1954 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1954.

January

 * 11 January – The first weather forecast with an in-vision presenter is televised in the United Kingdom, its first presenter is George Cowling.

February

 * No events.

March

 * No events.

April

 * 9 April – The Grove Family, generally considered the first British TV soap opera, debuts on the BBC Television Service.
 * 21 April – Running Wild on the BBC marks the debut of Morecambe and Wise on British television.

May

 * No events.

June

 * No events.

July

 * 5 July – First actual news bulletin, News and Newsreel, aired on the BBC Television Service, replacing Television Newsreel.
 * 30 July – The Television Act 1954 is given Royal Assent. It authorises the setting up of the infrastructure for British commercial television.

August

 * No events.

September

 * No events.

October

 * 7 October – BBC Television covers a party political conference for the first time when it broadcasts from the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool.

November

 * 12 November – The BBC opens Rowridge transmitting station on the Isle of Wight, bringing television coverage to the Solent area.

December

 * 12 December – The BBC Television Service screens its acclaimed adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, starring Peter Cushing. The Sunday broadcast proves controversial however and attracts some criticism in the House of Commons. Screened live, a second production takes place 4 days later.
 * 30 December – The first BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony is presented from London's Savoy Hotel. Christopher Chataway is the first winner. The award airs annually from now on.
 * The British Academy Television Awards, the most prestigious awards in the British television industry, are first awarded.

BBC Television Service

 * 5 January – A Castle and Sixpence (1954)
 * 16 January – The Lost Planet (1954)
 * 19 January – Show Case (1954–1955)
 * 27 January – Friends and Neighbours (1954)
 * 6 February – Clementina (1954)
 * 16 February – The Cabin in the Clearing (1954)
 * 17 February – The Bespoke Overcoat (1954)
 * 30 March – The Wide, Wide World (1954)
 * 31 March –  Gravelhanger (1954)
 * 9 April – The Grove Family (1954–1957)
 * 21 April – Running Wild (1954)
 * 8 May – The Pat Kirkwood Show (1954)
 * 11 May – The Windmill Family (1954)
 * 12 May
 * The Dancing Bear (1954)
 * Fast and Loose (1954–1955)
 * 23 May – The Promised Years (1954)
 * May – Ask Pickles (1954–1956)
 * 7 June – Emney Enterprises (1954–1957)
 * 15 June – The Gentle Falcon (1954)
 * 10 July – Happy Holidays (1954)
 * 13 July – Dear Dotty (1954)
 * 14 July – The Six Proud Walkers (1954)
 * 3 August – Paradise Island (1954)
 * 16 August – Stage by Stage (1954–1955)
 * 25 August – Crime on Our Hands (1954)
 * 1 October – And So to Bentley (1954)
 * 13 November – Fabian of the Yard (1954–1956)
 * 24 November – The Three Musketeers (1954)
 * 12 December – Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954)
 * 21 December – Zoo Quest (1954–1963)
 * 24 December – Carols From Kings (1954–present)
 * Unknown –
 * Meet David Berglas
 * Sportsview (1954–1968)
 * Walk in the Air (1954–1955)

Independent productions

 * The Halls of Ivy (produced by ITC Entertainment)
 * The Vise (produced by Danziger Productions)

1920s

 * BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)

1930s

 * Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present)
 * The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
 * BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

1940s

 * Muffin the Mule (1946–1955, 2005–2006)
 * The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
 * Come Dancing (1949–1998)

1950s

 * Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005)
 * Flower Pot Men (1952–1958, 2001–2002)
 * Watch with Mother (1952–1975)
 * The Appleyards (1952–1957)
 * All Your Own (1952–1961)
 * Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965)
 * The Good Old Days (1953–1983)
 * Panorama (1953–present)

Ending this year

 * Television Newsreel (1948–1954)

Births

 * 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
 * 20 February – Anthony Head, actor
 * 16 March – Jimmy Nail, actor and singer
 * 17 March – Lesley-Anne Down, actress
 * 28 April - Mary Jo Randle, actress
 * 9 May – Nicholas Crane, geographer and TV presenter
 * 21 June – Anne Kirkbride, actress (Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street) (died 2015)
 * 16 July – Nicholas Frankau, actor
 * 26 August – Steve Wright, broadcaster
 * 27 August – Andrew Marshall, scriptwriter
 * 8 September – Anne Diamond, journalist and television presenter
 * 24 September
 * Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
 * Martin Sixsmith, journalist, author and radio and television presenter
 * 3 October – Jeff Randall, journalist and television presenter
 * 14 October – Carole Malone, journalist and presenter
 * 19 October – Ken Stott, actor
 * 24 November – Susan Gilmore, actress (Avril Rolfe in Howards' Way)
 * 1 December – Alan Dedicoat, newsreader and the National Lottery's "Voice of the Balls"
 * 5 December – Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter
 * 22 December – Hugh Quarshie, actor