This page indexes the individual year in British television pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.
1920s
1926 in British television – John Logie Baird demonstrates the world's first television system. 1927 in British television – The BBC begins broadcasting as the British Broadcasting Corporation under the Royal Charter. 1928 in British television – John Logie Baird's Television Development Company demonstrates their model A, B, and C 'televisors' to the general public. 1929 in British television – John Logie Baird begins broadcasting 30-minute-long programmes for his mechanically scanned televisions.
1930s
1930 in British television – John Logie Baird installs a television receiver at the British Prime Minister's residence in London. 1931 in British television – No events for this year. 1932 in British television – BBC Television begins broadcasting a regular channel, which later becomes BBC One. 1933 in British television – The first television revue, Looking In, is shown on the BBC 1934 in British television – The agreement for joint experimental transmissions by the BBC and John Logie Baird's company comes to an end. 1935 in British television – Baird stops broadcasting in September. 1936 in British television – Electronically scanned television begins from Alexandra Palace. 1937 in British television – First outside broadcast at the Coronation of King George VI. 1938 in British television – First news bulletin carried by BBC television, in sound only. Previously, the service had aired British Movietone News cinema newsreels. 1939 in British television – Television broadcasts are suspended during World War II for fear that the signals would help German bombers.
1940s
1940 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. 1941 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. 1942 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. 1943 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. 1944 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. 1945 in British television – No television is broadcast during World War II. World War II ends on 2 September. 1946 in British television – The BBC resumes broadcasting for the first time since the end of World War II. 1947 in British television – The BBC Television Service broadcasts are temporarily suspended since World War II due to a national fuel crisis. 1948 in British television – The BBC Television Service resumes broadcasting again and begins its coverage of the Olympic Games in London. 1949 in British television – The Sutton Coldfield television transmitter is opened in the Midlands, making it the first part of the UK outside London to receive BBC Television and long-running dancing show Come Dancing launches.
1950s
1950 in British television – First televised report of general election results in the UK. 1951 in British television – The Holme Moss transmitter is opened in Northern England, making BBC Television available to the region for the first time. 1952 in British television – The funeral of King George VI is televised in the UK. 1953 in British television – The coronation of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom sees a vast increase in television set sales. 1954 in British television – The Grove Family, regarded as Britain's first soap, begins airing. 1955 in British television – ITV launches, resulting in the destruction of the BBC's 23-year-long monopoly on British television. 1956 in British television – Hancock's Half Hour, regarded as the first modern sitcom which began on BBC Radio, is transferred to BBC television. ITV's Granada and ATV regions go on air during weekdays. The weekend franchise in both areas is operated by ABC Weekend TV. 1957 in British television – The Sky at Night, the longest-running television programme hosted by the same presenter, Patrick Moore, begins on the BBC. ITV's Scottish region goes on air. 1958 in British television – ITV's TWW and Southern regions go on air and Blue Peter, the world's longest-running children's programme, is first broadcast by the BBC along with long-running various sport show Grandstand. 1959 in British television – The first Vienna New Year's Concert to be broadcast on television is aired by the BBC. ITV's Anglia, Tyne Tees and Ulster regions go on air.