1981)
• When the Boat Comes In (1976–1981)
• Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976–1982)
• Rentaghost (1976–1984)
• One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
• Robin's Nest (1977–1981)
• You’re Only Young Twice (1977–1981)
• The Professionals (1977–1983)
• Blake's 7 (1978–1981)
• Strangers (1978–1982)
• Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)
• 3-2-1 (1978–1988)
• Grange Hill (1978–2008)