1985 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1985.

Events

 * 1 January - Brookside is moved from Wednesdays to Mondays which means the soap can now be seen on Mondays and Tuesdays.
 * 3 January – The UK's last VHF television transmitters close down.
 * 4 January – Channel 4 achieves its highest ever audience as 13.8 million viewers tune in for the final part of the mini-series A Woman of Substance.
 * 6 January – The last 405-line transmitters are switched off in the UK.
 * 23 January – A debate in the House of Lords is televised for the first time.
 * 18 February – BBC1 undergoes a major relaunch. At 5.35 p.m., the legendary mechanical "mirror globe" ident, in use in varying forms since 1969, is seen for the last time in regular rotation on national BBC1. Its replacement, the COW (Computer Originated World, a computer generated globe) debuts at 7pm. On the same day, computer-generated graphics replace magnetic weather maps on all BBC forecasts, and Terry Wogan's eponymous talk show is relaunched as a thrice-weekly live primetime programme. EastEnders launches the following day.
 * 19 February – EastEnders, the BBC1 soap opera, goes on air.
 * 28 April – The World Snooker Championship Final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis draws BBC2's highest ever rating of 18.5 million viewers.
 * 11 May – A fire breaks out at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford during a football match between the home team (Bradford City), and Lincoln City. The match is being recorded by Yorkshire Television for transmission on their Sunday afternoon regional football show The Big Match the following day. Coverage of the fire is transmitted minutes after the event on the live ITV Saturday afternoon sports programme World of Sport. BBC's Grandstand alco transmits live coverage of the fire.
 * 29 May – Heysel Stadium Disaster televised live by BBC1; at the European Cup final in Brussels, Belgium, between Liverpool and Juventus, 39 Juventus fans are killed when a wall collapses during a riot at the Heysel Stadium.
 * 13 July – Live Aid pop concerts are held in Philadelphia and London and televised around the world. Over £50 million is raised for famine relief in Ethiopia.
 * 31 July – The War Game, made for the BBC's The Wednesday Play strand in 1965 but banned from broadcast at the time, is finally shown on television as part of BBC2's After the Bomb season.
 * August – After a series of high-profile football hooliganism and a dispute between the Football League and the broadcasters over revenue, televised league football is missing from British screens until the second half of the season. The Charity Shield and international games are the only matches screened.
 * 28 September – After 20 years ITV's Saturday afternoon sports programme World of Sport is aired for the last time.
 * 9 December – 25th anniversary of the first episode of Coronation Street.

BBC 1

 * 19 February – EastEnders (1985–present)
 * 1 April – Bertha (1985–1986)
 * 15 April – Three Up, Two Down (1985–1989)
 * 1 September – Howards' Way (1985–1990)
 * 3 September – Telly Addicts (1985–1998)

BBC 2

 * 11 January – Victoria Wood As Seen On TV (1985–1987)
 * Unknown – No Limits (1985–1987)

ITV

 * 20 January – Supergran (1985–1987)
 * 26 February – Busman's Holiday (1985–1993)
 * 12 April – C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985–1987)
 * 16 April – The Wall Game (1985)
 * 19 April – Home to Roost (1985–1990)
 * 27 April – Crosswits (1985–1998)
 * 30 August – Albion Market (1985–1986)
 * 23 October – Girls On Top (1985–1986)
 * 30 August – Drummonds (1985–1987)
 * 1 November – Your Mother Wouldn't Like It (1985–1988)
 * 13 November – Alias the Jester (1985–1986)
 * 30 November – Blind Date (1985–2003)
 * 30 December – All in Good Faith (1985–1988)

Channel 4

 * 2 January – A Woman of Substance (1985)
 * 6 October – Pob's Programme (1985–1988)

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

 * The Jetsons (1962–1963, 1985–1987)
 * Open All Hours (BBC2 1976, BBC1 1981–1982, 1985)
 * Sorry! (1981–1982, 1985–1988)

1940s

 * Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

 * Panorama (1953–present)
 * 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)
 * 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)
 * Pebble Mill at One (1972–1986)
 * Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1995)
 * Emmerdale (1972–present).
 * Newsround (1972–present).
 * Weekend World (1972–1988)
 * 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)
 * 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

 * Cockleshell Bay (1980–1986)
 * That's My Boy (1981–1986)
 * Razzamatazz (1981–1987)
 * Bergerac (1981–1991)
 * '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)
 * Right to Reply (1982–2001)
 * Inspector Gadget (1983–1986)
 * Bananaman (1983–1986)
 * Just Good Friends (1983–1986)
 * Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983–1986)
 * Breakfast Time (1983–1989)
 * Dramarama (1983–1989)
 * Don't Wait Up (1983–1990)
 * Good Morning Britain (1983–1992)
 * First Tuesday (1983–1993)
 * Highway (1983–1993)
 * Blockbusters (1983–93, 1994–95, 1997, 2000–01, 2012–present).
 * Robin of Sherwood (1984–1986)
 * The Trap Door (1984–1986)
 * We Love TV (1984–1986)
 * How Dare You (1984–1987)
 * The Snorks (1984–1988)
 * Wide Awake Club (1984–1992)
 * Bob's Full House (1984–1990)
 * Aspel & Company (1984–1993)
 * Spitting Image (1984–1996)
 * The Bill (1984–2010)
 * Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1984–present)

Ending this year

 * 26 January – The Saturday Starship (1984–1985)
 * 1 March – Finders Keepers (1981–1985)
 * 1 April – Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)
 * 19 April – Odd One Out (1982–1985)
 * 13 July – The Comedians (1971–1985)
 * 24 August – Bottle Boys (1984–1985)
 * 28 August – Freetime (1981–1985)
 * 28 September – World of Sport (1965–1985)
 * 6 October – Open All Hours (1976, 1981–1985)
 * 7 November - Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983-1985)
 * 23 November – Game for a Laugh (1981–1985)
 * 26 December – Tenko (1981–1985)
 * 31 December – Juliet Bravo (1980–1985)

Births

 * 19 March – Gemma Cairney, television and radio presenter and fashion stylist
 * 26 March – Keira Knightley, actress
 * 2 May – Lily Allen, singer
 * 28 May – Carey Mulligan, actress
 * 8 November – Jack Osbourne, actor

Deaths

 * 3 September – Ted Moult, 59, radio and television personality