1936 in British television

List of years in British television (table)
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This is a list of events related to British television in 1936.

Events

• 2 November – The first regular high-definition (then defined as at least 200 lines) BBC Television Service, based at Alexandra Palace in London, officially begins broadcasting (after test transmissions began in August). The service alternates on a weekly basis between Baird's 240-line mechanical system and the Marconi-EMI's 405-line all-electronic system. Programmes are broadcast daily, Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 4pm and 9pm to 10pm. Leslie Mitchell is the first announcer to be heard on the new service.
• By this year there are approximately 2,000 televisions worldwide.

Debuts

• 26 August – Radiolympia (1936)
• Unknown (probably November) – Picture Page (1936–1939, 1946–1952)
• Unknown – Theatre Parade (1936–1938)

Continuing television shows

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024)
• The Public Morning (1900–1914) (1918–present)

Births

• 7 January – Ian La Frenais, comedy scriptwriter
• 9 February – Clive Swift, actor (died 2019)
• 6 March – Jean Boht, actress (died 2023)
• 3 April – Tony Garnett, producer (died 2020)
• 7 April – Peter Eckersley, producer (died 1981)
• 16 April – Derrick Sherwin, producer (died 2018)
• 9 May
  • Albert Finney, actor (died 2019)
  • Glenda Jackson, actress and politician (died 2023)
• 17 June – Ken Loach, film director
• 30 June – Don Taylor, director (died 2003)
• 8 July – Tony Warren, scriptwriter (died 2016)
• 9 July – Richard Wilson, Scottish actor
• 27 September – Gordon Honeycombe, news presenter (died 2015)
• 9 October – Brian Blessed, actor
• 10 October – Judith Chalmers, television presenter
• 22 November – John Bird, satirical actor (died 2022)
• 22 December – James Burke, science populariser

See also

• 1936 in British music
• 1936 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1936