1998 in British television

List of years in British television       (table)
… 1988 .  1989 .  1990 .  1991  . 1992  . 1993  . 1994 … 1995 1996 1997 -1998- 1999 2000 2001 … 2002 .  2003 .  2004 .  2005  . 2006  . 2007  . 2008 …

This is a list of British television related events from 1998.

Events

• February – CNBC Europe merges with European Business News, upon which the channel is known officially as "CNBC Europe - A Service of NBC and Dow Jones".
• 20 February – Robot Wars in the UK having originally appering in the latter half of 1997 re-appears on BBC Two.
• 29 March – BBC America launches in the United States.
• 31 March – Sky Scottish ceases broadcasting.
• 31 March – CMT UK ceases broadcasting.
• 3 April – The Children's Channel ceases broadcasting in the UK after fourteen years.
• 6 April – Cable and Wireless viewers see the Nordic version of The Children's Channel and ceases broadcasting half a year later.
• 16 April – CITV is scheduled to air the tenth episode of ReBoot's third season. However, the episode is not aired and Timmy Mallett is aired on ReBoot instead. ReBoot hasn't aired since.
• 9 May – The 43rd Eurovision Song Contest is held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The contest is presented by Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson and won by Israel's Dana International singing "Diva".
• 18 May – The British Academy Television Awards are awarded in the separate ceremony to the British Academy Film Awards for the first time.
• 31 May – Sky Scottish closes after 18 months on air.
• 26 June – Launch of the music channel Kiss TV.
• 29 July – British Digital Broadcasting rebrand as ONdigital.
• 4 September – The original Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? hosted by Chris Tarrant premieres on ITV for return 7 years after the swansong of Everybody's Equal.
• 10 September – Sky Movies Screen 1, Sky Movies Screen 2 and Sky Movies Gold are Change to Sky Premier, Sky Moviemax and Sky Cinema.
• 23 September – BBC Choice, the UK's first digital-only TV station, launches. BBC Parliament also launches on the same day.
• 1 October – Digital satellite television launches in the UK, operated by Sky Digital. This sees the start of UK channels transmitting in 16:9 widescreen.
• 1 October – Sky Sports News is launched.
• 19 October – Richard Bacon becomes the first ever Blue Peter presenter to have his contract terminated in mid-run after the tabloid newspaper News of the World publishes a report of him taking cocaine. After his dismissal the Head of BBC children's programmes, Lorraine Heggessey, goes on air to explain the situation to CBBC viewers.
• 1 November – Launch of FilmFour. The opening night is simulcast on Channel 4.
• 15 November – Digital terrestrial television launches in the UK, operated by ONdigital.
• 7 December – Launch of the UK's second digital-only TV station ITV2.
• 14 December – After a world-record-breaking 75 consecutive victories, Ian Lygo makes his final appearance on the Channel 5 game show 100%, after being forced to retire by the show's producers.

Debuts

BBC One

• 20 July – Heartburn Hotel (1998–2000)
• 6 September – Tweenies (1998–2003)
• 14 September – The Royle Family (1998–2000, 2006–present)
• September – Bob The Builder (1998–present)
• 12 November – Dinnerladies (1998–2000)

BBC Two

• 15 January – Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998–2000)
• 15 February – This Morning with Richard Not Judy (1998–1999)

ITV

• 24 January – Ice Warriors (1998)
• 6 March – Airline (1998–present)
• April – Diggit (1998–2003)
• 16 May – Don't Try This at Home sequels to take over from You Bet! (1998–2001)
• 29 August – SMTV Live (1998–2003)
• 4 September – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? sequels to take over from Everybody's Equal (1998–present)
• 15 November – Cold Feet (1998–2003)

Channel 4

• 12 April – Scrapheap Challenge (1998–present)
• 3 July – So Graham Norton (1998–2002)
• 30 September – The 11 O'Clock Show (1998–2000)
• 30 October – Streetmate (1998–present)

Channel 5

• 28 April – Open House with Gloria Hunniford (1998–2003)

Nickelodeon UK

• 23 February - Renford Rejects (1998-2001)

Television shows

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

• James the Cat (1984–1992 ITV, 1998–2003 Channel 5)
• Wipeout (Paul Daniels 1994–1997, Bob Monkhouse 1998–2002)

1950s

• Panorama (1953–present)
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)
• Captain Pugwash (1957–1975, 1997–2002)
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (1960–present).
• Songs of Praise (1961–present).
• Top of the Pops (1964–2006).
• Match of the Day (1964–present).
• Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010).
• Call My Bluff (1965–2005).
• The Money Programme (1966–present).

1970s

• Emmerdale (1972–present).
• Newsround (1972–present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010).
• Wish You Were Here...? (1974–present).
• Arena (1975–present).
• Grange Hill (1978–2008).
• Blankety Blank (1979–1990, 1997–2002).
• Antiques Roadshow (1979–present).
• Question Time (1979–present)

1980s

• Timewatch (1982–present)
• Brookside (1982–2003)
• Right to Reply (1982–2001)
• The Bill (1984–2010)
• EastEnders (1985–present).
• Comic Relief (1986–present).
• Casualty (1986–present).
• ChuckleVision (1987–present).
• London's Burning (1988–2002)
• On the Record (1988–2002)
• Fifteen to One (1988–2003)
• This Morning (1988–present).

1990s

• Stars in Their Eyes (1990–2006)
• 2point4 children (1991–1999)
• Noel's House Party (1991–1999)
• The Big Breakfast (1992–2002)
• Heartbeat (1992–2010)
• Breakfast with Frost (1993–2005)
• Wipeout (1994–1997, 1998–2002)
• Time Team (1994–present)
• Hollyoaks (1995–present)
• Ballykissangel (1996–2001)
• Y Clwb Rygbi, Wales (1997–present)
• Dream Team (1997–2007)
• The Jack Docherty Show (1997–1999)
• Family Affairs (1997–2005)
• 100% (1997–2001)
• Teletubbies (1997–2001, 2007–present)
• Robot Wars (1994, 1997–present)
• Midsomer Murders (1997–present)

Ending this year

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)
• Take Your Pick (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
• World in Action (1963–1998)
• Alas Smith and Jones (1982–1998)
• Crosswits (1985–1998)
• Telly Addicts (1985–1998)
• The Chart Show (1986–1998, 2008–2009)
• Birds of a Feather (1989–1998)
• The Riddlers (1989–1998)
• Drop the Dead Donkey (1990–1998)
• Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998)
• Run the Risk (1993–1998)
• Saturday Disney (1993–1998)
• Tots TV (1993–1998)
• Wycliffe (1994–1998)
• Father Ted (1995–1998)
• Is It Legal? (1995–1998)
• The Demon Headmaster (1996–1998)
• Muppets Tonight (1996–1998)
• Wake Up in the Wild Room (1996–1998)
• Whittle (1997–1998)
• Noah's Ark (1997–1998)
• Ice Warriors (1998)

Deaths

• 2 January – Frank Muir, 77, comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur
• 28 February – Dermot Morgan, 45, star of Father Ted.
• 2 May – Kevin Lloyd, 49, actor, The Bill
• 17 October – Joan Hickson, 92, actress, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
• 13 December – Sir Lew Grade, 91, showbusiness impresario and television company executive.

References

Years in television: 1998
Template:TV countries/1998