1983 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1983.

Events

 * 3 January – CITV premieres on ITV in the UK. (1983— )
 * 17 January – Breakfast Time, Britain's first breakfast show, launches on BBC1.
 * 1 February – TV-am launches, with Good Morning Britain
 * 6 February – The Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters makes its British television debut when Central becomes the first ITV region to begin screening the programme. All other ITV regions soon follow suit.
 * 8 February – Minipops premieres on Channel 4. Though a ratings success, it is axed after only one series due to heavy media criticism.
 * 23 February – After months of "will she or won't she?" drama, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) makes the choice to break up with Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) and reunite with her estranged husband Ken (William Roache) on Coronation Street. The episode was one of the highest-rated in the serial's history.
 * 11 May – Peter Adamson makes his last appearance as Len Fairclough on Coronation Street.
 * 9 June-10 June – BBC1 and ITV broadcast coverage of the 1983 general election.
 * 15 June – The first episode of The Black Adder, the first in the successful Blackadder series of sitcoms, debuts on BBC One.
 * 16 August – ITV broadcasts Woodentop as part of its Storyboard series. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled The Bill, commencing in October 1984 and lasting until August 2010.
 * 6 September – ITV broadcasts Killer. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled Taggart.
 * 12 October – Doris Speed makes her last appearance as Annie Walker on Coronation Street.
 * 23 November – 20th anniversary of the first broadcast of Doctor Who in the UK.

BBC 1

 * 17 January - Breakfast Time (1983–1989)
 * 17 February - * Gran (1982–1984)
 * 15 June – Blackadder (1983–1989)
 * 22 September – Just Good Friends (1983–1986)
 * 3 October – Bananaman (1983–1986)
 * 25 October – Don't Wait Up (1983–1990)

BBC 2

 * 10 March – Tucker's Luck (1983–1985)

ITV

 * 3 January – CITV (Afternoon block 1983–2007, Morning block 1983–present)
 * 10 January – Alphabet Zoo (1983–1984)
 * 1 February –
 * Good Morning Britain (1983–1992)
 * TV-am (1983–1993)
 * 5 April – First Tuesday (1983–1993)
 * 16 April – Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983–1986)
 * 29 August – Blockbusters (1983–93, 1994–95, 1997, 2000–01, 2012–present).
 * 6 September – Taggart (1983–2011)
 * 12 September – Dramarama (1983–1989)
 * 16 October – Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983–1984)
 * 23 October – Highway (1983–1993)
 * 30 November - Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983–1985)

Channel 4

 * 8 February – Minipops (1983)

1940s

 * Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

 * Panorama (1953–present)
 * Crackerjack (1955–1984)
 * What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
 * The Sky at Night (1957–present)
 * Blue Peter (1958–present)
 * Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

 * Coronation Street (1960–present)
 * Songs of Praise (1961–present)
 * Doctor Who (1963–1989, 2005–present)
 * World in Action (1963–1998)
 * Top of the Pops (1964–2006)
 * Match of the Day (1964–present)
 * Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
 * Play School (1964–1988)
 * Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010, 2012–present)
 * Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
 * World of Sport (1965–1985)
 * Jackanory (1965–1996, 2006–present)
 * The Money Programme (1966–present)
 * The Big Match (1968–2002)

1970s

 * The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–1987)
 * The Two Ronnies (1971–1987, 1991, 1996, 2005)
 * Crown Court (1972–1984)
 * Are You Being Served? (1972-1985)
 * Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
 * Weekend World (1972–1988)
 * Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)
 * Emmerdale (1972–present)
 * Newsround (1972–present)
 * We Are the Champions (1973–1987)
 * Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010).
 * That's Life! (1973–1994)
 * Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003).
 * Arena (1975–present).
 * Jim'll Fix It (1975–1994)
 * Rentaghost (1976–1984)
 * 3-2-1 (1978–1988)
 * Grange Hill (1978–2008).
 * Terry and June (1979–1987)
 * The Book Tower (1979–1989)
 * Blankety Blank (1979–1990, 1997–2002)
 * The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994)
 * Antiques Roadshow (1979–present).
 * Question Time (1979–present)

1980s

 * The Gentle Touch (1980–1984)
 * Juliet Bravo (1980–1985)
 * Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)
 * A Fine Romance (1981–1984)
 * Punchlines (1981–1984)
 * Finders Keepers (1981–1985, 1991–1996, 2006)
 * Freetime (1981–1985)
 * Game for a Laugh (1981–1985)
 * Tenko (1981–1985)
 * That's My Boy (1981–1986)
 * Razzamatazz (1981–1987)
 * Bergerac (1981–1991)
 * The Saturday Show (1982–1984)
 * The Young Ones (1982–1984)
 * Odd One Out (1982–1985)
 * On Safari (1982–1985)
 * 'Allo 'Allo! (1982–1992)
 * Wogan (1982–1992)
 * Saturday Superstore (1982–1987)
 * The Tube (1982–1987)
 * Brookside (1982–2003)
 * Let's Pretend (TV series) (1982–1988)
 * No. 73 (1982–1988)
 * Timewatch (1982–present)
 * Countdown (1982–present)
 * Right to Reply (1982–2001)

Ending this year

 * 6 February – The Professionals (1977–1983)
 * 8 March – Animal Magic (1962–1983)
 * 21 April – ITV Playhouse (1967–1983)
 * 5 July – The Gaffer (1981–1983)
 * 21 July – Andy Robson (1982–1983)
 * 19 October – Butterflies (1978–1983, 2000)
 * 28 October – The Bounder (1982–1983)
 * 30 December – The Good Old Days (1953–1983)

Births

 * 14 March – Joe Flynn, actor
 * 15 March – Sean Biggerstaff, actor
 * 21 March – Bruno Langley, actor
 * 22 April – Elliott Jordan, actor
 * 5 May – Lucy-Jo Hudson, actress
 * 13 May – Natalie Cassidy, actress
 * 30 May – Jennifer Ellison, actress
 * 31 May – Reggie Yates, actor and television and radio presenter
 * 6 June –
 * Gemma Bissix, actress
 * Ella Smith, actress
 * 30 June – Cheryl Cole, singer
 * 15 July – Sarah-Jane Crawford, radio and television presenter
 * 17 July – Brooke Kinsella, actress and writer
 * 20 July – Rory Jennings, actor
 * 7 August – Tina O'Brien, actress
 * 21 August – Chantelle Houghton, reality TV star
 * 24 August – Christopher Parker, actor
 * 17 November – Harry Lloyd, actor
 * Unknown – Gemma McCluskie (d. 2012)

Deaths

 * 2 January – Dick Emery, 67, comedian and actor
 * 20 October – Peter Dudley, 48, actor (Coronation Street)
 * 15 November – John Le Mesurier, 71, actor, (Dad's Army)
 * 26 December – Violet Carson, 85, actress