3 January 2021 ITV transmits the funny news show And Finally...with Trevor McDonald. BBC Two began showing the US series A Teacher which dealt with grooming in the classroom. BBC One debuts A Perfect Planet. A 5 part look at the world around us. Hosted by David Attenborough.

3 January 2016 ITV debuts Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands. Based on the Beowulf poem. BBC Two had the first part of My Mediterranean with Adrian Chiles. Part 2 was a week later. BBC One began a new adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War & Peace. Paul Dano and Lily James star.

3 January 2001 - Custer's Last Stand Up debuts on CBBC One. 2006 - Countdown broadcasts its 4,000th edition on Channel 4. 2011 - BBC Two and BBC HD launch 2 shows. Stargazing Live with Brian Cox and Liz Bonnin. The Bear Family & Me. Shown over 3 consecutive nights.

3 January 1996 2 shows debuted on BBC 1 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates starring Patricia Routledge. Kids sitcom Agent Z and the Penguin from Mars. 2 shows debuted on CITV Potamus Park. With Rusty Goffe and Nigel Plaskitt. Delta Wave with Ania Sowinski and Jason Stracey.

3 January 1991 ITV showed feature length drama Gawain and the Green Knight. Jason Durr and Marc Warren star. BBC 1 debuts 3 shows: Dooby's Duck Truck. Gordon the Gopher with Hugh Dennis. The Brittas Empire starring Chris Barrie. tvark.org/brittas-empire

3 January 1966 - BBC 1 pays its first visit to Camberwick Green. tvark.org/camberwick-g... 1971 - the first TV shows from The Open University broadcast on BBC 2. tvark.org/open-univers... 1981 - ITV debuts comedy quiz game Punchlines with Lennie Bennett. tvark.org/punch-lines

We remember Dustin Gee 24/6/1942 – 3/1/1986 Part of a double act with Les Dennis Worked on Who Do You Do?, Russ Abbot's Madhouse and The Laughter Show tvark.org/les-dustins-...

Happy Birthday 🎉🎂🎈 The Little Drummer Girl actress Florence Pugh is 30 today. Coupling and Green Wing actress Sarah Alexander is 55 today.

We remember Leonard White 5/11/1916-2/1/2016 Produced 168 Armchair Theatres Pete Postlethwaite 7/2/1946-2/1/2011 Sgt Hakeswill in Sharpe John Woodnutt 3/3/1924-2/1/2006 Merlin & Mogdred in CITV's Knightmare Howard Caine 2/1/1926-28/12/1993 Major Hochstetter in Hogan's Heroes

Happy Birthday 🎉🎂🎈 EastEnders and Call the Midwife actor Ben Hardy is 35 today. Emmerdale actor and I'm a Celebrity winner Danny Miller is also 35 today.

2 January 2011 - Channel 4 debuts Famous and Fearless. 8 celebrities are taking part. Shown every night until 7 January. Won by Charley Boorman. - over on BBC One was the debut of 3 part drama Zen. Based on Aurelio Zen by Michael Dibdin. Rufus Sewell and Caterina Marino stars.

2 January 2006 - 2 new animated series made their debut on Cartoon Network UK. The Batman animated TV series from the US, looks at the early years of Bruce Wayne's alter ego. Pokémon: Advanced Battle. The 8th season of this Japanese animation series.

2 January 1996 - ITV debuts the US animated series Santo Bugito. 13 episodes were made. - while over on BBC 1, it was the first episode of The Demon Headmaster. Based on the books by Gillian Cross. tvark.org/demon-headma...

2 January 1976 - Sheffield Cablevision runs out of money and ceases broadcasting. tvark.org/sheffield-ca... - ITV debuts 7 part family drama The Georgian House. Janine Duvitski, Brinsley Forde and Spencer Banks are amongst the cast.

1 January Belated Birthday wishes to Mark Wingett (Jim Carver in The Bill) who was 65 yesterday. Belated greetings also to GMTV presenter Fiona Philips who also turned 65 yesterday. Sending best wishes to her, Martin and all the family.

1 January 1981 - The Channel Four Television Company was established to pave the way for the new channel to launch in 1982. 1991 - the IBA is gone and the ITC takes over control of commercial TV. One of their first tasks is to oversee the applications for Channel 3 licenses.

1 January 1961 - Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol (Welsh for 'Start Singing, Start Praising') began on BBC tv and continues to this day on S4C. 1961 - Dechreuodd Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol ar deledu'r BBC ac mae'n parhau hyd heddiw ar S4C. 1966 - BBC 2 debuts Rugby Special.

It was announced during New Year that actor Anthony Head and his family shared news that his wife, Sarah Fisher, had passed away at the age of 61. Our condolences, sympathies and thoughts are with them all at this time.

We have some more new stuff arrived. Did you ever feed your dog Pal Partners? Pop down to Our Price to buy the new album from The Proclaimers? Use OXO to flavour your dishes? Maybe even "Page the Oracle?" All this and more when you click the link below. tvark.org?s

We're taking a break now for New Year. Thank you all for your support in 2025. On to 2026! Do keep checking out tvark.org?s for our latest batch of new entries to our website. We'll see you on 2nd January 2026. Happy New Year Arkers!

31 December 1995 - BBC 1 debuts drama Black Hearts in Battersea. Based on the novel by Joan Aiken. Celia Imrie and Annette Badland star. 2025 - a sad day for music as we say farewell to MTV Live, Club MTV, MTV Music, MTV 80s and MTV 90s.

31 December 1980 - BBC 1 bids farewell to the Tooting Popular Front as Citizen Smith ended after 4 series and 30 episodes. tvark.org/citizen-smit... - over on ITV was the debut of drama Brendon Chase. Based on the novel by BB. tvark.org/brendon-chase

31 December 1975 - BBC 1 debuted the kids football drama series Striker. Joe Gladwin and Geoff Hinsliff star. - over on BBC 2, one-off drama Three Men in a Boat was shown. Michael Palin, Tim Curry and Stephen Moore star.

31 December 1950 - BBC tv debuted Mr Pastry's Progress. Richard Hearne played the clumsy character of the title. 6 episodes were made. 1985 - The final episode of Juliet Bravo was shown on BBC 1. 6 series totalling 88 episodes were made.

If you watched The Celebrity Apprentice on 29 & 30 December 2025 you will know all about what is in the picture. The winning and losing biscuits are now available for £1.65 each from Tesco. Children in Need profit from sales.

In Memoriam Davy Jones 30 December 1945 – 29 February 2012 Age 66 Actor and singer Member of The Monkees Also appeared in Coronation Street The Brady Bunch Z Cars The New Scooby Doo Movies Sledge Hammer! SpongeBob SquarePants Phineas and Ferb

Before we welcome in Hogmanay, let us tempt you with a selection of more new stuff on our website. Microsoft ads Nicotinell, NiQuitin and Nicorette ads Channel 4 promo Did you visit the Millennium Experience? Midland Bank ads Milky Way ads Click on the link below tvark.org?s

30 December 1985 - Channel 4 celebrated 30 years of Granada TV by showing a night of their programmes as well as a documentary entitled From The North. 2005 - After more than 8 years and nearly 2,300 episodes, we bid farewell to Charnham as Family Affairs ended on Channel 5.

30 December 1960 - BBC tv began a 4 part adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Daphne Slater (pictured) plays Anne Elliot. 1980 - 2 days after the IBA awards its first breakfast TV franchise, the BBC announces that it will also launch its own Breakfast TV programme.

30 December 1985 - ITV debuts the religious sitcom All in Good Faith. Richard Briers is the Reverend Philip Lambe. tvark.org/all-in-good-... 1980 - ITV debuts kids sitcom Take A Chance. Starring the voices of Bungle and George in Rainbow - Stanley Bates and Roy Skelton.

30 December 1995 - Animated series Iznogoud debuts on BBC 1. An evil vizier who plots to become the Caliph but his plans fail every time. 2015 - Great Barrier Reef. A 3 part nature documentary presented by David Attenborough looking at this beautiful area of Australia.

29 December 1980 - Canadian animated film The Devil and Daniel Mouse has its first UK TV showing on BBC 1. 1975 - BBC 2, in association with 20th Century Fox, began the 6 part adaptation of Richard Llewellyn's How Green Was My Valley. Dame Siân Phillips stars.

29 December 2005 - BBC News Channel show Click Online showed its last episode in that name. It returned in 2006 with the shorter name Click. 1990 - ITV showed the made for TV drama The Widowmaker. Annabelle Apsion, Alun Armstrong, David Morrissey and Kenneth Welsh star.

28 December 1995 - Crime drama McCallum debuts on ITV. John Hannah stars as Dr Iain McCallum. 2000 - Feature length drama Donovan Quick is shown on BBC One. Colin Firth stars in a modern retelling of Don Quixote.

28 December 1980 Feature length drama Staying On is first shown on ITV. The sequel to The Jewel in the Crown. Trevor Howard, Celia Johnson and Saeed Jeffrey star. BBC 2 began the 3 part drama Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn. Pippa Guard and Christopher Fairbank star.

New Year's Honours cont CBE Leah Williamson, Jonathan Davies MBE Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway, Bill Bailey, Sally Lindsay, Paul Chuckle, Marcus Wareing, Phil Spencer, Cynthia Erivo, Ellie Goulding, Eve Graham, Megan Jones, Sadia Kabeya, Ellie Kildunne, Bobby Seagull

New Year's Honours Sir Idris Elba Dame Jayne Torvill & Sir Christopher Dean Sir Roy Clarke Sarina Wiegman DBE Dame Meera Syal OBE Warwick Davis, Gabby Logan, Betty Brown, Matt Lucas, Richard Osman, Clive Tyldesley, Zoe Aldcroft, Marlie Packer, John Mitchell, Paula Radcliffe

A little bit unwell today, will resume posts tomorrow. Sorry.

28 December 1970 - A Charlie Brown Christmas became the first animated show from the Peanuts cartoon strip to be shown on British TV (ITV). 1990 - US drama series The Father Dowling Mysteries debuted on UK TV on ITV. Starring Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson.

In Memoriam Adele Rose 8 December 1933 – 28 December 2020 Age 87 Wrote 457 Coronation Street scripts over 37 years Originated the teen series Byker Grove

28 December 1980 Westward TV broadcasts Drake's Venture on the ITV network. Starring John Thaw and Paul Darrow. During an advert break, ITN has a Newsflash announcing that the IBA is removing Westward and Southern's ITV franchises. ATV must restructure. TV-am to begin in 1983.

27 December 2015 Walking the Himalayas debuted on Channel 4. 5 part travel documentary with explorer Levison Wood. ITV shows one-off feature length fact based drama Harry Price: Ghost Hunter. Rafe Spall plays the title character.

27 December 2000 - Derren Brown: Mind Control is first shown on Channel 4. 2020 - BBC One debuts 3 part drama Black Narcissus. Based on Rumer Godden's novel. - Last Woman on Earth with Sara Pascoe debuts on BBC Two. Travelogue series.

26 December 1990 - ITV showed feature length drama Lorna Doone. 2015 - BBC One debuted Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas. - BBC Two showed A Gert Lush Christmas. With Russell Howard. - ITV broadcast one-off drama Peter & Wendy. With Paloma Faith and Stanley Tucci.

25 December 2015 - farewell to the TV series of Downton Abbey on ITV. 2005 - the final episode of The Two Ronnies Sketchbook on BBC One. Ronnie Barker's final show before he passed away. 1995 - the Bucket woman had her final episode as Keeping Up Appearances ended on BBC 1.

In Memoriam Martin Lambie-Nairn 5 August 1945 – 25 December 2020 Age 75 Designed the idents that launched Channel 4 in 1982

10 years ago, this advent calendar was created for us so we thought you might like to see it again. Do visit our website tvark.org Merry Christmas from the team at Ark Towers. Steve, Mark, Gareth, Martin, Stuart, Pete and Dan.

Two Wallace & Gromit adventures debuted on this day in years gone by. Channel 4 debuts A Grand Day Out in 1990. The duo's first adventure travelling to the moon to get some cheese! BBC 2 debuts A Close Shave in 1995. Gromit is imprisoned, can Wallace (and the sheep) rescue him?

24 December 2015 BBC One shows Professor Branestawm Return. Based on the novel by Norman Hunter. With Steve Pemberton, Maddie Holliday and Harry Hill. 24 December 2020 Sky One shows Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse. With Dawn French and Harry Tayler.

In Memoriam Innes Lloyd 24 December 1925 – 23 August 1991 Age 65 Television producer and actor Had a long career as a producer in BBC drama, which included series such as Doctor Who and Talking Heads