2021 in British television

This is a list of events taking place in 2021 relating to Television in the United Kingdom.

List of years in British television (table)

Events

January
Date Event
1 BBC One airs Alicia Keys Rocks New Year's Eve to see in 2021,[1] as well as the fireworks display from London. This year's display includes a light show created by 300 drones that pays tribute to NHS staff and notable figures of 2020. Overnight figures indicate the display is watched by 10.75 million viewers.[2]
BBC One airs "Revolution of the Daleks", the New Year's Day special of Doctor Who. The episode sees John Barrowman return as Captain Jack Harkness, as well as the departure of Graham and Ryan, played by Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole. Following its broadcast, comedian John Bishop is revealed as the character Dan, who will be The Doctor's companion in the next series.[3][4]
3 The Mirror reports that Jodie Whittaker will leave her role as the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of the next series of Doctor Who. In response the BBC says it will not comment on the matter.[5]
4 In a televised address, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a third lockdown for England, with rules similar to those in March 2020.[6]
5 The BBC announces that programming for schools will air on BBC Two and CBBC, as well as online, during the latest lockdown, starting from Monday 11 January.[7]
6 Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, announces that Richard Sharp, former chair of the Royal Academy of Arts, is the government's preferred choice for the next Chairman of the BBC.[8]
Sky Cinema Disney ceases broadcasting making it the last Disney related channel to close and now all of Disney’s content are available exclusively on Disney+.
7 ITV announces that filming for Series 15 of Britain's Got Talent has been suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Visitors to Gwrych Castle, near Abergele, used for filming I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2020, will be able to see some of the sets used for the series when the castle reopens, it has been confirmed.[10]
8 Graham Norton, who presents the Eurovision Song Contest, has said the 2021 contest, scheduled for May, will definitely go ahead as planned.[11]
11 The BBC announces that from the end of January, anyone using BT Mobile, EE, and Plusnet Mobile can access BBC Bitesize content without it counting towards their monthly data allowance.[12]
14 Richard Sharp, the BBC's incoming chairman, says that the licence fee is the "least worst" way of funding the BBC.[13]
Maya Jama is announced as the new presenter of Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star, replacing Stacey Dooley.[14]
15 Filming on Emmerdale is paused because of a COVID-19 outbreak on set.[15]
18 Steven Knight, creator of the BBC television series Peaky Blinders, confirms the upcoming sixth series will be the last. The following day he announces that a film will follow the final series.[16]
20 A National Audit Office report concludes the BBC faces "significant" uncertainty over its financial future due to changes in viewing habits.[17]
21 The UK government confirms plans to shelve the decriminalisation of the TV licence for the time being, but says it will "remain under active consideration".[18]
23 Sky announces plans for a TV drama about the COVID-19 pandemic that will feature the stories of real people during the pandemic, including healthcare workers and those working in care homes, and is scheduled to air in 2022. But plans for This Sceptred Isle, which will star Kenneth Branagh as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, draw widespread criticism from those who feel it is too early to make such a drama, particularly when the pandemic is ongoing and Johnson's handling of it has been criticised by media and politicians.[19]
25 Sky UK announces an increase in the number of original films and television series in an attempt to compete with streaming platforms such as Netflix.[20]
Filming on Emmerdale resumes, but filming of Coronation Street is paused for two weeks to allow writers to amend storylines so they can fit in with current COVID restrictions.[15]
28 GB News hires Sun journalist Dan Wootton to present a daily show on the forthcoming channel.[21]
ITV postpones the next series of Britain's Got Talent until 2022 amid concerns over safety during the COVID outbreak.[22]

February
Date Event
2 Channel 4's on demand streaming service, All 4, has claimed a record number of viewers for the five-part Russell T Davies series It's a Sin, which it says has been viewed 6.5 million times since its release on 22 January.[23]
3 Organisers of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May, have ruled out a full event without social distancing because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[24]
Comedian Rufus Hound withdraws from Dancing on Ice after testing positive for coronavirus. He is replaced by presenter Matt Richardson.[25]
4 Ofcom revokes China Global Television Network's licence to broadcast in the UK after it emerges that the company running the news channel does not have day-to-day over it, something that is against Ofcom rules.[26]
5 Channel 4 begins showing England’s cricket tour to India. This is the first time that an overseas tour has been seen in full on free-to-air television and is the first test cricket broadcast on free-to-air television, and Channel 4, since 2005.[27]
8 Doctors returns to transmission following its extended Christmas break.[28]
23 Disney+ adds their new hub, Star, and will feature more adult-aimed content from 20th Century Studios and ABC Signature including Lost, 24, Family Guy, Prison Break, The X Files, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother, Grey’s Anatomy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scrubs and Glee. Big Sky, Solar Opposites and Love, Victor will also feature as examples of Star's original programming.[29]

March
Date Event

April
Date Event

May
Date Event

June
Date Event

July
Date Event

August
Date Event

September
Date Event

October
Date Event

November
Date Event

December
Date Event

Debuts

BBC
DateDebutChannel
1 January The Serpent[30] BBC One
3 January A Perfect Planet
A Teacher[31] BBC Two
4 January Rick Stein's Cornwall
7 January Pooch Perfect BBC One
12 January Bamous BBC Three
24 January Incredible Journeys with Simon Reeve BBC Two
25 January Lightning
Unknown Bloodlands BBC One
I Can See Your Voice

ITV
DateDebutChannel
1 January Lingo ITV
3 January And Finally… with Trevor McDonald
4 January The Cabins ITV2
6 January Cornwall and Devon Walks with Julia Bradbury ITV
9 January Paul Sinha's TV Showdown
11 January The Pembrokeshire Murders
17 January Finding Alice[32]
30 January Simply Raymond Blanc
Unknown Because the Night
Tenacity
How to Spend It Well on Holiday

Channel 4
DateDebutChannel
22 January It's a Sin Channel 4
26 January Secret Safari: Into the Wild
31 January Temptation Island E4

Channel 5
DateDebutChannel
2 January Secrets of the Royal Palaces Channel 5
7 January Natural History Museum: World of Wonder
8 January Susan Calman's Grand Days Out
14 January Hadrian's Wall with Robson Green
1 February The Drowning

Other channels
DateDebutChannel
2 February Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable Dave
4 February ZeroZeroZero Sky Atlantic
6 March Elliott from Earth Cartoon Network

Channels

New channels/streaming services
Date Channel
6 January Sky Cinema Premiere +1 (relaunch)
23 February Star (Via Disney+)[33]
Unknown GB News[34]

Defunct channels/streaming services
Date Channel
6 January Sky Cinema Disney/Five Star Movies

Rebranding channels
Date Old name New name

Television programmes

Changes of network affiliation
Programme Moved from Moved to
Celebs on the Farm[35] 5Star MTV

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer
Programme Date(s) of original removal Original channel(s) Date of return New channel(s)
RuPaul's Drag Race UK 21 November 2019 BBC One
BBC Three		 14 January 2021 (same as original)
Back 11 October 2017 Channel 4 21 January 2021
Dead Pixels 2 May 2019 E4 26 January 2021
Celebs on the Farm 6 September 2019 5Star MTV
The Boat Race 7 April 2019 BBC One
BBC World News		 March/April 2021 (same as original)
BBC Wimbledon 14 July 2019 BBC One
BBC Two		 June 2021
Ackley Bridge[36] 6 August 2019 Channel 4 Unknown
Stars in Their Eyes[37] 23 December 2006
14 February 2015		 ITV Unknown
The Apprentice 18 December 2019 BBC One Unknown

Continuing television programmes

1930s
Programme Date
BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–present)

1950s
Programme Date
Panorama (1953–present)
Crackerjack! (TV Series) (1955-1984, 2020-present)
Eurovision Song Contest (1956-2020, 2021-present)
The Sky at Night (1957–present)
Final Score (1958–present)
(part of Grandstand 1958–2001)
Blue Peter (1958–present)

1960s
Programme Date
Coronation Street (1960–present)
Points of View (1961–present)
Songs of Praise
University Challenge (1962–1987, 1994–present)
Doctor Who (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
Horizon (1964–present)
Match of the Day
Top of the Pops (1964–present)
(only at Christmas 2006–present)
Gardeners' World (1968–present)
A Question of Sport (1968, 1970–present)

1970s
Programme Date
Emmerdale (1972–present)
Mastermind (including Celebrity Mastermind) (1972–1997, 2003–present)
Newsround (1972–present)
Football Focus (1974–present)
Arena (1975–present)
One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
Top Gear (1977–2001, 2002–present)
Antiques Roadshow (1979–present)
Question Time

1980s
Programme Date
Children in Need (1980–present)
Countdown (1982–present)
ITV Breakfast (1983–present)
Thomas & Friends (1984–present)
EastEnders (1985–present)
Watchdog
Comic Relief
Catchphrase (1986–2002, 2013–present)
Casualty (1986–present)
Red Dwarf (1988–1999, 2009, 2012–present)
This Morning (1988–present)
Countryfile

1990s
Programme Date
The Crystal Maze (1990–1995, 2016–present)
Have I Got News for You (1990–present)
MasterChef (1990–2001, 2005–present)
ITV News Meridian (1993–present)
Top of the Pops 2 (1994–present)
Hollyoaks (1995–present)
Soccer AM
Silent Witness (1996–present)
Midsomer Murders (1997–present)
Teletubbies (1997–2001, 2007–2009, 2015–present)
Y Clwb Rygbi (1997–present)
Cold Feet (1998–2003, 2016–present)
Classic Emmerdale (1998–2004, 2019–present)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (1998–2014, 2018–present)
Holby City (1999–present)
Loose Women

2000s
Programme Date
2000
Bargain Hunt (2000–present)
BBC Breakfast
Click
Doctors
A Place in the Sun
The Unforgettable (2000–2002, 2010–present)
Unreported World (2000–present)
2001
BBC South East Today (2001–present)
Rogue Traders (2001–present)
(part of Watchdog 2009–2020)
2002
Escape to the Country (2002–present)
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Inside Out
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2002-2009, 2013-2018, 2020-present)
Most Haunted (2002–2010, 2014–present)
River City (2002–present)
Saturday Kitchen
2003
QI (2003–present)
Eggheads
Extraordinary People
Homes Under the Hammer
Traffic Cops
2004
Match of the Day 2 (2004–present)
Strictly Come Dancing
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
The Culture Show
Football First
The Gadget Show
Live at the Apollo
NewsWatch
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two
Who Do You Think You Are?
2005
8 Out of 10 Cats (2005–present)
Coach Trip (2005–2006, 2009–2012, 2013–present)
The Andrew Marr Show (2005–present)
The Adventure Show
Dragons' Den
The Hotel Inspector
Mock the Week
Springwatch
The Apprentice (2005-2019, 2021-present)
2006
The Album Chart Show (2006–present)
Animal Spies!
The Apprentice: You're Fired!
Banged Up Abroad
Cricket AM
Dancing on Ice (2006–2014, 2018–present)
Dickinson's Real Deal (2006–present)
Don't Get Done, Get Dom
Horrid Henry
Monkey Life
Not Going Out
The One Show
People & Power
Peschardt's People
The Secret Millionaire (2006–2008, 2010–present)
2007
Britain's Got Talent (2007–present)
Would I Lie to You?
The Big Questions
Don't Tell the Bride
The Graham Norton Show
Heir Hunters
Helicopter Heroes
London Ink
Shaun the Sheep
Real Rescues
The Hot Desk
2008
An Là (2008–present)
Celebrity Juice
Chuggington
Only Connect
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Police Interceptors
Rubbernecker
Seachd Là
2009
Pointless (2009–present)
The Chase
Countrywise
Cowboy Trap
Piers Morgan's Life Stories
Rip Off Britain

2010s
Programme Date
2010
Dinner Date (2010–present)
The Great British Bake Off
Great British Railway Journeys
A League of Their Own
Little Crackers
Lorraine
Luther
The Only Way Is Essex
Sherlock
Sunday Morning Live
2011
All Over the Place (2011–present)
Black Mirror
Four Rooms
Junior Bake Off
Made in Chelsea
Match of the Day Kickabout
Sam & Mark's Big Friday Wind-Up
Show Me What You're Made Of
Vera
24 Hours in A&E
2012
4 O'Clock Club (2012–present)
Endeavour
Call the Midwife
Great Continental Railway Journeys
Stand Up To Cancer
The Voice UK
Tipping Point
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
Operation Ouch!
Claimed and Shamed
2013
The Dog Rescuers (2013–present)
The Dumping Ground
Shetland
Still Open All Hours
2014
Agatha Raisin (2014–present)
The Dog Ate My Homework
GPs: Behind Closed Doors
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
Happy Valley
In the Club
Judge Rinder
Grantchester
The Next Step
Scrambled!
Who's Doing the Dishes?
24 Hours in Police Custody
2015
The Dengineers (2015–present)
Doctor Foster
Eat Well for Less?
Hunted
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Ninja Warrior UK
Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords
Safe House
SAS: Who Dares Wins
So Awkward
Taskmaster
10,000 BC
2016
The A Word (2016–present)
Bake Off: The Professionals
Cash Trapped (2016–2017, 2019–present)
Celebs Go Dating (2016–present)
Class Dismissed (2016–2017, 2019–present)
The Crown (2016–present)
The Cruise
Got What It Takes?
The Level
Marcella
Masterpiece
Naked Attraction
No Such Thing as the News
The Premier League Show
Tenable
Top Class
Upstart Crow
The Windsors
2017
Ackley Bridge (2017–present)
All Round to Mrs. Brown's
Back
Bancroft
Beyond 100 Days
The Good Karma Hospital
The Voice Kids
Impossible
The Mash Report
The Playlist
Remotely Funny
The Repair Shop
Riviera
Strike
Taboo
2018
Bodyguard (2018–present)
Britannia
Bulletproof
Celebs on the Farm
The Circle
Defending the Guilty
Derry Girls
A Discovery of Witches
Gemma Collins: Diva
I'll Get This
In My Skin
Killing Eve
Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema
McMafia
Peston
The Real Football Fan Show
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
The Split
Stath Lets Flats
There She Goes
2019
Almost Never (2019–present)
Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star
The Hit List
Ladhood
RuPaul's Drag Race UK

2020s
Programme Date
2020
Feel Good (2020–2021)
It's Pony (2020–present)
Mystic
The Masked Singer

Ending this year
Date(s) Programme Channel(s) Debut(s)
7 January A Teacher BBC Two 2021
10 January Last Woman on Earth with Sara Pascoe 2020
13 January The Pembrokeshire Murders ITV 2021
Unknown Feel Good[38] Channel 4/Netflix 2020

Deaths
Date Name Age Broadcast credibility
1 January Mark Eden[39] 92 Actor (Coronation Street)
Barry Austin[40][41] 52 Reported to be Britain's fattest man (The Fattest Man in Britain)
4 January Barbara Shelley[42] 88 Actress (Doctor Who, EastEnders)
7 January Michael Apted[43] 79 Director, producer, writer and actor (Up, Coal Miner's Daughter, Gorillas in the Mist, The World Is Not Enough, Enigma)
18 January Andy Gray[44] 61 Actor and comedy writer (River City)
21 January Mick Norcross[45] 57 Businessman and reality television star (The Only Way is Essex)

References
  1. "Stuck at home on New Year's Eve? Here's what to watch on TV". the Guardian. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. "New Year fireworks watched by 10 million viewers on BBC One". 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. "Doctor Who confirms return of bronze Daleks in new special". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. "Comedian John Bishop joins Doctor Who cast". 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Jodie Whittaker: speculation rife after reports she is to quit Doctor Who". the Guardian. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  6. "Covid: New lockdowns for England and Scotland ahead of 'hardest weeks'". 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. "BBC to put lessons on TV during lockdown". 5 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. "Richard Sharp set to become the next BBC Chair". 6 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  9. "Britain's Got Talent: Filming postponed due to coronavirus concerns". 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. "I'm a Celebrity: Gwrych Castle visitors will get film set tour". 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  11. "Eurovision Song Contest 2021 to 'definitely' go ahead, Graham Norton says". 8 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. "BBC Bitesize to be free for BT and EE customers". 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. "BBC licence fee is 'least worst' option, says new chairman Richard Sharp". 14 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. "Maya Jama To Host BBC's Glow Up: Britain's Next Make Up Star As Stacey Dooley Steps Down". Tyla. 14 January 2021.
  15. "Emmerdale and Coronation Street 'pause' filming because of pandemic". 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  16. "Peaky Blinders film confirmed following final TV outing". 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  17. "BBC faces 'financial risk' over licence fee income, watchdog says". 20 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  18. "TV licence fee decriminalisation decision shelved". 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  19. "Pandemic TV drama starring Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson accused of being 'inappropriate'". The Independent. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  20. "Sky ramps up film and TV plans to compete with streaming giants". 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  21. "Dan Wootton leaves News UK for GB News and Mail Online". 28 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  22. "Britain's Got Talent postponed until 2022 over Covid safety fears". 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  23. "It's A Sin: Channel 4 series gives All 4 record-breaking month". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  24. "Eurovision Song Contest 2021 rules out full-scale show". 3 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  25. "Rufus Hound pulls out of Dancing on Ice after positive Covid test". Liverpool Echo. 3 February 2021.
  26. "Ofcom revokes Chinese broadcaster CGTN's UK licence". 4 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  27. "'A long 16-year wait': Channel 4 confirms India v England Test TV rights". the Guardian. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  28. Writer: Linda Thompson; Director: Peter Fearon; Producer: Caroline Slater (8 February 2021). "Values". Doctors. BBC. BBC One.
  29. "What is Star on Disney+ and how do I get it?". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  30. McLennon, Patrick (17 December 2020). "See first look trailer for BBC One serial killer drama The Serpent starring Jenna Coleman". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  31. "When is A Teacher on BBC Two? Cast, trailer, plot and more". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  32. "Finding Alice: How Keeley Hawes drama offers 'authentic' image of grief". 15 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  33. "Mature content coming to Disney+ with Star includes 'Die Hard', 'Lost', '24', 'The X-Files' and more". uk.movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  34. "Andrew Neil's right-leaning GB News channel is set to launch next year - everything you should know". www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  35. "Celebs on the Farm 2021 cast line up and start date as series 3 comes to MTV". TellyMix. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  36. "Filming for Ackley Bridge series four postponed amid coronavirus". Halifax Courier. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  37. Darvill, Josh (25 November 2020). "Stars In Their Eyes is set to return (again) with a new name". TellyMix.
  38. Petski, Denise (7 December 2020). "'Feel Good' Renewed For Second & Final Season By Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  39. "Coronation Street actor Mark Eden dies aged 92". 1 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  40. Preece, Ashley (2 January 2021). "Tributes paid to Birmingham City fan Barry Austin known as 'Britain's fattest man' after tragic death". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  41. Wheeler, Sophie; Bazaraa, Danya (2 January 2021). "Britain's ex-fattest man who once weighed 65-stone dies aged 52 as family pay tribute". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  42. "Horror film icon Barbara Shelley dies aged 88". 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  43. Lee, Benjamin (8 January 2021). "Michael Apted, director and Seven Up documentarian, dies at 79". Retrieved 10 January 2021 – via www.theguardian.com.
  44. "Tributes to Andy Gray after legendary Scottish actor and comedy star passes away". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  45. "Mick Norcross: Towie star and businessman dies aged 57". 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.

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