List of longest-running British television programmes

This is a list of the longest-running television programmes in the United Kingdom.

Running
No. of broadcast years
(after year of first broadcast)[lower-alpha 1]		 Title Network Genre Airing between
78 Lord Mayor's Show BBC One (BBC) Outside broadcast 1937–1938, 1946–present[1]
70 Panorama[2] BBC One (BBC) and BBC World News (BBC) Current affairs 1953–present
67 Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision and Euroradio networks Song contest 1956–present
66 The Sky at Night BBC One (1957–2013) and BBC Four (2014–present) Science programme 1957–present
66 Royal Christmas Message BBC Speech
65 Blue Peter BBC Television Service (1958–1960), BBC TV (1960–1964), BBC1 (1964–2012), CBBC (1985–present), and CBBC HD (2013–present) Children's television series 1958–present
63 Coronation Street[3] ITV Soap opera 1960–present
62 Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol (Welsh)[4] BBC One Wales (1961–1982) and S4C (1982–present) Religious series 1961–present
62 Songs of Praise BBC One (BBC)
59 Horizon BBC Two (BBC) Science programme 1964–present
59 Match of the Day BBC Two (1964–1966) and BBC One (1966–present) Sport
55 Gardeners' World BBC Two (BBC) Gardening programme 1968–present
55 A Question of Sport BBC One (BBC) Game show
54 Points of View Factual 1961–1971, 1979–present
54 University Challenge ITV (1962–87) and BBC Two (1994–present) Quiz show 1962–1987, 1994–present
53 Cân i Gymru (Welsh) BBC One (1969), BBC One Wales (1970–1978, 1982), HTV (1979, 1981), BBC Radio Cymru (1980), S4C (1983–present) Song contest 1969–1972, 1974–1981, 1983–present
51 Newsround BBC One (1972–2012), CBBC (2002–present), BBC Two (2022–present) Children's news 1972–present
51 Mastermind BBC One (1972–1997), BBC Radio 4 (1998–2000), Discovery Channel (2001–2002), and BBC Two (2003–) Game show
51 Emmerdale ITV Soap opera
50 ITV News at Ten News 1967–1999, 2001–2004, 2008–present
49 Pobol y Cwm (Welsh)[5] BBC One Wales (1974–1982) and S4C (1982–present) Soap opera 1974–present
48 Sportscene BBC One Scotland (BBC), BBC Two Scotland (BBC), and BBC Scotland (BBC) Sport 1975–present
48 Arena BBC Two (1975–2011) and BBC Four (2003–present) Documentary 1975–present
46 It'll Be Alright on the Night ITV, STV, UTV Bloopers programme 1977–present
45 Top Gear Original: BBC Two (BBC)
Revival: BBC Two (2002–2020), BBC HD (2007, 2009–2013), BBC Knowledge (2013–present), BBC One (2020–present)		 Automotive series 1977–2001, 2002–present
45 The South Bank Show ITV (1978–2010) and Sky Arts (2012–present) Art programme 1978–2010, 2012–present
44 Antiques Roadshow BBC One (BBC) Factual 1979–present
44 Doctor Who Science fiction series 1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present
44 Question Time Political panel programme 1979–present
43 Newsnight BBC Two (BBC), BBC World News (BBC), and BBC News Channel (BBC) News programme 1980–present
43 Children in Need BBC One (BBC) and BBC Two (BBC) Charity programme
42 See Hear Deaf magazine programme 1981–present
41 Countdown Channel 4 Game show 1982–present
39 BBC News at Six BBC One (BBC) and BBC News Channel (BBC) News programme 1984–present
38 EastEnders Soap opera 1985–present
37 Casualty[6] Medical drama 1986–present
37 BBC News at One BBC One (BBC) and BBC News Channel (BBC) News programme
37 HOW[7][8] Children's programme 1966–1981, 1990–2006, 2020–present
36 Dispatches Current affairs 1987–present
36 Fireman Sam English: BBC One (Series 1–4), CBeebies (Series 5), Cartoonito (Series 6–present), Channel 5 (Series 8–present)
Welsh: S4C		 Children's television series
35 Comic Relief Charity programme 1988–present
35 Countryfile News magazine
35 This Morning Daytime TV
33 Have I Got News for You Satire 1990–present
32 Crackerjack Children's television 1955–1984, 2020–present
31 Later... with Jools Holland Music 1992–present
29 The National Lottery Draws Game show 1994–present
28 Catchphrase Game show 1986–2004, 2013–present
28 Rownd a Rownd (Welsh) S4C Soap opera 1995–present
28 Hollyoaks Channel 4 (1995–present), E4 (2001–present), and All 4 (2022–present) 1995–present
27 Silent Witness Drama 1996–present
26 Midsomer Murders ITV Detective series 1997–present
26 Jonathan Creek Crime drama 1997–present
25 Family Fortunes ITV Game show 1980–2002, 2020–present
25 Red Dwarf Sitcom 1988–1999, 2009–present
24 Grand Designs DIY 1999–present
24 Loose Women Talk show 1999–present
24 Sky News at 10 Sky News News 1999–present
23 Bargain Hunt Antiques programme 2000–present
23 BBC Breakfast BBC One (BBC) and BBC News Channel (BBC) News programme 2000–present
23 BBC News at Ten 2000–present
23 Doctors BBC One (BBC) Soap opera 2000–present
21 Escape to the Country BBC One (BBC) Daytime Factual 2002–present
21 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV Variety 2002–present
21 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Out of Here! Reality competition series 2002–present
21 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Quiz 1998–2014, 2018–present
20 Eggheads BBC One (2003–2004), BBC Two (2005–2020), and Channel 5 (2021–present) Quiz 2003–present
20 Homes Under the Hammer Factual 2003–present
20 QI Panel show 2003–present
20 Something Special Preschool series 2003–present
19 Strictly Come Dancing Talent show 2004–present
19 Live at the Apollo Stand-up comedy 2004–present
19 The Gadget Show Channel 5 Consumer technology review 2004–present
19 Peppa Pig Channel 5 and Nick Jr. Preschool series 2004–2012, 2016–present
18 Come Dine with Me Reality 2005–present
18 8 Out of 10 Cats Panel show 2005–present
17 The One Show BBC One (BBC) Magazine and chat show 2006–present
17 Not Going Out Sitcom 2006–present
17 Dickinson's Real Deal Antiques programme 2006–present
17 The Weakest Link BBC One (BBC) Quiz 2000–2012, 2017, 2021–present
16 Animal Park Documentary 2000–2009, 2016–present
16 Britain's Got Talent ITV Variety talent show 2007-2020, 2022-present
16 The Graham Norton Show BBC Two (2007–09) and BBC One (2009–present) Talk show 2007–present
16 Shaun the Sheep CBBC (2007–2020, 2022–present), BBC One (2015–2020), Netflix (2020–present), and BBC Two (2022–present) Animation 2007–present
16 Would I Lie to You? Panel show 2007–present
15 Coach Trip Reality 2005–2006, 2009–present
14 The Chase ITV Quiz 2009–present
14 Pointless BBC Two (2009–2011), and BBC One (2011–present) Quiz 2009–present
13 Dancing on Ice ITV Talent show 2006–2014, 2018–present
13 The Great British Bake Off BBC Two (2010–2013), BBC One (2014–2016), and Channel 4 (2017–present) Baking competition 2010–present
13 A League of Their Own Sky One (2010–2021), and Sky Max (2021–present) Sports Quiz 2010–present
13 Lorraine ITV Morning magazine show 2010–present
13 The Only Way Is Essex ITV2 (2010–2014), and ITVBe (2014–present) Reality 2010–present
12 The Jonathan Ross Show ITV Talk show 2011–present
12 Made In Chelsea E4 Reality 2011–present
12 Mrs. Brown's Boys[lower-alpha 2] BBC Scotland Sitcom 2011–present
12 Geordie Shore MTV Reality 2011-present
11 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Channel 4 Comedy quiz show 2012-present
11 The Last Leg Channel 4 Topical panel 2012-present
11 Stand Up to Cancer Channel 4 Charity telethon 2012-present
10 Gogglebox Channel 4 Reality 2013-present
12 First Dates Channel 4 Reality dating 2013-present

Ended
No. of broadcast years after year of first broadcast Title Network Genre Airing between Notes
55 Up (ITV series) Documentary 1964–2019 The BBC version (also made by a unit of ITV Studios) started in April 2000 with two episodes of 28 Up: Millennial Generation broadcast on 29 September 2021 and 6 October 2021, giving a timeframe of 21 years for the BBC programme and 57 years for the overall Up format.[9][10][11]
52 What the Papers Say News programme 1956–2008
49 Come Dancing Talent show 1949–1998[lower-alpha 3] The celebrity show Strictly Come Dancing[12] has been broadcast on the BBC since 2004 with series 19 being launched on BBC One on 18 September 2021.[13]
49 Grandstand Sport 1958–2007
46 The Generation Game Game show 1971–2018 The series ended in 2002, with two specials hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins being shown on BBC One in April 2018.[14][15] Even though these episodes are listed as series 1[16] on the BBC programme guide, no regular series have been made since Jim Davidson left the series in the early 2000s.
46 The Film Show[17] Entertainment review 1971–2018
44 The Money Programme Finance programme 1966–2010
43 This Is Your Life Documentary 1955–1964, 1969–2003, 2007
42 Top of the Pops Chart programme 1964–2006 Two special best of the year editions (with one billed as the Christmas show[18] and the other as the New Year show)[19] have been usually scheduled each year since 2006, with the last new episode going out on BBC One on 31 December 2021, giving a total of 57 years. In addition to these shows BBC Four have been broadcasting new Big Hits compilation shows and Story of... documentaries since 2006.[20][21]
38 Holiday Travel documentary 1969–2007
38 Tomorrow's World Science and technology 1965–2003
37 Last of the Summer Wine Sitcom 1973–2010
37 The Sooty Show Children's programme 1955–1992
36 Thomas & Friends[22] ITV (Series 1–3 and 7)

Direct-to-video (Series 4–5)

Nick Jr. (Series 6 and 8–11)

Channel 5 (Series 12–24)

 Children's programme 1984–2021 Rebooted into Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! by Mattel Television & Nelvana, which premiered in autumn 2021 after cancellation on 20 January 2021.
35 World in Action Current affairs 1963–1998
35 Postman Pat Children's programme 1981–2017
34 Mr and Mrs Game show 1965–1999 Phillip Schofield started to host a celebrity revival called All Star Mr & Mrs in 2008, with this new version lasting until 2016.
34 Watchdog Consumer advice programme 1985–2019[23][24] After the regular series was cancelled, Watchdog became a feature segment on Wednesday night episodes of The One Show,[25][26] with Matt Allwright[27] and Nikki Fox continuing from the old programme to present the reports.[28]
33 You've Been Framed! Comedy 1990-2023
32 Crimewatch Crime programme 1984–2017 A spin-off programme, Crimewatch Live, continues to air on an ad-hoc basis as part of BBC One's daytime schedule.
31 Call My Bluff Game show 1965–1988, 1994, 1996–2004
31 Jackanory Children's programme 1965–1996
30 BBC Nine O'Clock News BBC One (BBC) News programme 1970–2000
30 Grange Hill Children's drama series 1978–2008
30 Sunrise News 1989–2019
28 It's a Knockout Game show 1966–1988, 1990–1994, 1999–2001
28 Timewatch History series 1981–2009
17 GMTV ITV and ITV2 (GMTV2) Breakfast Show 1993–2010 ITV's current breakfast show Good Morning Britain uses the name of GMTV's predecessor, broadcast by ITV company TV-am between 1983 and 1992. This gives the Good Morning Britain breakfast programme brand a span of 38 years as of 2021.[29]
27 Taggart Detective series 1983–2010
26 The Bill Police drama 1984–2010
26 Crossroads Soap opera 1964–1988, 2001–2003
25 Bullseye Sport game show 1981–2006 Bullseye is one of the formats used for Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow with episodes of the game appearing on ITV as part of series 1 (4 July 2020) and series 2 (10 April 2021 and the celebrity version on 8 May 2021). The game will be used again for the third series, alongside episodes including other formats from the 1980s like Child's Play and Strike It Lucky.[30]
24 The Big Match Sport 1968–1992
24 Poirot ITV Detective drama 1989–2013
24 Play School Children's programme 1964–1988
23 Holby City BBC One (BBC) Medical drama 1999–2022
23 Play Your Cards Right Game show 1980–2003 Play Your Cards Right is one of the formats used for Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow with episodes of the game appearing on ITV as part of series 1 (27 June 2020 and a celebrity version from 30 May 2020) and series 2 (a celebrity special on 3 April 2021).
23 Take the High Road Soap opera 1980–2003
23 Top of the Pops 2 Archive music programme 1994–2017
22 Only Fools and Horses Sitcom 1981–2003
22 ChuckleVision Children's programme 1987–2009
21 Art Attack Children's programme 1990–2007, 2011–2015
21 Brookside Soap opera 1982–2003
21 Dixon of Dock Green Police drama 1955–1976
21 Parkinson Chat show 1971–1982, 1987–1988, 1998–2007 A retrospective show Parkinson at 50 was broadcast by BBC One on 28 August 2021.[31]
20 Pingu CBeebies Children's programme 1986–2006
20 Rainbow Children's education 1972–1992
20 The Really Wild Show Children's programme 1986–2006
20 Surprise Surprise Game show 1984–2001, 2012–2015
20 Time Team Archaeology 1994–2014
19 Jim'll Fix It Children's programme 1975–1994, 2007
19 The Krypton Factor Game show 1977–1995, 2009–2010
19 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Panel show 1996–2015 Sky put into production a new version of Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2021 with Greg Davies as host and Noel Fielding continuing in his role as team captain alongside Daisy May Cooper, giving the show a total of 25 years.[32][33][34]
18 Blind Date Dating game show 1985–2003 Channel 5 broadcast a version of this format with Paul O'Grady between 2017 and 2019, giving Blind Date a span of 34 years.[35]
18 Heartbeat Drama 1992–2010
18 A Touch of Frost Detective drama 1992–2010
17 Big Brother Reality television 2000–2010; 2011–2018
17 Byker Grove Teen drama 1989–2006
17 Mock the Week Panel show 2005–2022
17 Opportunity Knocks Talent show 1956, 1964–1978, 1987–1990
15 Z-Cars Police procedural 1962–1965, 1967–1978
15 SMart Children's programme 1994–2009
15 Minder Comedy drama 1979–1994
14 Blankety Blank Game show 1979–1990, 1997–1999, 2001–2002 BBC One started broadcasting a new series of Blankety Blank on 2 October 2021 with Bradley Walsh as host, with the new episodes airing on the channel more than 41 years after the BBC broadcast the first episode with Terry Wogan on 18 January 1979.[36][37][38][39]
14 London's Burning Drama 1988–2002
14 Rumpole of the Bailey Legal drama 1978–1992
14 The Jeremy Kyle Show Tabloid talk show 2005–2019
14 The X Factor Talent show 2004–2018 This total does not include the 2019 spin-offs The X Factor: Celebrity or The X Factor: The Band.
13 Get Your Own Back Children's game show 1991–2004
13 The Vicar of Dibley Sitcom 1994–2007, 2020
13 Inspector Morse ITV Detective drama 1987–2000
13 Foyle's War ITV, STV, and UTV Detective drama 2002–2015
12 All Creatures Great and Small Comedy drama 1978–1990 In 2020, Channel 5 started to broadcast a new version of the show with Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot and Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon.[40]
12 The Basil Brush Show Children's programme 1968–1980
12 Blockbusters Quiz 1983–1993, 1994–1995, 1997, 2000–2001, 2012, 2019
12 Britain's Got More Talent Variety talent companion show 2007–2019 This title was replaced by a new companion show, Britain's Got Talent: Unseen, on the ITV Hub from 2020.[41][42]
12 New Tricks BBC One (BBC) Comedy drama 2003–2015
12 Peep Show Sitcom 2003–2015
12 The Price is Right Game show 1984–1988, 1989–1990, 1995–2001, 2006–2007 The Price is Right is one of the formats used for Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow with episodes of the game appearing on ITV as part of series 1 (6 June 2020) and series 2 (17 April 2021).
12 Spitting Image Satire 1984–1996 In 2020, a new version of the show was made for international streamer BritBox with input from American and British writers. A couple of the episodes from the revived series, such as the Halloween Special (30 October 2021), have been also shown on ITV, the original broadcast channel of Spitting Image when it debuted 37 years earlier.[43]
12 The Xtra Factor Talent companion show 2004–2016
11 Benidorm Sitcom 2007–2018
11 Brum Children's programme 1991–2002
11 Children's Ward Children's drama series 1989–2000
11 Deal or No Deal Game show 2005–2016
11 Harry Hill's TV Burp Comedy 2001–2012
11 Mike and Angelo Children's programme 1989–2000
11 My Family Sitcom 2000–2011
11 Till Death Us Do Part Comedy 1965–1975
10 After Dark Discussion series 1987–1997, 2003
10 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Detective drama 1984–1994
10 One Foot in the Grave Sitcom 1990–2000
10 Rosie and Jim CITV (ITV) Children's programme 1990–2000
10 Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Sitcom 2001–2011

See also

Notes
  1. Discounting first years of further runs if broadcast non-continuously
  2. Made in partnership with Irish broadcaster RTÉ
  3. Not a competition until 1953

References
  1. "The Lord Mayor's Show dates". BBC Genome. Retrieved 10 September 2018. (not broadcast during WW2 1939–1945)
  2. "Panorama BBC Television, 11 November 1953". BBC Genome. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  3. Bloxham, Andy (24 September 2010). "Coronation Street becomes world's longest-running soap". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  4. "Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol". 1 January 1961. p. 16 – via BBC Genome.
  5. "Pobol y Cwm". 16 October 1974. p. 55 – via BBC Genome.
  6. "Casualty to celebrate the end of 30th Anniversary series with a pioneering one-shot episode". BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. "HOW - Watch episodes".
  8. "Watch CITV live".
  9. "BBC One - 28 up: Millennium Generation".
  10. "'So different': How the millennials of 28 up are coping with changing times". TheGuardian.com. 28 September 2021.
  11. "Where the cast of 7 up are now they're 28 as new series starts on BBC". 29 September 2021.
  12. "Strictly Come Dancing" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. "Strictly Come Dancing - Series 19: Launch Show" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  14. "BBC One - the Generation Game, Series 1, Episode 1".
  15. "BBC One - the Generation Game, Series 1, Episode 2".
  16. "BBC One - the Generation Game - Episode guide".
  17. The Film Programme https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46694568
  18. "BBC One - Top of the Pops, Christmas 2020".
  19. "BBC One - Top of the Pops, New Year Special 2020/2021".
  20. "BBC One - Top of the Pops, the Story of 1990".
  21. "BBC One - Top of the Pops, 1990 - Big Hits".
  22. "Ultimate Guide to Thomas the Tank Engine". 6 November 2006. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013.
  23. "BBC One - Watchdog, Series 42, Episode 6".
  24. "BBC One - Watchdog - Episode guide".
  25. "BBC One - the One Show - Watchdog on the One Show".
  26. "BBC One - the One Show, 22/06/2022".
  27. "BBC One - the One Show, 15/06/2022".
  28. "BBC One - the One Show, 29/06/2022".
  29. "Good Morning Britain".
  30. "Alan Carr Returns for More Epic Gameshow on Itv". 25 October 2021.
  31. "BBC One - Parkinson at 50".
  32. Ryan, Ryan (16 September 2021). "The return of 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks': "It was chaos"". NME.
  33. "Never Mind the Buzzcocks review – Daisy May Cooper takes on the pop patriarchy". TheGuardian.com. 21 September 2021.
  34. "Never Mind the Buzzcocks is back and coming exclusively to Sky and NOW with Greg Davies as host".
  35. Henry, Grace (9 March 2020). "Paul O'Grady's Blind Date "unlikely to return" to Channel 5". Radio Times.
  36. "Blankety Blank".
  37. "BBC One - Blankety Blank - Available now". BBC.
  38. "BBC One - Blankety Blank, Series 1, Episode 1".
  39. "Bradley Walsh brings Blankety Blank back to BBC One's Saturday nights".
  40. "My5". www.channel5.com.
  41. "Head to the ITV Hub for BGT: Unseen!". ITV.
  42. "Your Britain's Got Talent: Unseen acts are here".
  43. Webb, Beth (15 October 2021). "'Spitting Image' returns to live TV with Halloween special". NME.
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