This is a list of British television related events from 2001.
Events
January
1 January – The BBC reality show Castaway 2000 comes to an end as its participants leave the island of Taransay. 4 January – The popular classic children's characters Bill and Ben return to television with a brand new stop-motion animated series on BBC One. The series features the voice of comedian John Thomson. 7 January – Blankety Blank makes its debut on ITV, hosted by Lily Savage. 8 January – Debut of GMTV's Inch-Loss Island where volunteers attend a Castaway-style location in an attempt to collectively lose weight. 10 January – Debut of ITV's Popstars which will follow efforts to put together a five-piece band who will then record and release a single. 11 January – The Mole debuts on Channel 5, based on an idea from Belgium, the series sees ten contestants complete a number of tasks as they are whittled down to an eventual winner who will win £200,000. However, one of the contestants is a mole, deliberately planted to work against the team. 12 January – Johnny Vaughan and Denise van Outen end their second stint as presenters of The Big Breakfast, exactly 5 years after former presenter Gaby Roslin left the series. The show will be relaunched with a team of five presenters from 22 January as producers attempt to reverse the programme's falling ratings. 13 January – Debut of the ten-part BBC Two series I Love the '80s which examines the pop culture of the 1980s. The series debuts with I Love 1980 and concludes on 24 March with I Love 1989. 15 January The ITC clears Celador and ITV of allegations that Judith Keppel's win on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? had been rigged to draw audiences away from BBC One. Carlton Television is criticised by the Independent Television Commission after the word "punami", popularised by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen was shown onscreen prior to an item about his alter ego, Ali G on its daytime show Celebrity TV in October 2000. The Commission felt the slang term for a part of the female anatomy would be offensive to the Afro-Caribbean community. A new Jim Henson co-production called The Hoobs debuts on Channel 4 with early-morning repeats until 2014. 17 January Prime Minister Tony Blair rejects calls to take part in US-style televised debates with opposition politicians during the forthcoming election campaign. Vanessa Feltz has been dropped by the BBC following the conclusion of her two-year contract with the Corporation, it is reported. 18 January – Channel 4 launches E4, a digital entertainment channel at 8:15pm. 19 January – The ITV Nightly News is shown on ITV for the last time after 2 years. 20 January – BBC Two airs live coverage of the inauguration of George W. Bush as the 43rd President of the United States. 22 January News at Ten returns to ITV, having been axed 2 years earlier. It is once again presented by Trevor McDonald. Footballer turned presenter Ian Wright signs a two-year contract with the BBC where he will front a number of shows. Channel 4's The Big Breakfast is relaunched with Donna Air, Amanda Byram, Paul Tonkinson, Melanie Sykes and Richard Bacon as its main presenters. 26 January – Channel 5 airs the 1000th episode of its soap Family Affairs. 28 January – Carlton and Granada are holding discussions aimed at merging their internet operations to create a single online business for ITV under the brand itv.co.uk or itv.com. The current itv.co.uk is a basic information service, but the broadcasters wish to compete with the BBC.