A suggestion by Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell that the BBC should be made to reinstate "God Save the Queen" at the end of daily broadcasts wins the backing of ministers after he raises the matter in the House of Commons. BBC One last played the national anthem at the end of broadcasts in 1997, but stopped doing so upon the launch of the BBC News channel when BBC One instead switched to relaying the news channel through the night.[7]
Grange Hill creator Sir Phil Redmond announces plans for a film version of the long-running school drama series that will reflect the realities of the modern day classroom. The film is due for release in 2023.[9]
Danny Dyer quits EastEnders to accept an offer to appear on a Sky original series. His contract with EastEnders had previously not allowed him to appear on rival networks.[11]
9
Emmerdale actors Isabel Hodgins and Matthew Wolfenden return to filming on the soap following their absence caused by a "race row". The pair were accused of mocking the accent of a mixed-race actress and making an "inappropriate comment".[12]
10
The media regulator Ofcom says it will not launch an inquiry into the ITV series Lorraine following an incorrect statement regarding Coronavirus made in the episode broadcast on 6 December 2021 by Dr Hilary Jones, who had said 90% of Coronavirus hospital patients were unvaccinated. The figure equates to intensive care patients rather than general hospital patients, and a statement correcting this error was made two days later.[13]
A new 60-minute discussion-based programme Context is launched. It broadcasts from Mondays to Thursdays on the BBC News Channel and BBC World News and features two guests discussing the day's news.[14]
The new £86.7m exterior set of EastEnders is officially unveiled by the BBC replacing the original set built in 1984 and intended to be used for two years. Scenes from the new set will first be seen from the spring.[16]
Emmerdale producers Jane Hudson and Laura Shaw have teased the soap's upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations to air on ITV in October 2022 as "epic", with "mind-blowing stunts" and the possible return of past characters with former cast members reprising their roles.[18]
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries says the next announcement about the television licence fee will be the last, and that the time has come to discuss new ways to fund and sell "great British content".[20] The following day she announces that the licence will be frozen at £159 until 2024.[21] At the same time, Dorries also confirms that the Welsh-language TV channel S4C will receive an extra £7.5m per year from the licence fee from April 2022.[22]
18
At 5.59am, GB News begins a daily broadcast of the national anthem before the start of its live programming.[23]
It is revealed that Shama Amin, a contestant on Series 16 of The Apprentice, has quit the show for health reasons, describing taking part in the series as "physically demanding".[24]
A video produced by the campaign group Led By Donkeys, and purporting to show Prime Minister Boris Johnson being questioned about the Partygate scandal by characters from Line of Duty, has received 5million views since being posted on Twitter the previous day.[26][27]
ITV announces plans for a revised weekday evening schedule that will see the ITV Evening News at 6.30pm extended from 30 to 60minutes, with greater focus on stories and events outside London. Emmerdale will move from 7pm to 7.30pm on weeknights, while Coronation Street will move from six 30-minute episodes to three 60-minute episodes airing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm rather than 7.30pm and 8.30pm on those days.[29]
26
Regional BBC One HD services launch across Virgin Media platforms in England on channel 101 replacing the SD version meaning viewers can now watch regional news in HD for the first time without having to switch over to the now defunct 108 national HD channel.[30]
A new regional programme for England launches on BBC One. Called We Are England, the programme chooses a subject and produces six editions tailored for six different pan-regional areas of England.[31] The series replaces Inside Out which ended last year.
28
Ofcom launches an investigation into the prolonged outage of subtitles on Channel 4 during 2021.[32]
31
BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell announces plans to launch a new soap opera for the channel.[33]
It is reported that Channel 5 are considering pulling their funding from Neighbours, an Australian soap opera that the channel co-produce with Fremantle Australia. The lack of funding would result in the soap facing cancellation or looking for alternate funding.[37]
6
Channel 5 confirms reports that it will stop showing Neighbours from August. Australia's Network 10, which airs the series in Australia, says it will seek to find a new UK partner to keep the series on air as Neighbours relies on UK funding for its continued production.[38]
ITV airs the 2022 Brit Awards, the first Brit Awards ceremony to be held without gender-related categories. Adele, who wins several awards on the night, makes a rare live appearance at the ceremony and offers her thoughts on the new nominations categories.[40][41]
Gobstopper TV, production company of Just Tattoo of Us cuts ties with ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) following an investigation into bullying.[42]
9
Amazon Prime have signed a multi-million pound long-term deal with the Shepperton Studios for exclusive use of new production facilities.[43]
10
Channel 4 announces that new episodes of Hollyoaks will premiere on streaming service All 4 the morning prior to their evening television broadcast.[44]
12
Channel 4 airs the first free-to-air Super League rugby match (a game between Warrington and Leeds) after signing a two-year deal with the Rugby Football League that will see ten matches broadcast by the channel during 2022.[45]
The Duchess of Cambridge reads a CBeebies Bedtime Story, making her the latest celebrity to do so. She reads The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson to mark Children's Mental Health Week.[46]
14
Virgin Media removes all of the standard definition versions of all BBC channels, apart from BBC Parliament as it currently does not broadcast in high definition.[47]
15
A mural commissioned by the BBC to mark the final series of Peaky Blinders appears in Birmingham, and reveals the start date of the series as 27 February.[48]
Sarah Smith, the recently appointed BBC News North America Editor, has said she feels relieved to have left her job as Scotland Editor after enduring what she describes as years of misogynistic "bile and hatred" while covering Scottish politics.[51]
18
Producers of the BBC's MasterChef announce production of the programme will move to Birmingham from 2024.[52]
As the UK is affected by Storm Eunice, the YouTube channel Big Jet TV, which shows livestreamed footage of aeroplanes landing, receives 5.5million viewers throughout the day, with a peak of 238,000 at one point; the channel usually receives around 100,000 daily views.[53]
The BBC announces a revision to the broadcast schedules for flagship soaps Doctors and EastEnders. The change, set to take place from 7 March, will include repeats of daytime soap Doctors being shown on BBC Two at 7:00 pm, as well as EastEnders moving to a permanent slot of 7:30 pm on BBC One from Monday to Thursday.[56] The change marks firsts for both soaps, with Doctors receiving its first primetime slot (since a brief trial period in mid-2000) and EastEnders being permanently broadcast on a Wednesday for the first time.[57]
22
Jon Sopel and Emily Maitlis announce they are leaving the BBC to join Global Radio, where they will front a podcast for Global and present a show together on LBC.[58]
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest say that Russia will be allowed to participate in the 2022 contest as Eurovision is a "non-political cultural event".[61] However, they reverse this decision a day later by disqualifying Russia, and saying that its inclusion would bring the contest into disrepute "in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine",[62][63] Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes his final televised address as the Prime Minister on the War in Ukraine for the first time in 19 years since Tony Blair made his televised address on the War in Iraq in 2003.
Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond suspends his talk show on RT UK following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pressure for him to do so.[64]
25
Roisin and Joe from Glasgow make their Gogglebox debut, becoming the first Scottish family to appear in the series for six years.[65]
27
Peaky Blinders returns for its sixth series, with the opening episode dedicated to the memory of Helen McCrory who played the role of Polly Gray in the series.[66]
28
Ofcom launches 15 separate investigations into RT UK for its coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[67]
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Compare the Market announces that it will avoid showing its adverts featuring the character Aleksandr Orlov near news on the invasion to ensure sensitivity.[68]
After failing to secure another British broadcaster to finance the series, producers of Neighbours confirm production of the Australian soap will end in the summer.[71]
5
It is reported that Sky News correspondent Stuart Ramsay was shot and wounded by a Russian reconnaissance unit while covering the war in Ukraine on 28 February.[72]
The BBC temporarily suspends its journalists' work in Russia in response to a new law that threatens to imprison anyone deemed to have spread "fake" news about the country's armed forces, but Russian news will continue to be produced from outside Russia.[73] The service is restored three days later on 8 March.[74]
7
Ofcom rules that the BBC made a "significant mistake" in a television news report during which Sarah Smith incorrectly stated that former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond had said he believed his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, should resign. The error was not acknowledged and corrected on air.[75]
BBC Two begins repeating episodes of Doctors at 7:00 pm, while EastEnders moves to its permanent slot of 7:30 pm.[56]
ITV starts airing the ITV Evening News at the extended time of 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, while Emmerdale spans from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm and Coronation Street at 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.[76]
S4C announce the appointment of Llinos Griffin-Williams as their first Chief Content Officer and Geraint Evans as Director of Content and Publishing Strategy.[77]
8
Coronation Street production designer Rosie Mullins-Hoyle announces a new exterior extension of its Trafford Wharf set of a new 7.7acre site. Weatherfield Precinct will be based on 1960s architecture which will include new local shops, a piazza, maisonettes, balconies and a staircase which is due to be completed in six months time.[78]
Channel 4 airs a special episode of soap Hollyoaks in celebration of International Women's Day. The episode opens with a "time hop" to the 1950s to see how the treatment of women has changed, later showcasing the current treatment of women in the 2020s.[79]
9
ITV confirms plans to extend the Coronation Street set to include the Weatherfield Precinct shopping complex. Building work on the project will begin shortly and is expected to last for six months.[80]
Ofcom revokes the UK broadcasting licence for Russian state backed news channel Russia Today "with immediate effect" because its parent company is not "fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence".[84]
BBC TV programming is taken off air on terrestrial television in Afghanistan after the Taliban ordered local television channels not to show international content. Affected are the BBC's Pashto, Uzbek and Persian services, which can now only be viewed by Afghans with satellite television.[91]
Footage of an in-depth television interview Sir Terry Wogan recorded with a BBC South reporter has been unearthed by a BBC archivist. The recording, made in 1980, sees Wogan speak candidly about his life and career. Much of the footage remained unused, but is to be made available through BBC Sounds as part of a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of Wogan's first BBC Radio 2 breakfast show from 1 April, as well as airing on Radio 2.[97][98]
30
Channel 5 reaches the 25th anniversary of its first day on air.[99]
31
The first episode of The Ministry of Offence, a weekly panel show for GB News, is live in London.[100]
Netflix announce that Top Boy will return for a third and final series (fifth overall), with filming set to start in the summer.
April
Date
Event
4
Newsround celebrates 50 years on air, having been first broadcast on 4 April 1972.[101]
The UK government announces it has decided to go ahead with plans to privatise Channel 4.[102] The decision is criticised by celebrities associated with the channel, including Matt Lucas and Kirstie Allsopp.[103]
The evening's episode of EastEnders is dedicated to the memory of actress June Brown following her death the previous day. Afterwards, the documentary June Brown: A Walford Legend, which originally aired in 2017, to celebrate Brown's 90th birthday, and her 2011 episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, are aired on BBC One, in a change to the original schedule.[105][106]
7
Following a ruling at Belfast Crown Court, the BBC is to hand over footage collected for Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History, its documentary series about the Troubles to police.[107]
8
Richard Osman announces his departure as co-presenter on Pointless to focus more on his writing career, although he will still co-present on Pointless Celebrities on a limited contract before leaving permanently. A selection of guest co-presenters will be featured on both series until a replacement is found. Osman's departure does not affect his other show House of Games.[108][109]
11
The Welsh Government is criticised for spending £32,000 on Unlocked: Coronavirus Stories from Wales, a 10-episode podcast in which First Minister Mark Drakeford defends his record on dealing with the pandemic.[110]
Veteran quiz contestant Alice Walker wins the 2022 series of Mastermind.[111]
12
Newcastle will host the first BBC Comedy Festival, it is confirmed. The festival will take place over three days during May.[112]
ITV News Central presenter Bob Warman announces plans to retire after 50 years of presenting news bulletins for ITV in the Midlands. His last edition of Central News will be on Monday 4 July.[113]
A study carried out by research company Kantar indicates the rising cost of living in Britain has led to households cancelling their streaming subscriptions, with 1.51 million subscriptions cancelled in the first three months of 2022.[117]
At Basildon Crown Court, former EastEnders actress Katie Jarvis (who played Hayley Slater in the series) pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment and common assault after an incident in Essex in July 2020.[119] She subsequently receives a two-year community order.[120]
Britain's Got Talent defends its decision to allow two previously known acts (singer Loren Allred and comedian Axel Blake) through to the semi-finals following criticism from viewers.[121]
A proposed update to The Highway Code will allow drivers of self-driving cars to watch television on an inbuilt screen while the vehicle is moving, but they will be required to take back control when prompted to do so.[123]
22
During an edition of the GB News lunchtime discussion programme To the Point and while discussing her experience with scammers, comedian Francine Lewis surprises her fellow panellists by claiming to have recently discovered her husband of 17 years has been having an extramarital affair. Her comments are received positively on social media.[124][125]
25
Launch of TalkTV with a limited television output and a daytime schedule mostly simulcast from TalkRadio.[126] The launch night includes the first edition of Piers Morgan Uncensored featuring an appearance by former US President Donald Trump.[127] The launch receives a mixed reception from critics, while overnight viewing figures indicate the first edition of Piers Morgan Uncensored was watched by 317,000 viewers.[128] Audience figures also show talkTV outperforming GB News for the debut edition of Piers Morgan Uncensored (aired at 8pm), but with higher figures for GB News for the night as a whole.[129]
26
BBC Three airs the documentary Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power in which several women allege that DJ Tim Westwood committed sexual misconduct and abused his position in the music industry.[130] Westwood steps down from his Capital Xtra programme the following day "until further notice".[131]
The UK government announces plans to publish a new Broadcasting white paper that will include measures to better protect viewers of streaming services from harmful content. Ofcom will be given the power to rule on new content standards and be given new regulatory powers over online content.[133]
Channel 4 announces that Derry Girls will end with an additional final 45 minute special episode The Agreement set a year later during 1998 and the signing of The Good Friday Agreement.[137]
Ratings for Piers Morgan Uncensored have dropped dramatically since its launch night, with viewership so low for at least half of the evening's show that no audience figures are recorded. The following evening's edition has an average of 62,000 viewers, a significant fall from the programme's opening night when 316,000 viewers tuned in.[143]
5
Channel 4 publishes its alternative plans for going forward were it not to be privatised.[144]
TV chef Dave Myers, who is one half of the Hairy Bikers, has revealed he is taking a break from filming and public appearances while he undergoes chemotherapy following a cancer diagnosis.[146]
7
The BBC confirms it will stage the first Proms concert to be dedicated to video gaming during the 2022 Proms season.[147]
The Scottish Football Writers' Association apologises after television presenter Eilidh Barbour walked out of a gala dinner in Glasgow along with other guests in protest at an awards speech one guest described as "sexist, racist and homophobic".[150]
11
Channel 5 airs the documentary Madeleine McCann: The Case Against Christian B, which alleges the abductor of Madeleine McCann will escape detection because German police have identified the wrong suspect.[151]
Channel 4 strikes a deal to air 1,000 hours of their shows on YouTube for free.[152]
Health campaigners have criticised UK government plans to postpone legislation to restrict pre-watershed advertising of junk food and 2 for 1 offers in supermarkets for a year because of the cost of living crisis.[154]
The High Court rules that the BBC can publish a story about a man it says exploited his status as an MI5 informant to abuse his partner, but the individual cannot be named.[161]
19
Secretary of State for Culture Nadine Dorries has criticised Channel 4 News for not doing itself "any favours" in regard to impartiality, but any suggestion of a vendetta against Channel 4 being the reason for its privatisation is "laughable".[162]
The Sun reports that UKTV are in talks to produce a reboot of The Bill, which could air in 2023.[163]
The previous evening's edition of Piers Morgan Uncensored is reported to have attracted 10,000 viewers, a significant fall on the number who tuned in when the programme was launched on 25 April.[164]
ITV announce that for the eighth series of Love Island, clothes will be sourced from eBay rather than their previous fashion sponsor I Saw It First, who provided contestants with clothing and accessories. Due to receiving criticism for "encouraging a disposable attitude to fashion", executive producer Mike Spencer said: "we strive to be a more eco-friendly production with more focus on ways in which we can visibly show this on screen".[166]
An edition of Panorama covering the Partygate affair alleges that people crowded together, sat on each other's laps and mocked those anxious about Coronavirus at events held during lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.[169] The programme also alleges that Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked civil servant Sue Gray to scrap her report, although this is denied by Downing Street.[170]
The BBC apologises after a message reading "Manchester United are rubbish" appeared on the BBC News Channel's news ticker during an item about tennis. The incident is attributed to someone who was learning how to operate the news ticker and "writing random things".[171]
26
BBC Director-GeneralTim Davie announces plans to make annual savings of £500m that will see the content of BBC Four and the CBBC channel moving to an online-only service, while BBC Radio 4 Extra will also go online. However, they will continue to be available through television platforms for at least the next three years. The BBC News Channel and BBC World News will also merge to become one news service.[172]
French biscuit firm LU have recruited Fred Sirieix to launch their first UK marketing campaign titled "Taste the Love".[173]
The BBC unveils its new-look news studios which will be used for BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten and London bulletins. The studio is first seen as Huw Edwards presents the BBC News at Ten.[191]
14
Russia publishes a list of UK journalists and public figures who it has banned from entering Russia in response to sanctions against that country. The list includes journalists working for the BBC, Sky, Channel 4 and Channel 5.[192]
The BBC is reported to be in talks with the European Broadcasting Union to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the UK after an assessment by the EBU concluded it would not be feasible for the contest to take place in Ukraine because of the ongoing conflict there.[194]
20
Ofcom finds Channel 4 in breach of its broadcast licence conditions after subtitles, signing or audio description were absent for several weeks following a fire at a broadcast centre in 2021.[195]
As talkTV continues to struggle with low viewing figures, News UK chief executive Rebekah Brooks tells staff she is "confident" the channel's ratings will grow, but that streaming and online video content are more important.[197]
EastEnders confirms Matthew Morrison is to join the cast as Felix Baker, also known by his stage name Tara Misu, and the soap's first drag queen character.
The BBC confirms that Jon Kay has been appointed as the new regular BBC Breakfast presenter from Mondays to Wednesdays with immediate effect, while Victoria Derbyshire will become joint lead presenter of Newsnight alongside Kirsty Wark from September.[201]
It is announced that for the first time ever on the series, Love Island will have a contestant return, when Adam Collard, who was a contestant on series 4, returns on Day 36 of series 8.[204][205]
GB News airs coverage of the Twelfth of July parades in Northern Ireland. The event, presented by former Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, their Northern Ireland correspondent Dougie Beattie and former Coronation Street actor Charles Lawson draws a peak audience of 98,000 viewers.[207] The coverage is described as "unfocused and amateurish" by the Belfast Telegraph.[208]
Dedicated evening continuity for BBC One viewers in Northern England launches but it is accompanied by any additional north-specific programming, and there is special on-screen BBC North branding.[210]
14
The BBC sets out plans for a new news channel titled BBC News to replace its two existing news services for the UK and overseas, and scheduled to launch in April 2023.[211] One of its programmes will be a simulcast of Nicky Campbell's daily BBC Radio 5 Live programme.[212]
Channel 4 says an investigation into claims made by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries that parts of its 2010 reality series Tower Block of Commons were faked have found no evidence of the allegations. Dorries was one of several MPs who took part in the show, and had made the claims in May.[214]
17
ITV hosts the second televised debate for the 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[215]
18
The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee publishes a report looking into the future of BBC funding, highlighting the need for the BBC to define its future role more clearly, including setting out options for future funding.[216]
Sky News cancels the planned third Conservative leadership televised debate, scheduled for the following day, after Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss declined to participate.[217]
The BBC announces plans to make large amounts of its archive content available through the BBC Rewind website to celebrate its centenary.[218]
19
Domestic abuse charity Women's Aid says it has spoken to ITV about "misogynistic and controlling behaviour" on the reality television series Love Island after being compelled to do so following a number of tags it has received on social media about the series.[219]
20
Ofcom reveals it has received 3,617 complaints about Love Island in a week, most of them about alleged misogynistic behaviour by male contestants.[220]
BBC One airs England's UEFA Women's Euro 2022 quarter final match against Spain which results in a 2–1 win for England in extra time. The match is watched by an audience of over nine million, the figures made up of 7.6 million television viewers along with a further 1.5 million watching on BBC iPlayer. It is the competition's largest audience to date.[221][222]
Piers Morgan Uncensored begins a week of editions covering Morgan's visit to Ukraine, where he was invited by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska to host her second Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.[230]
26
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss take part in their second head-to-head Conservative leadership debate, hosted by The Sun and TalkTV. The debate, presented by TalkTV political editor Kate McCann, is halted after around 30 minutes when McCann faints on stage. The Sun political editor Harry Cole, who was due to co-host the debate, had earlier pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19.[231][232][233] McCann is back on air the following evening, presenting talkTV's The News Desk, where she describes herself as "a little embarrassed, a little bit bruised but glad to be back and totally fine".[234] Bosses at TalkTV subsequently hold an investigation into why there was no backup plan as several presenters were in the News Building and could have taken over hosting the debate at short notice.[235]
27
Piers Morgan Uncensored airs a world exclusive hour-long interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife First Lady Olena Zelenska, the first interview the couple have given to international television.[236]
Ofcom is to launch an investigation into GB News after presenter Mark Steyn made misleading claims about COVID-19 booster vaccines on the 21 April edition of his show. Steyn had alleged that British people were being killed by having the booster and that there was a media silence on the issue.[240]
29
Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak takes part in an interview with Andrew Neil on Channel 4.[241]
Channel 5 airs the final episode of Neighbours, with an average audience of 2.5 million tuning in. Viewing figures peak at 3 million, giving the series its highest UK audience since it moved to Channel 5 in 2008.[242] The finale is accompanied by the documentary Neighbours Made Me a Star: From Ramsay St to Hollywood,[243][244] and music clip show Neighbours: All the Pop Hits & More, Especially For You.[245][246] Both are aired by Channel 5 on the same night.[247]
BBC One broadcasts the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Final between England and Germany in which England defeat Germany 2–1 in extra time. The broadcast is watched by an average 11 million viewers, but attracts a peak audience of 17.4 million, making it the most watched event on television of 2022 and the most watched women's football match.[249]
The Telegraph reports that TalkTV and GB News are in a bidding war to secure Channel 604 on the Virgin Media Platform. The news channels currently occupy channels 626 and 627, but a move would increase their profile by putting them next to larger rivals such as BBC News and Sky News.[250]
August
Date
Event
1
Various news outlets report that ITV2 are set to revive Big Brother in 2023, with a format overhaul "for the Love Island generation".[251] ITV later confirm the reports.[252]
The BBC confirms that Mock the Week will end after 17 years, with the final eight episodes airing in the autumn.[255]
3
BBC Birmingham announces it will move into new premises built at the former Typhoo Tea factory in the city's Digbeth area, with a date of 2026 set for the move.[256]
Cardiff drops out of the race to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest as it would be required to cancel a "significant number" of other events to host it.[258]
4
Sky News airs The Battle for Number 10 with Kay Burley, a Conservative leadership debate with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to replace PM Boris Johnson.[259][260]
It is announced that Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds will take part in series 20 of Strictly Come Dancing.[264]
8
ITV announces details of storylines for the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of Emmerdale in October, with the plot centring around a deadly storm that is described as the "biggest stunt to date". The episodes will also feature a new birth, the death of character Faith Dingle (Sally Dexter), as well as the brief returns of characters Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) and Diane Sugden (Elizabeth Estensen).[265]
The Telegraph reports the BBC are planning to sell the Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, home of EastEnders, as a way of offsetting losses made through below-inflation increases in the TV licence fee. It is reported the BBC will then rent the studios back from the buyer.[266]
It is announced that GB News has beaten TalkTV to secure a channel move on Virgin Media's platform to Channel 604, giving it a higher news channel ranking, and placing it between Sky News and BBC Parliament.[269]
An Ofcom investigation clears Nigel Farage's Talking Pints programme of breaching standards following an interview on 23 August 2021 that featured darts player Bobby George using what was described as "offensive language". The decision means GB News remains clear of any reprimands from Ofcom since its launch.[270]
GB News airs The People's Forum with Liz Truss from Leigh, Greater Manchester with Conservative leadership candidate Truss answering questions from an audience.[272]
11
Broadcast reports that a revival deal for Survivor UK is "on the brink", and that if the deal is finalised, the programme will be launched in 2023 on BBC One. The series initially aired for two years in the early 2000s on ITV.[273]
Television reporter Rachel Sweeney announces she is leaving her role as GB News Correspondent for the North East.[274] She is subsequently appointed as a producer on Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch.[275]
12
London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield are shortlisted as potential locations for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.[276]
Prime Minister Boris Johnson launches the "Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission", a national mission named for the late actress to tackle dementia and increase funding for research into the condition.[278]
15
Sky Sports presenter Graeme Souness says he does not regret describing football as "a man's game" after drawing criticism for making the comment following a game in which Chelsea drew 2–2 with Tottenham.[279]
16
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is considering whether to investigate an advertising campaign by Crown Paints that has attracted criticism from comedian Jenny Eclair. Eclair has said the "Hannah & Dave" advert should be taken off air because it implies that a woman "conned a man into fatherhood".[280]
Former BBC newsreader Simon McCoy warns against the merging of the BBC News and BBC World News channels amid concerns it may not be able to provide good coverage of domestic UK news stories and send viewers to rivals such as Sky and GB News.[284]
18
The BBC confirms that Amol Rajan will succeed Jeremy Paxman as presenter of University Challenge.[285]
Warner Bros. Discovery announces its intention to sell its stake in GB News. It is also announced that co-founders Andrew Cole and Mark Schneider have resigned as directors and sold their stakes in the business. GB News has also approached investor Paul Marshall for further funding.[287]
GB News airs a two-hour Conservative leadership hustings meeting from Manchester featuring the two candidates.
22
The acting union, Equity, commits to ensuring actors are given nudity warnings as part of a move "against bullying, harassment and inappropriate behaviour in TV".[289]
Nominations for the 27th National Television Awards are published. They include a posthumous nomination for Tom Parker of The Wanted for his 2021 documentary Inside My Head about his brain tumour, aired five months before his death.[295]
Former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis delivers the prestigious MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival in which she claims the BBC went out of its way to "pacify" Downing Street after she said it was clear Dominic Cummings had breached lockdown rules in 2020. Her claim is rejected by BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore.[299]
28
GB News attracts criticism from Jewish community groups after Peter Imanuelsen, a journalist and alleged Holocaust denier, appeared on the previous evening's edition of Neil Oliver's programme to talk about population decline in the UK. Imanuelsen rejects claims of denying the Holocaust, blaming "fake, photoshopped screenshots" created by those attempting to "smear" him.[300]
29
Conservative Party leadership candidate Liz Truss pulls out of a one-to-one interview with the BBC's Nick Robinson, scheduled to air on BBC One the following day, with her team saying she cannot devote the time to the broadcast.[301]
30
Property expert and television presenter Sarah Beeny reveals that she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, but says she will continue work on an upcoming series for Channel 4.[302]
Ofcom decides to take no action over thousands of complaints about alleged misogyny during the latest series of Love Island.[304]
To coincide with the 20th anniversary of the debut of children's television series Balamory, a selection of episodes are made available on BBC iPlayer.[305]
The Crown have cast unknown actors in the role of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Ed McVey and Rufus Kampa are both cast as William, while Meg Bellamy is cast as Kate.[310]
4
Launch of the politics programme Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on BBC One. Guests on the opening edition are Conservative leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska,[311] and the comedian Joe Lycett, who makes the headlines for mocking Truss, who is subsequently named as the new prime minister.[312]
At 12.39pm, BBC One suspends regular programming, interrupting partway through an episode of Bargain Hunt, after Buckingham Palace announces that Queen Elizabeth II is under medical supervision, and provides rolling news updates on her health. Programmes such as Doctors are moved to BBC Two.[321] ITV suspends its programming at 5.00pm, while other channels continue with their normal programming.[322][323] Following the announcement of her death at 6.30pm, major broadcasters shift to broadcasting coverage of events following the announcement.[324][325][326] A pre-agreed advertising blackout also comes into force on ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 until at least 5.00am on 10 September, although commercials continue on some non-flagship channels such as ITV2.[327] Among the programmes to be pulled from the BBC One schedule are the semi-final of Celebrity MasterChef in which contestants celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.[328]BBC Three and BBC Four are taken off air.[329] The 31st Mercury Prize ceremony, scheduled for the evening of 8 September and due to air on BBC Four, is postponed.[330]
9
BBC One devotes the day's schedule to rolling news coverage of the death of the Queen, which includes the special programme A Tribute to Her Majesty The Queen that sees King Charles III, along with Princess Anne and Prince Edward, pay tribute to their mother. There are also schedule changes on BBC Two to allow it to accommodate for shows such as EastEnders. ITV carries rolling news coverage from the end of Good Morning Britain at 9.00am until the evening news. The day's episodes of Emmerdale and Coronation Street are postponed. A feature-length documentary, Queen Elizabeth II – The Longest Reign presented by Jonathan Dimbleby, airs at 8.30pm, and is followed by News at Ten.[331][332][333] Channel 4 makes schedule changes to add extra news coverage, although programmes such as Steph's Packed Lunch and Countdown are shown. It is also confirmed that the new series of Gogglebox scheduled to air at 9.00pm will go ahead, but the evening's edition of The Last Leg will not air.[334][335]Channel 5 also adds extra news coverage, with a 35-minute news special at 12.00pm, and another from 5.00pm–7.15pm, while a documentary, HM The Queen 1926–2022, airs at 6.00am. The day's episode of Home and Away due to air at 1.45pm is cancelled and instead replaced with Iceland with Alexander Armstrong at 1.20pm and World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys at 2.00pm. The evening news special is followed by a rescheduled edition of Susan Calman's Grand Days Out at 7.15pm.[336][337] The Last Night of the Proms, scheduled to take place at the Royal Albert Hall the next evening, is cancelled, as is a Proms concert due to take place on the evening of 9 September.[330] The 27th National Television Awards, scheduled to be held at Wembley Arena on 15 September, are postponed until October.[338]
At 6.00pm, King Charles III makes his first broadcast to the nation, where he pays tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and renews her "lifelong promise of service", calling her his "darling mama".[339]
Viewing figures for 8 September indicate that the announcement of the death at 6.30pm was seen by 15.80 million on multiple channels.[340] In the 14 hours from 12.00pm to 2.00am a cumulative audience of 33 million tuned in to television coverage on all channels as news of the death of the Queen broke.[341]
The majority of BBC One's daytime and evening schedule is carried by BBC Two for the second day in a row, with shows such as Flog It!, Superman & Lois, The Hit List, Pointless Celebrities and Casualty making way for ongoing coverage of events following the Queen's death.[343] Following coverage of the Proclamation of accession of Charles III and a series of documentaries about Queen Elizabeth, ITV runs an evening of scheduled programmes from 6.00pm. Ninja Warrior UK, The Masked Dancer, The Voice UK and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? are all shown, but without commercial breaks and at slightly different times to their original scheduling.[344]
Mary Reynolds, who has portrayed the Queen in film and television since 1988, announces she will retire from the role "out of respect" following the death of Elizabeth II.[345]
11
ITV airs the first Sunday edition of Good Morning Britain to cover events following the death of the Queen. The programme is presented by Kate Garraway, who wins praise from viewers after presenting part of the programme solo.[346]
After another day of special coverage, BBC One begins reintroducing some scheduled content from the early evening, airing the billed episodes of Frozen Planet II at 8.00pm and The Capture at 9.00pm; there are also special editions of Songs of Praise at 4.25pm, Countryfile at 6.00pm and The Antiques Roadshow at 7.00pm, all celebrating the Queen. On ITV the 8 September episode of Emmerdale airs at 6.35pm, followed by Gino's Italy at 7.30pm and Ridley at 8.00pm. Commercial breaks are also reintroduced from the early evening.[347][348]
Television schedules continue to be revised to provide ongoing coverage of events following the death of Elizabeth II, as Charles III makes his first visit to the Palace of Westminster as King, then travels to Edinburgh to attends a church service for his mother, and Elizabeth's children pay tribute to her at the city's St Giles Cathedral.[350][351] BBC One airs news coverage throughout the day, along with a special edition of The One Show titled Our Queen Remembered at 8.30pm. EastEnders is shown on BBC Two at 9.00pm, and plans are announced to release new episodes on BBC iPlayer each evening at 7.30pm. News coverage and programming about the Queen air throughout the day on ITV until early evening when the game shows Tipping Point and The Chase are scheduled to air. The episode of Coronation Street originally scheduled for 9 September is shown, but an hour-long episode of Emmerdale does not go ahead.[352][353][354]
Television schedules continue to be subject to change as Charles III travels to Northern Ireland, and Queen Elizabeth's coffin is flown from Edinburgh to London ready for lying in state. Much of BBC One's schedule is once again changed to provide coverage of these events. Following The Eve of the Procession to Lying In State at 6.45pm, The One Show: Our Queen Remembered is aired at 8.30pm, followed by EastEnders at 9.00pm. An edition of The Repair Shop is shown after that.[358] Following Good Morning Britain, ITV airs Lorraine and This Morning as scheduled, before providing extended news coverage in the afternoon. Emmerdale is aired at 8.35pm, with the episode originally scheduled for 9 September showing in two halves (the second part on 14 September at 7.30pm). A documentary, Charles: The Monarch and the Man, follows Emmerdale, while another documentary, Our Queen: The People's Stories, is shown after News at Ten. On Channel 4 The Great British Bake Off airs at 8.00pm.[359][360][361]
The BBC announces it will postpone the opening edition of Series 20 of Strictly Come Dancing from its scheduled launch on Saturday 17 September because of ongoing changes to the listings. The live launch will instead air on Friday 23 September before the first live edition is shown the following evening.[362]
It is reported the BBC has received 670 complaints about its blanket coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The news comes as singer Shane Nolan attracts online criticism for being disrespectful after he complains on social media about the BBC's coverage and extensive rescheduling of regular programmes.[363]
A Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford scheduled for 3.00pm on 12 November is moved to the earlier start time of 12.30pm after being selected for television coverage by BT Sport.[364]
14
The BBC One and ITV schedules are once again amended, to provide coverage of the procession to carry the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for her lying in state. BBC One adds two additional programmes to its daytime schedule, coverage of the procession from 1.00pm to 4.30pm and an Events of the Day at 7.00pm. There is also ongoing news coverage, with scheduled programming resuming at 8.30pm with EastEnders and the Seriesc Seven finale of Shetland at 9.00pm. A documentary, Elizabeth II: Her Passions and Pastimes, airs after News at Ten. ITV also shows coverage of the procession from 1.00pm following a morning of scheduled programmes. In the evening, Emmerdale and Coronation Street are shown, with the second half of the 9 September episode of Emmerdale at 7.30pm and the Coronation Street episode originally scheduled for Monday 12 September at 8.00pm. These are followed by Doc Martin at 9.00pm.[365][366]
The BBC launches a dedicated livestream of the Queen's lying in state at Westminster Hall allowing people who cannot make the trip to London to pay their respects virtually. The service is available worldwide and throughout the time of the lying in state, and is broadcast on the BBC website, BBC News website and BBC News app, BBC iPlayer, BBC Parliament and BBC Red Button.[367][368] ITV also offers a livestreaming service.[369]
Tim Muffett, a reporter on BBC Breakfast, attracts viewer criticism for not wearing black clothing while reporting on mourners waiting to see the Queen's lying in state from Lambeth Bridge, instead wearing grey with a navy tie. BBC reporters and presenters are required to wear black following the death of a monarch or senior royal.[370]
15
There are more schedule changes as coverage of the build up to the Queen's funeral continues. BBC One and BBC Two both have schedule changes with extended news coverage. On BBC One, EastEnders airs as scheduled at 7.30pm followed by an episode of The Repair Shop and two editions of Celebrity MasterChef, including the one scheduled for 8 September. The World War II film Their Finest is added to the schedule after an extended News at Ten. There is extended news coverage on BBC Two, while regular programmes such as Eggheads, Villages by the Sea and Gorey, Stuck, and Sensationalists: The Bad Boys and Girls of British Art are pulled from the line up, and two extra programmes, Cricket: Women's T20 Highlights and Days That Shook the BBC, are broadcast from 11.15pm. Starting from 7.30pm, ITV broadcasts three episodes of Emmerdale in order to catch up on episodes originally scheduled for the period 12–14 September. Coronation Street broadcasts an hour-long episode at 9.00pm.[371][372]
16
Nick Servini temporarily replaces Huw Edwards on BBC One's news coverage as Charles III visits Wales for the first time since becoming King. The BBC says that this is to enable Edwards to prepare for coverage of the Queen's state funeral.[373]
With coverage of events surrounding the Queen's death ongoing, changes continue to be made to the television schedules. ITV is scheduled to air two episodes of Emmerdale, but has to drop one in favour of extended news coverage and reschedule it for Sunday 18 September at 6.30pm. The evening's scheduled edition of Coronation Street is also moved to Sunday 18 September, where it will air from 7.00pm to 7.55pm.[374][375]
This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby attend the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall, leading to online speculation that they jumped the queue. This Morning subsequently issues a statement saying the pair were there to record material to be shown after the Queen's funeral.[376]
Channel 5 confirms the episode of Home and Away due to air at 1.45pm on the day of the Queen's funeral has been pulled from the schedule. Although the 19 September episode is previewed as usual on 5STAR at 6.30pm on 16 September, it will not air on Channel 5 and instead the series will resume in its afternoon Channel 5 slot on 20 September.[377]
17
Further schedule changes are implemented ahead of the Queen's funeral. BBC One and BBC Two air some extended news coverage, while BBC One adds the 2014 film Paddington to its evening schedule at 7.00pm. It is preceded by When Paddington Met the Queen (first aired during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations). BBC Two drops an evening of programmes dedicated to Kylie Minogue in favour of the films Stan and Ollie and The Two Faces of January.[378] ITV moves its coverage of the Goodwood Revival Festival from its main channel to ITV3 and drops the scheduled edition of Celebrity Lingo.[379]
18
There is further programme rescheduling on the eve of the Queen's funeral. BBC One moves its coverage of a Women's Super League match in the afternoon to BBC Two, while an extra programme, The Eve of the State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II, is added at 7.00pm. This is followed by a televised message from Queen Camilla in which she pays tribute to the Queen, and a minute's silence at 8.00pm, which is carried by both BBC One and ITV. On ITV, Good Morning Britain replaces Sunday morning CITV programming, and begins from 6.00am, while the Goodwood Revival Festival once again airs on ITV3 and Celebrity Lingo is axed to make way for Coronation Street.[378][379][380]
19
The state funeral of Elizabeth II is held at Westminster Abbey and shown on television, with the BBC providing pooled footage to other broadcasters, and more than 50 channels covering the proceedings.[381][382] BBC One and BBC Two provide coverage from 8.00am until 5.00pm, with BBC Two doing so with on screen sign language.[383] BBC One airs The One Show: Our Queen Remembered at 6.15pm following extended news coverage, and the film Paddington 2 at 6.45pm. A 90-minute programme covering the main events of the day is broadcast at 8.30pm.[384] ITV simulcasts programming on all of its channels from 6.00am to midnight (the first time it has done so), beginning with Good Morning Britain, coverage of the funeral, and in the evening a documentary covering the events of the last ten days.[385]Sky News begins its coverage from 5.00am.[386]GB News and TalkTV also show the funeral, along with special programming.[381]Channel 4 and Channel 5 opt not to show the funeral, Channel 4 instead broadcasting the 1953 technicolour documentary A Queen Is Crowned narrated by Laurence Olivier.[387] Channel 5 airs a selection of children's films, starting with The Emoji Movie at 11.00am, followed by Stuart Little and Ice Age 3.[388] Advertising on commercial television is once again paused for the day.[389] Some cinema chains, including Curzon and Arc, screen the funeral for free while cancelling the rest of their programming for the day.[390]
20
Provisional viewing figures for the previous day indicate a cumulative audience of over 28 million watched the Queen's funeral, with the number of viewers peaking at 12.25pm. The BBC and ITV had a collective audience of over 25 million, with 20 million tuning into the BBC's coverage and a peak of 5.3 million watching ITV.[382]
BBC One airs an episode of EastEnders originally scheduled for the previous evening but removed from the listings because of the Queen's funeral. On ITV, two episodes of Emmerdale are shown, including the one from the previous evening. The previous evening's episode of Coronation Street is also aired.[383]
In a special edition of This Morning about the Queen, presenter Holly Willoughby addresses allegations they jumped the queue at Elizabeth II's lying in state after using a VIP route, saying she and Phillip Schofield were there "strictly for reporting" and "would never jump a queue".[391]
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan announces plans to "re-examine the business case" for privatising Channel 4.[392]
21
Helen Warner, chief creative officer at broadcast production company Whisper and former head of daytime at ITV and Channel 4, is appointed GB News' Head of Television as the channel seeks to expand its programme content.[393][394]
22
The Guardian reports that Buckingham Palace have requested that video footage of the Queen's funeral only be used in news coverage, not in entertainment programmes, and that five short pieces of video featuring members of the royal family not be broadcast again.[395]
The BBC announces that BBC Two's Later... with Jools Holland is to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a one-off night of music in front of an audience of 3,000 at London's Eventim Apollo on 5 October. The event will be shown on television later in the year.[396][397]
It is confirmed that past contestants from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will compete in a special "all-stars" series in 2023, and set in South Africa.[398]
Scottish soap River City celebrates its 20th anniversary.[400]
27
The shortlist of cities contending to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest is cut from eight to two, with Liverpool or Glasgow going head-to-head for the final selection.[401]
Channel 4 HD moves to channel 104 on Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media in many parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The HD version of Channel 4 has previously only been available on channel 104 in London, with viewers in the rest of the UK required to scroll down the channel list to find it.[402]
30
Sue Barker tells BBC Breakfast her departure from A Question of Sport could have been "handled better" and says she was asked to say she was stepping back from the role of presenter rather than being replaced.[403]
ITV reschedules Coronation Street to make way for a women's football match between England and the United States at 8.00pm on 7 October. Coronation Street is instead broadcast at 8.00pm on 4 October, then as scheduled at 8.00pm the following evening, with the 8.00pm Friday episode replaced by the football.[408]
6
Tom Stevenson, a student at the University of Worcester, achieves a double record on Channel 4's Countdown by scoring 154 points (beating the previous highest record of 152) and becoming the first person to progress through 120 rounds of the game without a single loss.[409]
GB News have appointed Reach plc executive Geoff Marsh as their Chief Digital Officer.[410]
TalkTV have signed a new distribution deal with Virgin Media that will see it move from Channel 627 to the more prominent Channel 606, where it will sit between BBC Parliament and Bloomberg.[411]
TalkTV launches its autumn schedule, with new programmes Jeremy Kyle Live at 7.00pm and First Edition with Tom Newton Dunn at 10.00pm.[415]
Actor John Cleese confirms he will present a programme for GB News from 2023, where he will work alongside Andrew Doyle.[416]
It is reported the upcoming fifth series of the Netflix drama The Crown will see Prince Philip "pursue an affair" with his friend Penelope Knatchbull, leading to criticism about its timing after the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II. Dickie Arbiter, the Queen's spokesman between 1988 and 2000, describes the fictitious storyline as "distasteful".[417]
Maya Jama confirms she will succeed Laura Whitmore as presenter of Love Island.[420]
Streaming service Netflix has signed up to the audience research body BARB, which will begin collecting data on its viewing figures from 1 November.[421]
13
The 27th National Television Awards are held following their rescheduling because of Elizabeth II's death. The ceremony marks the first National Television Awards to be held at Wembley since 1995 after its usual venue, the O2 Arena, was damaged during Storm Eunice.[422]
Netflix confirms the launch of a cheaper subscription service containing commercials that will launch in November and cost £4.99 per month.[423]
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has criticised a new Channel 4 programme in which pieces of art by controversial artists will be potentially destroyed after a piece by Adolf Hitler was included. Jimmy Carr Destroys Art will see an audience debate whether various pieces of art can be separated from their controversial creators and if as a consequence they should be destroyed. The Holocaust Day Memorial Day Trust has described the programme as "deeply inappropriate" and "inflammatory".[424]
14
Ofcom announces an investigation into GB News over its coverage of matters relating to Coronavirus vaccination following an interview with the author Naomi Wolf that aired on 4 October, and during which she claimed women were being harmed by Coronavirus vaccines as part of an effort "to destroy British civil society", while likening the behaviour of the medical profession to that of Nazi Germany. Ofcom's investigation will cover whether the interview broke "rules designed to protect viewers from harmful material", and is the second such investigation into the news channel.[425]
Netflix has defended The Crown as a "real-life dramatisation" after criticism from Sir John Major over a scene which apparently depicts a plot to oust Queen Elizabeth II, with the former Prime Minister describing it as "a barrel-load of malicious nonsense".[426]
18
The BBC celebrates its centenary. Across the corporation special programmes will air, including a three-part documentary series titled David Dimbleby's BBC: A Very British History, Kids' TV: The Surprising Story celebrating 100 years of children's programming presented by Konnie Huq, and a programme presented by Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse titled The Love Box In Your Living Room that takes a humorous look at the BBC's history.[427]
Sky launches its new streaming box, Sky Stream, and becomes the second service from Sky, after Sky Glass, without the need of a satellite dish.[428]
20
BBC One reschedules the evening's edition of Question Time from 10.40pm to 8.00pm following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister. The edition, which airs live from Cheltenham, also includes a late change of panellists, replacing artist Cornelia Parker with journalist Rachel Johnson amid speculation her brother, Boris Johnson, may run in the resulting leadership election.[429]
GB News attracts criticism from Jewish groups and campaigners, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, following use of the word "globalist" by two of its presenters in describing newly appointed Home Secretary Grant Shapps, who is himself Jewish. The groups argue the word, used by Nigel Farage and Dan Wootton, is an anti-Semitic term used by the far-right.[432]
21
Following concerns about some content in The Crown, Netflix adds a disclaimer to its promotion for the series, describing it as a "real-life dramatisation", "inspired by certain events".[433]
BBC News have taken presenter Martine Croxall off air while an investigation is held into a potential breach of impartiality after telling viewers during the previous evening's newspaper review she felt "gleeful" about Boris Johnson's decision not to stand in the Conservative Party leadership election.[438]
The first televised sentencing at a murder trial in England and Wales takes place at the Old Bailey. This follows the first televised manslaughter sentencing on 28 July. Jemma Mitchell, 38, is given a minimum term of 34 years for killing and decapitating 67-year-old Mee Kuen Chong at her London home in June 2021.[441]
Sky sells its stake in Nickelodeon UK Ltd to Paramount Networks EMEAA. The Nickelodeon agreement had contained a non-compete clause that otherwise restricted Sky and Comcast from launching a children's television network while still holding a stake in Nickelodeon UK Ltd.[443] Less than a month later, Sky announces plans to launch its own linear kids channel.[444]
November
Date
Event
1
Welsh language channel S4C celebrates its 40th anniversary.[445]
The encryption is removed from the HD variants of ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4.[447] Consequently, the channels start broadcasting as free-to-air services.
2
Channel 4 celebrates its 40th anniversary.[448] As part of the celebrations, they announce plans for spring 2023 to rework their brand, including aligning its sister services with the Channel 4 brand, and streaming service All 4 being renamed to Channel 4
Labour MP Rosie Cooper criticises the ITV drama The Walk-In, which dramatized an operation to foil a plot by far-right extremists to kill her, as a "stupid, stupid, stupid series" which used her "as a marketing tool". ITV says the series was "overwhelmingly in the public interest" and had been made "carefully and responsibly".[449]
The BBC finds that comments made by Martine Croxall during a newspaper review on 23 October breached their impartiality guidelines. Croxall, who has been off air since then, returns to presenting on the BBC News Channel the following day.[451]
6
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! returns for its twenty-second series on ITV, and is once again filmed in Australia.[452][453]
7
Olivia Attwood is forced to pull out of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! following medical advice that it would not be safe for her to continue.[454]
9
Matt Hancock is seen completing his first Bush Tucker trial in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[455]
Series Five of The Crown is released. The series' first official viewing figures released the following day indicate that 1.1 million people have viewed at least one episode on its first day of availability.[456]
ITV reverts its flagship channel's name back to "ITV1" (in England, Wales, Scottish Borders, Isle of Man and Channel Islands – including Northern Ireland), and their other channels (excluding CITV) get a refresh to coincide with the upcoming launch ITV's new streaming service ITVX.[462][463]
The pressure group Coronavirus Bereaved Families for Justice says it has flown a banner over the I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! camp demanding Matt Hancock be removed from the series.[464]
16
Ofcom confirms it has received 1,000 viewer complaints relating to Matt Hancock's appearance in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[465]
17
ITV begins the roll out of their new streaming platform, ITVX.
Amazon Studios and Fremantle have agreed a deal to restart production of Neighbours in 2023; the series will be made available through Amazon's Freevee streaming service.[466]
Waitrose apologises after receiving criticism from cancer patients over a social media advert in which farmers compare their suntans.[470] The advert is subsequently updated so the farmers simply pass each other in the field and no longer compare their tans.[471]
21
2022 FIFA World Cup: BBC One airs England's opening match against Iran, while ITV airs Wales's opening match against the United States. Overnight viewing figures indicate 7.4 million watched England v Iran, while 9.4 million saw the Wales v United States match.[472]
22
The Eurovision Song Contest announces changes to the voting process for 2023, with professional juries removed from the semi-final, and countries not competing in the contest allowed to vote for the first time.[473]
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments finds that Matt Hancock broke government rules on post-ministerial jobs by not consulting the watchdog before joining I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, but its chairman, Eric Pickles, advises it would be disproportionate to take action against him.[475]
Leo Jones, who appeared in the fly-on-the-wall documentary series Airline, is given a five-year restraining order and a six-month suspended prison sentence following a hearing at St Albans Magistrates in which he pleaded guilty to stalking GB News presenter Ellie Costello.[477]
26
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock reaches the final of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! along with footballer Jill Scott and actor Owen Warner.[478]
2022 FIFA World Cup: BBC One airs England's World Cup game against Wales in which England defeat Wales 3–0. Overnight viewing figures published the next day indicate the game is watched by an average audience of 16.59 million viewers.[483]
30
Ofcom publishes its annual report on the BBC, and notes that the broadcaster is not doing enough for people on lower incomes, who feel less satisfied with the BBC.[484]
December
Date
Event
2
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock returns to Westminster following his participation in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[485]
2022 FIFA World Cup: ITV airs the quarter-final match between England and France in which France beat England 2–1. The game is watched by an average audience of 19.4 million, with a peak audience of 21.31 million.[489]
11
Lissandro, representing France, wins the 2022 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with his entry, "Oh maman!". Freya Skye, representing the United Kingdom, finishes in fifth place, whilst also coming first with the online vote.[490]
13
Top Gear presenter Freddie Flintoff is taken to hospital after he was hurt in an accident while filming for the series.[491]
Both BBC One and ITV air the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and France, which sees a 3–3 draw and Argentina win on penalties. The BBC coverage of the game is watched by 14.9 million viewers, while ITV's coverage draws an audience of 4.3 million.[493]
The News Movement confirms that Becca Hutson, GB News‘ former head of digital who left the channel in October, is joining to become their UK head of news.[497]
King Charles praises "wonderfully kind people" helping those in need and sympathises with struggling families in his first Christmas broadcast.[500] Carried across several channels; it attracts 10.7 million live viewers.[501] It is most watched programme on Christmas Day 2022, and also the most watched Christmas broadcast by a British monarch in the two decades that live TV viewing records have been kept.[502]
A Doctor Who trailer is released, giving viewers a preview of the series' plans for its 60th anniversary in 2023.[503]
"Shining Mammy", the Christmas 2022 special of Mrs Brown's Boys is watched by 2.4 million, but panned on social media for its storyline in which the character Cathy Brown (played by Jennifer Gibney) begins dating an Englishman who is suspected of being a vampire.[506]
TalkTV have formed a partnership with Local TV Limited to provide local and national news output to their network of eight regional television channels.[508][509]
