20th January 2026
- Channels
- 1975 As part of cost-cutting measures, daytime BBC Two trade test transmissions are cut.
Where there are gaps in the programme schedule of more than two hours, BBC Two transmitters would be shut down.
RELATED ARTICLE: Loss of BBC Two test card causes trade "a great deal of trouble". - Programmes
- 1967 The 200th edition of Crackerjack airs on BBC One.
- 1979 The 500th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC One.
Part one of The Armageddon Factor. - 1983 The first episode of The Climber airs on BBC One.
- 1985 The first episode of Supergran airs on ITV.
- 1992 The 2,500th edition of Blue Peter airs on BBC One.
Presented by Yvette Fielding, John Leslie and Diane-Louise Jordan. - 1994 The 100th episode of Minder airs on ITV.
- 1996 Gladiators: Battle of the Champions airs on ITV.
- 1996 The first edition of Beadles's Hot Shots airs on ITV.
- 2000 The first episode of At Home with the Braithwaites airs on ITV.
- 2001 An Audience with Des O'Connor airs on ITV.
- 2001 The first edition of Popworld airs on Channel 4.
- 2003 BBC One news programmes are refreshed with a new set and a new presenter line-up. The signature tune remains unchanged.
Huw Edwards is the new anchor of the flagship BBC News at Ten from Monday to Thursdays, with Fiona Bruce presenting on Fridays and often at weekends.
In a change in format, the BBC News at Six is now co-presented, by George Alagiah and Sophie Raworth.
Style and content remains unchanged for both programmes. The BBC News at Ten launches a new website to coincide with the new look.
Veteran news presenters, Michael Buerk and Peter Sissons retired from their roles on the late-evening programme.
The BBC News at One continues to be presented by Anna Ford with Darren Jordon remaining as the second presenter.
No change at Breakfast either: Dermot Murnaghan and Natasha Kaplinsky continue in their early morning roles, with Sian Williams and Bill Turnbull presenting the programme on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. - 2011 The first edition of 10 o'Clock Live airs on Channel 4.
- Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
- 1977 BBC One tape It Must Be Love airs for the final time.
More anniversaries
There are more On This Day anniversaries on our other sub-sites:
- SHOWREEL: presenters, announcers.
- STUDIO A: broadcast buildings, studios, outside broadcast facilities.
- TX: transmitters.
Acknowledgements
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.
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