1936 1946 1950 1955 1957 1959

3.00pm Reopening of the BBC Television Service by the Postmaster General, the Earl of Listowel. The programme includes a dance by Margot Fonteyn

3.15 Mickey's Gala Premiere This cartoon film was the last item transmitted before the BBC Television Service was interrupted on Friday 1st September 1939

3.30 Variety Party introducing Mantovani and his orchestra, Jackie Hunter the Canadian comedian, Kay Cavendish ('Kay on the keys'), The Three Admirals, and others

3.50-4.15 The Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw. Shakespeare played by Henry Oscar, Queen Elizabeth played by Dorothy Black. Followed by Closedown

8.30pm Film

8.40 Geraldo and his orchestra

9.10 The Silence of the Sea A television play of 'Le Silence de la Mer' by Vercors

10.00 News Maps 1939-1946 JF Horrabin returns to illustrate the news with maps, diagrams and pictures. Presented by Mary Adams

10.30-10.40 News (sound only)

10.50am-1.15pm The Victory Parade The programme starts shortly before the arrival at the saluting base of the Royal Coach with their Majesties and Princesses. Viewers watch the parade from a position just opposite the saluting base, and until the start of the march past they have an opportunity of seeing the many well-known personages sitting near the Royal party.

3.00 Friends from the Zoo

3.20 The Squadronnaires conducted by Jimmy Miller (with permission of Butlins Holiday Camps)

3.50-4.00 Film

During the evening, if conditions permit, a visit will be paid to the terrace of the House of Commons

8.15 Viewers will be taken to Westminster to see the crowd assembling there for the evening celebrations. Franklin Engelmann and Derek Baker will interview some of the spectators

8.30 Cabaret Cartoons Cartoons by Harry Rutherford

9.30 Film

9.40 Koringa The sensational circus performer with her crocodiles

9.55 Fashion Forecast How to choose a hat

10.15-10.25 News (sound only)

June 1946 highlights

The BBC Television Service resumed on 7th June 1946, after a near-seven year break. At 3.00pm BBC announcer Jasmine Bligh (right) walked towards the camera on the terrace of Alexandra Park and smiled, "Do you remember me?"

Following another opening ceremony, which included a dance by Margot Fonteyn, programmes resumed with the same Mickey Mouse cartoon that was 'so rudely interrupted', in the words of announcer Leslie Mitchell, in September 1939. This was followed by another item postponed for seven years, the concert featuring Mantovani's orchestra. Television's first day back was also marked by two plays, George Bernard Shaw's The Dark Lady of the Sonnets and The Silence of the Sea.

The next day marked the first anniversary of VE Day, and the BBC provided television coverage of the Victory Parade held along the Mall. Richard Dimbleby and Frederick Grisewood were on hand to provide commentary on the event. However coverage of the evening celebrations was to be limited to fifteen minutes of the crowd assembling. Then television had to break away for an hour of 'cabaret cartoons' (whatever they are) and a guide on how to choose a hat.

When it returned in 1946, television was still a relatively modest affair; the service was still only available to viewers living within at least 40 miles of the Alexandra Palace transmitter, and programmes were only broadcast for around a total of three hours a day. However there was plenty to look forward to - the pre-war magazine Picture Page was revived, and a month after the resumption of television, the first regular children's programme, For the Children, was shown. Favourites such as Muffin the Mule and Richard Hearne also made their debuts this year.

But the television service was hit again in February 1947 when a fuel crisis during the harsh winter cut programming hours back to evenings only; the Home, Light and Third radio services suffered a similar fate. The full service was resumed on 28th April 1947; but it would take until the end of the decade for television to finally break out of London.

1936 1946 1950 1955 1957 1959

Radio Times Covers