# 1954 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1954.

## Events
### January

* 11 January – The first weather forecast with an in-vision presenter is televised in the United Kingdom, its first presenter is George Cowling.

### February

* No events.

### March

* No events.

### April

* 9 April – The Grove Family, generally considered the first British TV soap opera, debuts on the BBC Television Service.
* 21 April – Running Wild on the BBC marks the debut of Morecambe and Wise on British television.

### May

* No events.

### June

* No events.

### July

* 5 July – First actual news bulletin, News and Newsreel, aired on the BBC Television Service, replacing Television Newsreel.
* 30 July – The Television Act 1954 is given Royal Assent. It authorises the setting up of the infrastructure for British commercial television.

### August

* No events.

### September

* No events.

### October

* 7 October – BBC Television covers a party political conference for the first time when it broadcasts from the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool.

### November

* 12 November – The BBC opens Rowridge transmitting station on the Isle of Wight, bringing television coverage to the Solent area.

### December

* 12 December – The BBC Television Service screens its acclaimed adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, starring Peter Cushing. The Sunday broadcast proves controversial however and attracts some criticism in the House of Commons. Screened live, a second production takes place 4 days later.
* 30 December – The first BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony is presented from London's Savoy Hotel. Christopher Chataway is the first winner. The award airs annually from now on.
* The British Academy Television Awards, the most prestigious awards in the British television industry, are first awarded.

## Debuts
### BBC Television Service

* 5 January – A Castle and Sixpence (1954)
* 16 January – The Lost Planet (1954)
* 19 January – Show Case (1954–1955)
* 27 January – Friends and Neighbours (1954)
* 6 February – Clementina (1954)
* 16 February – The Cabin in the Clearing (1954)
* 17 February – The Bespoke Overcoat (1954)
* 30 March – The Wide, Wide World (1954)
* 31 March – Gravelhanger (1954)
* 8 April – The Cisco Kid (1950-1956)
* 9 April – The Grove Family (1954–1957)
* 21 April – Running Wild (1954)
* 8 May – The Pat Kirkwood Show (1954)
* 11 May – The Windmill Family (1954)
* 12 May
** The Dancing Bear (1954)
** Fast and Loose (1954–1955)
* 23 May – The Promised Years (1954)
* May – Ask Pickles (1954–1956)
* 7 June – Emney Enterprises (1954–1957)
* 15 June – The Gentle Falcon (1954)
* 10 July – Happy Holidays (1954)
* 13 July – Dear Dotty (1954)
* 14 July – The Six Proud Walkers (1954)
* 3 August – Paradise Island (1954)
* 16 August – Stage by Stage (1954–1955)
* 25 August – Crime on Our Hands (1954)
* 1 October – And So to Bentley (1954)
* 13 November – Fabian of the Yard (1954–1956)
* 24 November – The Three Musketeers (1954)
* 12 December – Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954)
* 21 December – Zoo Quest (1954–1963)
* 24 December – Carols From Kings (1954–present)
* Unknown –
** Meet David Berglas
** Sportsview (1954–1968)
** Walk in the Air (1954–1955)

### Independent productions

* The Halls of Ivy (produced by ITC Entertainment)
* The Vise (produced by Danziger Productions)

## Continuing television shows
### 1920s

* BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)

### 1930s

* Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present)
* The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
* BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

### 1940s

* Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006)
* The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
* Come Dancing (1949–1998)

### 1950s

* Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
* Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
* Watch with Mother (1952–1975)
* The Appleyards (1952–1957)
* All Your Own (1952–1961)
* Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
* The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
* Panorama (1953–present)

## Ending this year

* Television Newsreel (1948–1954)

## Births

* 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
* 20 February – Anthony Head, actor
* 16 March – Jimmy Nail, actor and singer
* 17 March – Lesley-Anne Down, actress
* 28 April – Mary Jo Randle, actress
* 9 May – Nicholas Crane, geographer and TV presenter
* 21 June – Anne Kirkbride, actress (Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street) (died 2015)
* 16 July – Nicholas Frankau, actor
* 21 August – Clive Tyldesley, football commentator
* 26 August – Steve Wright, broadcaster
* 27 August – Andrew Marshall, scriptwriter
* 8 September – Anne Diamond, journalist and television presenter
* 24 September
** Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
** Martin Sixsmith, journalist, author and radio and television presenter
* 3 October – Jeff Randall, journalist and television presenter
* 14 October – Carole Malone, journalist and presenter
* 19 October – Ken Stott, actor
* 24 November – Susan Gilmore, actress (Avril Rolfe in Howards' Way)
* 1 December – Alan Dedicoat, newsreader and the National Lottery's "Voice of the Balls"
* 5 December – Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter
* 22 December – Hugh Quarshie, actor