This is a list of British television related events from 1953.
Events March 17 March Patrick Troughton becomes television's first Robin Hood, playing the eponymous folk hero in the first of six half-hour episodes of Robin Hood, shown weekly until 21 April on the BBC Television Service. The BBC shows a 30-minute programme of the final of the World Snooker Championship.
May 1 May – The BBC brings into service television transmitters at Pontop Pike (County Durham) and Glencairn (Belfast) to improve coverage prior to the Coronation broadcast. 31 May – This week's special 'Coronation Number' of the BBC's Radio Times sells a record 9,012,358 copies.
June 2 June – The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II is televised in the UK on the BBC Television Service. Sales of TV sets rise sharply in the weeks leading up to the event. It is also one of the earliest broadcasts to be deliberately recorded for posterity and continues to exist in its entirety.
July 18 July – The Quatermass Experiment, first of the famous Quatermass science-fiction serials by Nigel Kneale, begins its run on the BBC. 20 July – The Good Old Days begins on the BBC Television Service.
October 2 October – A photograph of a wanted person issued by the police is shown on British television for the first time, that of William Pettit, wanted in connection with the murder of a married woman at Chislehurst a fortnight earlier, shown on the BBC with a Scotland Yard appeal voiced by John Snagge. Pettit's body is found in the City of London 3 weeks later.
November 11 November – The current affairs series Panorama launches on the BBC Television Service. Continuing into its 70th year, it becomes the longest-running programme in British television history and the world's longest-running television news magazine programme. 26 November – The House of Lords backs Government plans for the introduction of commercial television in the UK.
December 2 December – The BBC broadcasts its 'Television Symbol' for the first time, the first animated television presentation symbol in the world. Known as the 'bat's wings' by logo enthusiasts, it will remain until 1960. 31 December – The BBC begins a long series of New Year's Eve broadcasts from Scotland with Hogmanay Party. Peter Scott presents the first BBC television natural history broadcast, from his home at Slimbridge.
Date unknown Probable year – The BBC Film Unit's fast motion short London to Brighton in Four Minutes is first screened, on BBC Television's Children's Newsreel.
Debuts
17 January – Face the Music (1953–1955) 8 February – Our Marie (1953) 10 February – Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective (1953) 11 March – The Pattern of Marriage (1953) 14 March – Epitaph for a Spy (1953) 17 March – Robin Hood (1953) April – Watch with Mother (1953–1975) 25 April – Strictly Personal (1953) 28 April – Seven Little Australians (1953) 6 May – Reggie Little at Large (1953) 4 July – The Great Detective (1953) 14 July – The Treasure Seekers (1953) 18 July – The Quatermass Experiment (18 July–22 August) 20 July – The Good Old Days (1953–1983) 25 August – Thames Tug (1953) 10 September – Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965) 23 September – Garrison Theatre (1953–1955) 26 September – A Place of Execution (1953) 6 October – Heidi (1953) 7 November – Johnny, You're Wanted (1953) 11 November The Rose and the Ring (1953) Panorama (1953–present) 6 December – Wuthering Heights (1953) 18 December – Asian Club (1953–1961) 26 December – The Teckman Biography (1953–1954) Unknown – Before Your Very Eyes (1953–1956; ITV 1956–1958)
Continuing television shows
1920s BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
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) Television Newsreel (1948–1954) 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)
Ending this year Kaleidoscope (1946–1953) Café Continental (1947–1953) How Do You View? (1949–1953) Robin Hood (1953) The Quatermass Experiment (1953)
Births 11 January – John Sessions, actor (d. 2020) 24 January – Bruce Jones, actor 9 February – Ciarán Hinds, Irish actor 17 February – Norman Pace, actor and comedian 27 February – Gavin Esler, author and television presenter 24 April – Tim Woodward, actor 1 May – Rob Spendlove, actor 16 May – Pierce Brosnan, Irish-born actor 19 May – Victoria Wood, comic performer (died 2016) 22 May – Peter Bazalgette, English television executive 24 May – Alfred Molina, English actor 26 May – Michael Portillo, English politician, journalist and broadcaster 19 June – Hilary Jones, physician, television host and media personality 7 August – Lesley Nicol, actress 23 September – Nicholas Witchell, journalist 4 October – Christopher Fairbank, English actor 12 October – Les Dennis, game show host, actor 27 October – Peter Firth, actor 30 October – Nigel McCrery, television screenwriter (died 2025) 13 November – Diana Weston, actress 16 November – Griff Rhys Jones, comedian, actor and writer 13 December – Jim Davidson, comedian
Deaths 6 May – Harold Warrender, actor (born 1903)
See also 1953 in British music 1953 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 1953
References
External links List of 1953 British television series at IMDb