Art & Hue2025 Classic TV Anniversaries
As well as film milestones, 2025 marks many classic TV anniversaries, from stylish spy shows to enduring soap operas. Art & Hue rounds-up the beloved & cult television to commemorate this year.
SPIES
60 years of Mrs Peel
2025 marks 60 years since Mrs Peel first debuted on British television. On the 28th of September 1965, audiences were introduced to Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the first episode of the new series of “The Avengers” called “The Town of No Return”. Airing first on the Rediffusion London and Scottish Television channels on September 28th 1965 at 8pm, “The Avengers” was the first television show to have a fashion range available in stores so fans could buy Mrs Peel’s wardrobe.
Police Surgeon 65th
On the 10th of September 1960, the first episode of “Police Surgeon” was broadcast. Hendry proved popular with show creators Sydney Newman & Leonard White so they devised a new drama to showcase the actor and “The Avengers” was born.
65th Danger Man
2025 marks 65 years since the first episode of “Danger Man” was broadcast on the 11th of September 1960. Filmed at Portmeirion, Patrick McGoohan would return to the location for “The Prisoner”.
60th Get Smart
2025 marks 60 years of the spy-spoof “Get Smart”. The first ever episode, “Mr. Big”, aired on American TV on the 18th of September 1965, starring the pioneering Barbara Feldon as the resourceful Agent 99. The final episode aired 55 years ago on the 15th of May 1970.
55th Department S
2025 marks 55 years since the final episode of “Department S” was broadcast on the 24th of March 1970, starring Peter Wyngarde. His character Jason King returned in his own eponymous show in 1971.
SOAPS
65th Coronation Street
2025 marks 65 years since the start of the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. Set in the fictional Manchester borough of Weatherfield, the show has created many iconic characters since it launched on the 9th of December 1960, including soap queens Jean Alexander, Julie Goodyear, and Anne Kirkbride.
40th Eastenders
2025 marks 40 Years of Eastenders, the long-running soap set in the fictional London borough of Walford. Starring formidable characters over the years, two of the most cherished must be June Brown as Dot and Pam St Clement as Pat. The first visit to Albert Square took place on the 19th of February 1985.
40th Acorn Antiques
2025 marks 40 years since the debut of Acorn Antiques, the spoof-soap which premiered on British television as part of the classic comedy series “Victoria Wood as Seen on TV” on the 11th of January 1985. Set in “Manchesterford“, the show introduced us to the iconic characters of Miss Babs, Miss Berta, & Mrs Overall.
COPS
70th Dixon of Dock Green
The archetypal policeman, Jack Warner debuted as Dixon in “The Blue Lamp” 75 years ago, before George Dixon was resurrected for the long-running TV show “Dixon of Dock Green”, first broadcast 70 years ago on the 9th of July 1955.
50th The Sweeney
2025 marks 50 years since the first episode of the first series proper of “The Sweeney“, called “Ringer”, was broadcast on the 2nd of January 1975, following the pilot “Regan” in “Armchair Cinema”.
25 years since Morse
The final episode of “Inspector Morse” starring John Thaw was broadcast 25 years ago on the 15th of November 2000.
COMEDY
55th Up Pompeii
2025 marks 55 years since the first ever episode of the TV show “Up Pompeii!” starring Frankie Howerd was broadcast on the 20th of May 1970. The show later jumped to the big screen with Julie Ege & Madeline Smith.
50th Fawlty Towers
2025 marks 50 years since the perfectly crafted comedy “Fawlty Towers”, created by Connie Booth & John Cleese, aired on British television for the first time on the 19th of September 1975.
40 years since Are You Being Served?
2025 marks 40 years since the final episode of “Are You Being Served?” was broadcast on the 1st of April 1985, before the Grace Bros. team moved on to “Grace & Favour”.
35th Keeping Up Appearances
35 years ago on the 29th of October 1990, Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”) appeared in the first ever episode of “Keeping Up Appearances”, “Daddy’s Accident”.
30th Mrs Merton
“But what first, Debbie, attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?” 30 years ago on the 10th of February 1995, the first episode proper of “The Mrs Merton Show” aired starring Caroline Aherne.
Breaking of Bumbo
Deprived a proper cinema release following some previews, “The Breaking of Bumbo” starring Joanna Lumley & Richard Warwick, had its public premiere on television 50 years ago on BBC Two on the 17th of August 1975.
40th anniversary Victoria Wood As Seen on TV
2025 marks 40 years since the premiere of the seminal comedy series “Victoria Wood As Seen on TV” on the 11th of January 1985. Packed full of satirical observations about television – including continuity announcers, soap operas, documentaries, commercials and daytime magazine shows – the groundbreaking comedy still influences to this day. With a regular repertory company of performers, the cast includes Celia Imrie and Julie Walters.
30th anniversary of the Ab Fab episode Happy New Year
The “Happy New Year” episode of cult comedy “Absolutely Fabulous” aired on British TV for the first time 30 years ago on the 6th of April 1995. Guest-starring Kate O’Mara, the show introduced us to Patsy‘s sister, the ruthless Jackie Stone, and is a beloved fan-favourite from Jennifer Saunders‘ sitcom.
STUDIOS
2025 is packed full of television (and film) studio anniversaries. This year marks 65 years since the official opening of Television Centre, 90 years since construction began on Pinewood, 95 years since the first Ealing film, 70 years since the Granada building was approved, 25 years since the announcement to close Pebble Mill, 55 years since construction took place on the South Bank London Tower, and 100 years since Elstree announced the building of eight studios in Borehamwood.
SCI-FI
55th Doomwatch
2025 marks 55 years since the sci-fi TV show “Doomwatch”, starring Simon Oates, and later in the film Ian Bannen, first aired on British TV on the 9th of February 1970. Cast members across the run of 38 episodes included Trevor Bannister, Arthur Brough, Jennifer Daniel, Glyn Houston, June Brown, & Edward Underdown.
55th UFO
55 years ago, Gerry Anderson’s cult sci-fi show “UFO”, which starred Antonia Ellis, aired for the first time on British TV on the 16th of September 1970. Cast members across the run of 26 episodes included Wanda Ventham, Anouska Hempel, Philip Madoc,, George Cole, Windsor Davies, & Patrick Mower.
50th Space: 1999
2025 marks 50 years of Gerry Anderson’s “Space:1999”. A real-life married couple at the time, Martin Landau & Barbara Bain starred as John Koenig and Helena Russell on Moonbase Alpha. The first episode aired on British TV for the first time, on the ATV channel, on the 4th of September 1975.
EUROVISION
60th France Gall
2025 marks 60 years since France Gall won the 10th Eurovision Song Contest on the 20th of March 1965. Taking place in Naples, she represented Luxembourg with the Serge Gainsbourg song “Poupée de cire, poupée de son”. artandhue.com/euro
55th Dana win
2025 marks 55 years since Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time on the 21st March 1970 when Dana sang “All Kinds of Everything”. The UK’s Mary Hopkin finished second with “Knock Knock, Who’s There?”.
45th Johnny Logan
45 years ago on the 19th of April 1980, Johnny Logan won the European song contest for Ireland with “What’s Another Year”. His first triumph, he would go on to win again in 1986 (and 1992 as songwriter).
