1999 in British television

This is a list of British television related events from 1999.

Events

=January=

1 January
New Year's Day highlights on BBC One include Ron Howard's acclaimed 1995 Astronaut drama Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris.{{cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1999-01-01 |title=BBC One London – 1 January 1999 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 November 2016}}
Denise van Outen presents her final edition of The Big Breakfast although she will return in September of the following year.{{cite news|last=Fuller |first=Rick |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Outen+with+the+old..%3B+Denise+bids+last+farewell+to+the+Big+Breakfast.-a060364893 |title=Outen with the old..; Denise bids last farewell to the Big Breakfast |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=1 January 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}
In Coronation Street, four-decade resident Alf Roberts dies of a heart attack, just one month before the real-life death of Bryan Mosley, the actor who had portrayed him since his debut in 1961.{{cite news|first=Anthony |last=Hayward |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-bryan-mosley-1070036.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-bryan-mosley-1070036.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Obituary: Bryan Mosley |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=11 February 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}
3–4 January – BBC One airs a two-part adaptation of Andy McNab's book Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean as McNab and set during the Gulf War.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8a62f5a8cc1e4a1e896ffde765c38609|title=Bravo Two Zero – BBC One London – 3 January 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=3 January 1999 |access-date=23 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/834d2009c2a147029e942cae78ddd174|title=Bravo Two Zero – BBC One London – 4 January 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=4 January 1999 |access-date=23 October 2018}}
4 January
GMTV2 launches during the breakfast downtime of ITV2.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIxGRH8Dyfg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/AIxGRH8Dyfg |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=GMTV2 starts Monday 4th January 1999|last=thesearethedays|date=25 February 2018|access-date=25 September 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Debut of The Vanessa Show with Vanessa Feltz on BBC One.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1fcdf1277c2d4f34a81833d20c46fbcc |title=The Vanessa Show – BBC One London – 4 January 1999 – BBC Genome |date=4 January 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
Australian children's drama Misery Guts begins to air on BBC One.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6d7305ee1cfd44ffb20cddf64de8fdd1 |title=Misery Guts – BBC One London – 4 January 1999 – BBC Genome |date=4 January 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
Canadian television series for preschoolers Polka Dot Shorts begins to air in the UK on BBC Two. The series is so popular in the UK, it continues airing on the BBC for 6 years until 2004 and a range of videos of the series is released by Abbey Home Media.
Debut of Canadian science-fiction drama television series First Wave on Sky One, starring Sebastian Spence.
5 January
Provisional viewing figures suggest that an episode of ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? aired on 3 January was watched by 17 million viewers, making it the highest viewed television programme, excluding soaps and World Cup matches since 1997.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/249276.stm |title=ITV's millionaire windfall |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 January 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
As he prepares to launch a new series of Parkinson, broadcaster Michael Parkinson criticises his chat show rival, footballer Ian Wright telling BBC Radio 5 Live's Sybil Ruscoe that Wright has a "careless attitude" and does not have the "understanding" to do his job properly.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/249010.stm |title=Parkinson shows Wright the red card |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 January 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
6 January
In a stunt organised by the recently launched "lads magazine" Front, television presenter Noel Edmonds is hit in the face with two custard pies while filming for Noel's House Party in London's Oxford Street.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/250333.stm |title=Noel gets a pie in the eye |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=7 January 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
A Broadcasting Standards Commission survey indicates that many viewers believe sex is used on television in order to boost ratings.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/249667.stm |title=Sex used to boost ratings says survey |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=6 January 1999 |access-date=3 May 2014}}
7 January – BBC One airs the network television premiere of Braveheart, Mel Gibson's 1995 historical drama about the late-13th century warrior William Wallace who led Scots clans in the fight for Scottish independence; it also stars Patrick McGoohan, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine McCormack and Sophie Marceau in her first English-language appearance.
8 January
Teenage model Kelly Brook is chosen to replace Denise van Outen as co-host of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast alongside Johnny Vaughan.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Kelly's+big+break+on+Big+Breakfast.-a060553511 |title=Kelly's big break on Big Breakfast |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=8 January 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/251111.stm |title=Channel 4 wakes up to Kelly |publisher=BBC |newspaper=BBC News |date=8 January 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}
Nita Desai, played by Rebecca Sarker arrives in Coronation Street to take over from Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) as manager of the corner shop. She is the first member of the Desai family—the soap's first Asian family—to be seen on screen.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/240023.stm |title=First Asian family joins the Street |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=21 December 1998 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
Debut of the sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme on BBC Two, starring Kathy Burke and James Dreyfus.
10 January –
ITV replaces its long-running Sunday morning church service broadcast, Morning Worship, with a new religious magazine programme, Sunday Morning, which includes a short service. The first venue for the programme is Frinton Free Church in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5536124.frinton-church-service-on-tv/ |title=Frinton church service on TV |date=31 December 1998 |website=Colchester Gazette |access-date=23 October 2023}}
ITV begins a six-part adaptation of Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island.{{cite news|first=Tony |last=Purnell |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Weekend+View-a060224928 |title=Weekend View |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=11 January 1999 |access-date=14 October 2016}}
11 January – The black comedy show The League of Gentlemen debuts on BBC Two.{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/locals-relive-comedy-capers-in-popular-912399 |title='Locals' relive comedy capers in popular village |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=4 March 2009 |access-date=14 May 2014}} Along with The Fast Show and Goodness Gracious Me, it is credited with boosting international interest in British comedy series.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/292749.stm |title=BBC comedy in a different League |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 March 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
12 January
Debut of the Casualty spin-off, Holby City on BBC One. Among the cast are several former soap stars including Michael French, Angela Griffin, Nicola Stephenson and Lisa Faulkner.{{cite news|first=Graham |last=Keal |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Drama+that+gets+right+to+the+heart+of+the+matter%3B+Graham+Keal+finds...-a060553497 |title=Drama that gets right to the heart of the matter |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=8 January 1999 |access-date=10 June 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d0c06cb497f240b7b3f60ffb3d999e98 |title=Holby City – BBC One London – 12 January 1999 – BBC Genome |date=12 January 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
Airline returns to ITV for a second series with EasyJet now as the featured company.
13 January – BBC One's audience share drops below 30% for the first time.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/fewer-than-three-in-ten-viewers-watching-bbc1-1046889.html |title=Fewer than three in ten viewers watching BBC1 |work=The Independent|first=Rhys |last=Williams |date=14 January 1999 |access-date=24 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102205241/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/fewer-than-three-in-ten-viewers-watching-bbc1-1046889.html |archive-date=2 November 2012 |url-status=live}}
16 January – ITV's On the Ball has been recommissioned for a second run for the 1999–2000 football season despite getting off to a slow start, The Mirror newspaper reports.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3A+ITV+will+keep+'On+The+Ball'+rolling.-a060224570 |title=Football: ITV will keep 'On The Ball' rolling |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Sunday Mirror |date=16 January 1999 |access-date=6 May 2014}}
18 January – British Eurosport launches, replacing the pan-European version on most platforms. The change sees the introduction of live studio presentation of major events.
19 January
ITV's This Morning becomes the first programme on British television to show men how to check themselves for signs of testicular cancer.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/258090.stm |title=TV first for testicular check |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 January 1999 |access-date=16 April 2014}}
Carlton Communications has spent £91 million on a library of 300 films from Universal Studios. The titles which were part of the ITC Television library, include The Eagle Has Landed, The Big Easy, Sophie's Choice, Thunderbirds, The Saint, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Jesus of Nazareth.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/258411.stm |title=Thunderbirds are going, going, gone |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 January 1999 |access-date=22 April 2015}}
Claire King makes her final regular appearance as Emmerdale character Kim Tate after a decade with the series.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmerdale.me.uk/emmerdale/profiles/kim.htm |title=Emmerdale's Kim Tate |publisher=Emmerdale.me.uk |access-date=25 September 2018}} Following a two decades long absence from the soap in September 2018, ITV confirms King will reprise the role for a special week of episodes from 8 October 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/news/a866938/emmerdale-kim-tate-claire-king-shocking-return/|title=Emmerdale confirms a shocking return as Claire King reprises her role as Kim Tate|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Magazines UK|last=Lee|first=Jess|date=24 September 2018|access-date=25 September 2018}}
20 January
The UK government says no political pressure was applied to the BBC over its decision not to give Scotland a separate version of the Six O'Clock News.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/258512.stm |title=BBC 'not pressured' over Scottish Six |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 January 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}
ITV announce that Michael Nicholson and Jonathan Maitland will join Trevor McDonald to present a new current affairs programme for the network.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/259219.stm |title=ITV reveals flagship news team |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 January 1999 |access-date=22 April 2015}}
Channel 4 defends a segment on today's edition of The Big Breakfast in which guest presenter Jenny McCarthy assumes a number of suggestive poses as she playsa "Guess the Balls" game with footballer Vinnie Jones. The item appears at 8:30am when the content can be viewed by children, but a Channel 4 spokesman tells Scotland's Daily Record that "Jenny McCarthy's performance within this criteria has been stunning and we see no areas where she has let us or the public down this week."{{cite news|last=Smith |first=Steve |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/TV+HITS+ROCK+BOTTOM%3B+Big+Breakfast+girl+Jenny+is+fondled+on+a+double...-a060404236 |title=TV hits rock bottom; Big Breakfast girl Jenny is fondled on a double bed |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=21 January 1999 |access-date=17 May 2014}}
The Broadcasting Standards Commission upholds viewer complaints against the TV series Compromising Situations, aired on Channel 5 as well as the film Centerfold which the network aired in Summer 1998. Channel 5 is also criticised by the BSC for making sexually explicit material available on free-to-air television.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/264466.stm |title=Soft porn warning from TV watchdog |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=28 January 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}
21 January – ITV and Channel 4 sign a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
27 January
After upholding four viewer complaints about Compromising Situations, a late-night erotic anthology series aired on Channel 5, the Broadcasting Standards Commission warns that erotic content on the channel could lead to soft porn being shown on mainstream television. The Commission expresses the opinion that complaints about Compromising Situations and another series, Hot Line raises "significant issues for public debate". The ruling leads to a row between the Commission and Channel 5, with its chief executive David Elstein, comparing the reprimand to the 1960 prosecution of Penguin Books over its publication of Lady Chatterley's Lover.{{cite news|last=Gibson |first=Janine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/jan/28/janinegibson |title=TV boss refuses to drop erotic series | UK news |work=The Guardian|date=28 January 1999 |access-date=2018-01-13}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/264466.stm |title=UK | Soft porn warning from TV watchdog |work=BBC News |date=1999-01-28 |access-date=2018-01-13}}
Cat food brand Whiskas premiere "the first ever commercial for cats" during Coronation Street, receiving wide media coverage
29 January – Channel 5 airs episode 480 of Family Affairs which sees the entire Hart family killed in a boat explosion. The episode marks a change in direction for the soap which is to move from its riverside location to west London.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TONIGHT'S+HIGHLIGHTS.-a060485782 |title=Tonight's highlights |first=Marion |last=McMullen |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=29 January 1999 |access-date=4 April 2014}}{{cite news|first=Nancy |last=Banks-Smith |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/jan/30/channelfive.tvandradio |title=Who left the gas on? |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 January 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}

=February=

1 February
Kelly Brook takes over from Denise van Outen as co-presenter of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-yhey-famous-kelly-brook-1075869.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-yhey-famous-kelly-brook-1075869.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Why are they famous? Kelly Brook |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=24 January 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|last=Christy |first=Desmond |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/1999/feb/02/artsfeatures2 |title=Yes! A tenner for every titter |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 February 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}
The Channel 4 Political Awards is broadcast for the first time.
2 February – As Glenn Hoddle is sacked as England football manager following the controversy over comments he made during a recent interview it is revealed his 13-year-old daughter Zara, wrote to the BBC's Ceefax asking people to leave Hoddle alone to get on with his job.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/270608.stm |title=Leave dad alone |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 February 1999 |access-date=23 October 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8260196.stm |title=10 things you didn't know about Ceefax |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News Magazine |date=23 September 2009 |access-date=23 October 2012}}
3 February
It is reported that Martini is to sign a £1 million contract with ITV to sponsor a season of James Bond films. The channel is planning to screen all 18 Bond films, beginning with GoldenEye in March, then broadcasting them in chronological order from Dr. No to Tomorrow Never Dies.{{cite news|last=Quinn |first=Thomas |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/pounds+1m+Bond+deal+stirs+up+Martini.-a060393488 |title=£1m Bond deal stirs up Martini |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=3 February 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}} GoldenEye airs at 8.30 pm on 10 March.{{cite news|last=McMullen |first=Marion |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/And+finally+-+a+TV+news+era+ends%3B+LAST+NIGHT+FOR+POPULAR+PROGRAMME...-a060464299 |title=And finally – a TV news era ends; Last night for popular programme after nearly 32 years |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=5 March 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}} Dr. No is screened on 29 May.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Shaken+not+stirred%3B+Dr+No+ITV,+8.30pm+-+10.30pm.-a060420581 |title=Shaken not stirred; Dr No ITV, 8.30pm – 10.30pm |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=29 May 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}} Tomorrow Never Dies makes its television debut on 13 October.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Licenced+to+thrill%3B+Tomorrow+Never+Dies+ITV,+8.00pm+-+10.20pm.-a060806408 |title=Licenced to thrill; Tomorrow Never Dies ITV, 8.00pm – 10.20pm |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=9 October 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/history_bond_on_tv.php3 |title=James Bond On TV – Movies |publisher=MI6 – The Home Of James Bond 007 |date=5 April 2011 |access-date=26 January 2018}}
The US romantic comedy-drama Sex and the City makes its British television debut on Channel 4.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/255160.stm |title=Women behaving badly |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=3 February 1999 |access-date=9 June 2018}}
8 February – Following a five-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, former Central News reporter John Caine is convicted of sexually abusing underage boys over a period of two decades and jailed for five and a half years.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sex-abuse+TV+reporter+jailed+for+sordid+reign.-a060550223 |title=Sex-abuse TV reporter jailed for sordid reign |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |date=9 February 1999 |access-date=27 January 2018}}
11 February – Three members of production staff are suspended from BBC One's The Vanessa Show following reports in The Mirror that fake guests appeared on the programme.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/277302.stm |title=Vanessa staff suspended over 'fake guests' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=11 February 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}} They are later sacked following an internal inquiry.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/290431.stm |title=Vanessa staff sacked |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 March 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
12 February – ITV's Trisha show is caught up in a fake guests controversy after it emerges that the agent who supplied guests to the rival Vanessa Show did the same for Trisha, but the show's editor Sally-Ann Howard, denies any of her team were aware that the guests were fakes.{{cite news|last=Gibson |first=Janine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/feb/13/janinegibson |title=Trisha editor says her team knew nothing of fake guests |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 February 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
13 February – BBC One airs "Face Value", the 250th episode of Casualty.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f64728c8f0d6450498e0facf0adfd177 |title=Casualty – BBC One London – 13 February 1999 – BBC Genome |date=13 February 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
15 February – ITV axes Gladiators after eight years due to falling ratings.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/278329.stm|title=Mr Benn the film star|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=15 February 1999|access-date=5 December 2024}} A final mini-series featuring returning champions is commissioned by ONdigital to air in May before being shown on the main ITV network at the end of the year.
18 February – ITV screens the Granada Television film The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, a dramatisation of the aftermath of the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence told from the point of view of his parents.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/276131.stm |title=Entertainment | ITV to screen Lawrence drama |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 February 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
21 February – US/Canadian animated series for preschoolers Salty's Lighthouse which uses footage taken from the children's model animated series that was originally broadcast on ITV is shown on Channel 4 for the first time in the UK. At the same time, it is also the second time Tugs is shown in its homeland.
23 February – Channel 4 debuts Russell T. Davies's groundbreaking series Queer as Folk.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/284984.stm |title=Gay TV drama gets mixed reception |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 February 1999 |access-date=5 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/sep/15/channel4.gayrights |title=Russell T Davies on Queer As Folk | Media |newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 September 2003 |access-date=5 April 2014}}
25 February
The BBC announces that Noel's House Party will be axed after eight years. The most recent edition of the show drew an audience of less than six million and it will finish when its current run ends on 20 March.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/286377.stm |title=The party's over for Edmonds' show |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 February 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}
The Broadcasting Standards Commission upholds a complaint about a feature in the Teletext games magazine Digitiser from 26 October 1998. The gossip column, Gossi the Dog had alluded to Gossi's master thrashing the talking cartoon dog with a belt.{{citation |url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/bsc/pdfs/bulletin/bulletin18.pdf |title=The Bulletin |date=25 February 1999 |access-date=16 March 2014 |publisher=Broadcasting Standards Commission |page=4}}
26 February
Channel 4 News presenter Sheena McDonald is in intensive care after receiving head injuries when she was hit by a police van on an emergency call in north London.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/287550.stm |title=TV presenter hit by police car |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 February 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/287560.stm |title=TV presenter off ventilator |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 February 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3399825.stm |title=Am I still me? |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 January 2004 |access-date=18 January 2014}}
Channel 4 is fined £150,000 by the Independent Television Commission for including fake scenes in Too Much Too Young: Chickens, a documentary about rent boys in Glasgow that aired in 1997. The fine is the first such penalty imposed on Channel 4.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/286723.stm |title=Channel 4 fined for faked documentary |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=26 February 1999 |access-date=3 May 2014}}

=March=

2 March – Wheel of Fortune is moved to an afternoon slot. The star prize is reduced from a choice of £20,000 or a car to a regular jackpot of £2,000.
4 March – BBC Prime is launched for the first time in South Africa.
5 March – After 32 years, what is billed as the last ever News at Ten is broadcast on ITV. It is replaced with a 6:30pm bulletin, the ITV Evening News from the following Monday.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/262762.stm |title=Bond replaces bongs at ITV |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 January 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/292638.stm |title=ITV launches news at six-thirty |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 March 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}} In the event, News at Ten returns in 2001,{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1109699.stm|title= News at Ten returns to ITV|work= BBC News|date= 10 January 2001|access-date= 15 May 2009}} is axed again in 2004,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3411259.stm |title=Later bulletin ends News at Ten |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 January 2004 |access-date=28 April 2014}} and resurrected in 2008.{{cite news|last=Martin |first=Nicole |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1575243/News-at-Ten-returns-with-Trevor-McDonald.html |title=News at Ten returns with Trevor McDonald |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=11 January 2008 |access-date=28 April 2014}} It is restored as a five-nights-a-week programme from March 2009.{{cite news|first=Leigh |last=Holmwood |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/feb/25/news-at-ten-five-night-week |title=News at Ten goes five-nights-a-week |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 February 2009 |access-date=28 April 2014}} This day also sees the final broadcast of the ITV Evening News in its long-running 5:40pm slot.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/END+FINALLY..%3B+Bye+bye+with+Burnet+and+Bosanquet.-a060396583 |title=End Finally..; Bye bye with Burnet and Bosanquet |newspaper=The Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=6 March 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}} The changes at ITV also prompt other broadcasters to review their news scheduling with Sky News and BBC News 24 both launch 10pm bulletins to fill the gap left by News at Ten, while Channel 5 reschedules its evening news bulletin to 6pm. Channel 4 News is also relaunched.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/291317.stm |title=Battle of the bulletins |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 March 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
7 March – BBC Two airs the final episode of the 1993 series of Grange Hill, concluding a Sunday morning rerun of the first 16 series of the school drama which began in April 1993.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1993-04-04 |title=BBC Two England – 4 April 1993 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1999-03-07 |title=BBC Two England – 7 March 1999 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
8–12 March – ITV's first week without News at Ten includes an episode of Kavanagh QC and a series of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/IT'S+NEW+AT+TEN+ON+ITV.-a060427660 |title=It's New at Ten on ITV |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=27 February 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}}
8 March – Following the introduction of the ITV Evening News, UTV's evening news programme, UTV Live is brought forward by half an hour to start at 5:30pm. The first half-hour sees feature reports, light-hearted stories and the weather forecast branded as part of a separate programme, UTV Life which runs before the main evening news which starts at 6pm and keeps the UTV Live name.
9 March – A contestant who won £125,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? despite answering a question incorrectly will be allowed to keep his prize money, it is reported. The error occurred after researchers matched the wrong answer with a question about tennis, but the mistake was quickly spotted by viewers. Celador which produces the show, says it will review its checking procedure.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/293549.stm |title=Quiz 'winner' keeps his prize |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 March 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
10 March
Carlton Television buys Bob Geldof's production company, Planet 24, in a deal City analysts believe to be worth £15 million.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/294195.stm |title=Carlton buys Planet 24 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 March 1999 |access-date=21 June 2014}}
The Vanessa Show is interrupted by a male streaker. The lads' magazine Front later claims responsibility for the stunt.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/294372.stm |title=Streaker interrupts Vanessa Show |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 March 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
ITV show the network television premiere of Martin Campbell's 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007.
11 March – Reports that new The Big Breakfast presenter Kelly Brook is struggling with her presenting role are laughed off by the programme after an email from its assistant producer suggested the number of big words in her script should be limited was leaked to the media.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/294452.stm |title=Breakfast bosses defend new host |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=11 March 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}
ITV show the network television premiere of the 1994 Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone action film The Specialist.
12 March – This year's Comic Relief telethon includes a Doctor Who parody featuring Rowan Atkinson as The Doctor, Julia Sawalha as his sidekick and Jonathan Pryce as The Master.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/288676.stm |title=Blackadder becomes Dr Who |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=1 March 1999 |access-date=5 April 2014}} The 29-minute sketch, written by Steven Moffat also includes the first female version of The Doctor, portrayed by Joanna Lumley.{{cite news|last=Fullerton |first=Huw |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-24/steven-moffats-classic-doctor-who-sketch-the-curse-of-fatal-death-re-released-for-red-nose-day/ |title=Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death rereleased for Red Nose Day |work=Radio Times|date=24 March 2017 |access-date=17 October 2018}} A special episode of The Vicar of Dibley includes cameo appearances by Johnny Depp and Sarah, Duchess of York.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/291629.stm |title=The Duchess of Dibley |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=6 March 1999 |access-date=16 April 2014}}
15 March
Debut of the BBC One prison documentary series Jailbirds, a ten-part series that looks at life inside New Hall women's prison in West Yorkshire.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f278068e123a433cba351dc70184c87d|title=Jailbirds – BBC One London – 15 March 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=15 March 1999 |access-date=10 October 2018}}
Provisional viewing figures released for the first week of ITV's schedule changes indicate the channel enjoyed a 5% increase in ratings. ITV says it is pleased with the results, but expects the figures to drop again following the initial interest in its new lineup.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/296997.stm|title=ITV ratings soar with new schedule|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News|date=15 March 1999|access-date=21 April 2014}}
The BBC children's programme Teletubbies goes on the air in Japan.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/296781.stm |title=Entertainment | Teletubbies say 'konnichi wa' |work=BBC News |date=1999-03-14 |access-date=2018-01-13}}
16 March – The NSPCC launches its new 'full stop' advertising campaign which shows different objects of childhood heroes shielding their eyes as children's voices are heard being abused. It is broadcast after the 9.00pm watershed as a shock tactic to break people's complacency, part of the largest campaign ever undertaken by a charity and the beginning of a long-term strategy to end violence against children.
17 March
Entertainer Rod Hull dies after falling from the roof of his house while trying to adjust a television aerial.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/mar/18/2|title=Rod Hull dies in TV roof tragedy|newspaper=The Guardian|date=18 March 1999|access-date=2014-05-15}}
The Surfer advertisement for Guinness first airs on ITV.{{cite news|first=Tim |last=Nudd |url=https://www.adweek.com/adfreak/surfing-guinness-st-patricks-day-16129 |title=Surfing with Guinness on St. Patrick's Day |work=Ad Week |date=17 March 2008 |access-date=17 December 2014}}
An attempt by BSkyB to buy Manchester United F.C. is rejected by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/298072.stm |title=The Company File – BSkyB bid for Man Utd 'kicked out' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=17 March 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
To celebrate the recently aired 250th episode of Casualty, BBC One airs Casualty 250: the Full Medical, a documentary in which Gaby Roslin looks back at the show's history. Later the same evening sees a repeat of "Gas", the very first episode from 1986.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1999-03-17 |title=BBC One London – 17 March 1999 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
19 March – The gameshow Mr and Mrs is relaunched by ITV as one of its new programmes airing in the former News at Ten slot. Hosted by Julian Clary and featuring more adult orientated humour than its original incarnation, it is not successful and is axed after just one series.
20 March
The network television premiere of Roger Donaldson's 1995 American science-fiction horror Species on ITV, starring Michael Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley and Natasha Henstridge.
The final episode of Noel's House Party is shown on BBC One.
21 March – Ernie Wise, the surviving half of the beloved comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise dies of a heart attack, aged 73, following ongoing heart trouble.
22 March
It is announced that The Jack Docherty Show will end after two years as host Jack Docherty is to leave Channel 5. He says the show has "burned out" and is running out of guests. The final edition airs on 23 June.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/300915.stm |title=Docherty leaves Channel 5 chat show |publisher=BBC|work=BBC News |date=22 March 1999 |access-date=15 June 2013}}
A November 1998 episode of the children's series Sooty & Co. about fragrances in which the characters were seen sniffing medicine bottles is criticised by the Independent Television Commission amid concerns it could prompt copycat behaviour.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/300817.stm |title=Sooty criticised by TV watchdog |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 March 1999 |access-date=3 May 2014}}
24 March
Major networks provide news coverage as NATO launches air strikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The BBC confirms that Ross Kemp who plays Grant Mitchell in EastEnders, will leave the soap in the Autumn after signing a contract with ITV.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/302330.stm |title=EastEnders loses its Grant |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 March 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
Mirror Group sells its 18.6% stake in SMG to Granada.{{cite news|last=Larsen |first=Peter Thal |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/granada-stalks-scottish-with-pounds-110m-share-buy-1082697.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/granada-stalks-scottish-with-pounds-110m-share-buy-1082697.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Granada stalks Scottish with pounds 110m share buy |work=The Independent |date=24 March 1999 |access-date=2013-06-22}}{{cbignore}}
26 March – Debut of As the Crow Flies, a seven-part BBC Two series in which Janet Street-Porter sets out to walk the 350 miles between the Edinburgh and Greenwich observatories.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/34d622103b66461e9da1f0715f29d7b9 |title=As the Crow Flies – BBC Two England – 26 March 1999 – BBC Genome |date=26 March 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
28 March – Lloyd Burgess wins the 1999 series of MasterChef.
29 March
Pokémon makes its British television debut on Sky One.
The final episode of the children's series Bodger & Badger is aired on BBC One.
30 March
UKTV announces plans to rebrand UK Gold Classics as UK Gold 2.{{cite news|last=Chapman |first=Iain |url=https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a69/uk-gold-classics-renamed.html#~oLfg2qSPVsssbb |title=UK Gold Classics Renamed |publisher=Digital Spy |date=30 March 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}} The changes will take place from the coming weekend.{{cite news|last=Chapman |first=Iain |url=https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a71/uk-gold-2-update.html#~oLfhht1mzBTEYn |title=UK Gold 2 Update |publisher=Digital Spy |date=1 April 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}
ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are heavily criticised in the Independent Television Commission's annual report on commercial television. ITV is criticised for its low amount of current affairs coverage, particularly in relation to the NATO campaign in Yugoslavia, while Channel 5 is branded as "tacky" for its reliance on low-budget erotic dramas and factual programmes about sex for its late-night schedule.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/307767.stm |title=Too much sex on TV says watchdog |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 March 1999 |access-date=30 May 2014}}{{cite news|first=Paul |last=McCann |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/channel-5-criticised-for-tacky-sex-shows-heady-x3-x3-1084184.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/channel-5-criticised-for-tacky-sex-shows-heady-x3-x3-1084184.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Channel 5 criticised for 'tacky' sex shows heady |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=31 March 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}
31 March – ITV announce that Mary Nightingale will take over as presenter of its long-running holiday show Wish You Were Here...?, succeeding Anthea Turner who is stepping down from the role.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/309500.stm |title=New faces for holiday shows |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=1 April 1999 |access-date=30 April 2015}}

=April=

1 April
The BBC announces that Craig Doyle will succeed Jill Dando as the presenter of Holiday.
In EastEnders the Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor, marries Frank Butcher (Mike Reid).{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/308079.stm |title=Wedding knees-up in the Square |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 March 1999 |access-date=14 March 2015}}
2 April
After two and a half years, Channel 4 is given another whole new look replacing the previous circles idents with all-new idents with the Channel 4 logo in a square and lines against various backgrounds scrolling across the screen.
UK Gold launches new fireworks idents and UK Gold Classics is renamed UK Gold 2. It operates as a time-shift service of UK Gold by broadcasting the channel's daytime output during the evening.
The two-part adaptation of Minette Walters 1995 crime novel The Dark Room airs on BBC One, starring Dervla Kirwan as the shaven-headed Jane "Jinx" Kingsley and James Wilby as Dr. Protheroe. The serial concludes on 3 April, ending a run of her novels adapted for television which began in February 1996 with The Sculptress.
BBC One airs Parkinson Meets Woody Allen, a 50-minute programme in which film director Woody Allen gives his first British television interview for 35 years.{{cite news|last=Carroll |first=Rory |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/apr/03/rorycarroll |title=Parkinson puts Allen's back up |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 April 1999 |access-date=28 June 2014}} Allen is questioned extensively about his private life by host Michael Parkinson, but is reluctant to speak on some topics. The BBC subsequently rejects reports that Allen had asked producers to edit out parts of the interview in which he discusses his marriage to his stepdaughter.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/310302.stm |title=Woody rejects Parky's 'morbid' questions |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=3 April 1999 |access-date=28 June 2014}}
4 April – Sky One airs its special Valentine's Day episode of The Simpsons, featuring guest appearance by British pop superstar Elton John.
5 April
BBC One and ITV air a national television appeal to help refugees from Kosovo. The Kosovo Crisis Appeal, co-ordinated by the Disasters Emergency Committee raises £3m by midday the following day.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/313248.stm |title=Millions pour in to Kosovo appeal |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=6 April 1999 |access-date=31 March 2014}}
ITV airs Martine McCutcheon: This is My Moment, a one-hour documentary chronicling former EastEnders actress Martine McCutcheon's efforts to launch her singing career.{{cite news|last=Jordan |first=Richard |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/apr/05/tvandradio.television |title=Watching brief |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 April 1999 |access-date=26 May 2014}} Her debut single, "Perfect Moment", reaches number one in the UK Singles Chart on 11 April.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/316897.stm |title=Ex-EastEnders star's perfect moment |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=11 April 1999 |access-date=26 May 2014}}
8 April
Debut of the BBC children's series Miami 7 featuring the manufactured pop group S Club 7. The series combines drama and musical performance and is intended as a vehicle to launch the group's music career with their debut single "Bring It All Back" being released on 7 June.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/314534.stm |title=Seven up for pop fame |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 April 1999 |access-date=27 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/992aa69077c740aeb8b86cdef4141fd4|title=Miami 7 – BBC One London – 8 April 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=8 April 1999 |access-date=10 October 2018}}
ITV launches its new news and current affairs programme Tonight with Trevor McDonald. Based on the format of US shows such as 60 Minutes and featuring a team of high-profile journalists, the first edition features an interview with the five individuals suspected of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The launch comes amid reports that ITV news coverage has lost as many as a million viewers since News at Ten was axed in March.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/313890.stm |title=ITV gears up – despite ratings worries |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 April 1999 |access-date=30 March 2014}} The edition prompts fifteen complaints to the Independent Television Commission from viewers who felt it wrong to give the men a platform to defend themselves, but the Commission rules in August that Martin Bashir's questioning had meant the programme was "anything but a platform" for the suspects.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/421146.stm |title='Lawrence Five' broadcast defended |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 August 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
9 April – Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Stephen Byers announces that BSkyB's £626m bid to buy Manchester United will not be allowed to go ahead.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/315459.stm |title=FA Carling Premiership – BSkyB failure 'a victory for fanpower' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 April 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Gibson |first1=Janine |last2=Watt |first2=Nicholas |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/apr/10/newsstory.sport13 |title=BSkyB bid for United blocked |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 April 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
12 April – Long-running children's animated television series Bob the Builder begins on BBC One, filmed in stop-motion.
13 April – Past and present stars of Coronation Street attend a memorial service for Bryan Mosley at Salford Cathedral.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/318396.stm |title=Entertainment | Street star Mosley remembered |work=BBC News |date=1999-04-13 |access-date=2018-01-13}}
14 April – ITV airs the network television premiere of Girls' Night, a film produced by Granada Television as part of the ITV Film Initiative, a scheme established in 1996 aimed at boosting the British film industry and increasing the number of home grown films.{{cite news|last=Bentley |first=Stephanie |url=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/itv-revives-scheme-for-peaktime-films/2036504.article |title=ITV revives scheme for peaktime films |work=Marketing Week |date=8 April 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
15 April – A fire breaks out at the headquarters of MTV Europe, the former TV-am Breakfast Television Centre, in Camden, London, forcing them off air while the fire is being tackled.{{cite news |title=Fire hits MTV Studios |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/319882.stm |date=15 April 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 June 2015}}
19 April – US talk show presenter Jerry Springer makes his UK television debut presenting the first of two editions of This Morning alongside Judy Finnigan while her husband Richard Madeley is busy working on another television project.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/323008.stm |title=Springer presents UK TV show |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 April 1999 |access-date=5 June 2014}}
20 April – It is emerged that Channel 4 have asked the producers of Brookside to tone down an attempted rape scene due to air the following evening because the content may be too graphic to air before the 9pm watershed.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/324257.stm |title=Brookside edits rape scene |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 April 1999 |access-date=22 June 2014}}
21 April – A week after the government announces new targets for the proportion of ethnic police officers, ITV's The Bill announces two new black characters will join the series. Police Constable Di Worrell, played by Jane Wall and Detective Constable Danny Glaze (Karl Collins) who will become the show's first black male CID officer. The Bill{{'}}s producers say the announcement is not a response to the government initiative, but had been planned for several months.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/325079.stm |title=More black officers in The Bill |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=21 April 1999 |access-date=19 June 2014}}
22 April – Socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson appears on The Frank Skinner Show slurring her words and being unsure who the host is; she enters drug rehabilitation shortly afterwards.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38912628|title=Tara Palmer-Tomkinson – the ultimate It girl in pictures|work=BBC News|date=2017-02-08|access-date=2024-01-26}}
26 April
Television presenter Jill Dando is shot dead outside her home in west London.{{cite news | work = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/328804.stm | title = BBC presenter shot dead | date = 26 April 1999 | access-date=31 December 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100123021143/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/328804.stm| archive-date= 23 January 2010 | url-status= live}} Her death sparks a huge manhunt by the Metropolitan Police and leads to the trial of Barry George. Initially convicted of the murder, after a successful appeal and retrial George is acquitted on 1 August 2008, thus leaving the crime unsolved.{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7536815.stm|title= George not guilty of Dando murder|work=BBC News|access-date= 1 August 2008 | date=1 August 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081017160804/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7536815.stm| archive-date=17 October 2008| url-status= live}}
BSkyB Chief Executive Mark Booth announces his resignation after 18 months in the position.{{cite news|last=Barrie |first=Chris |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/apr/28/bskyb |title=BSkyB chief Booth quits |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 April 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
27 April
The Open University wins the 1998–99 series of University Challenge, beating Oriel College, Oxford 265–210.
Channel 5 announce plans to resurrect It's a Knockout with original presenter Stuart Hall at the helm. The channel is also bringing Jeremy Beadle back to television with a new series in which contestants win his money.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/329476.stm |title=It's A Knockout returns |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 April 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}}
28 April – BBC Two debuts My Year with Beethoven, a six-part programme in which German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter talks about the devastating impact which the onset of deafness had on Beethoven's life and music, accompanied by American pianist Lambert Orkis who performs one of Beethoven's most tempestuous works on a personal journey throughout ten different sonatas. The series continues on 11 May.
29 April
Six episodes of Channel 5's Sex and Shopping are criticised by the Broadcasting Standards Commission for containing explicit material which the Commission feels was "unacceptable for broadcast at any time".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/330845.stm |title=Channel 5 rapped over sex series |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=29 April 1999 |access-date=3 May 2014}}
Retailer WHSmith announces plans to sell books and stationary via interactive digital television after signing a deal with the Rupert Murdoch backed venture Open.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/331097.stm |title=WH Smith opens television bookshop |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=29 April 1999 |access-date=22 May 2014}}
The Planets, an eight-part documentary series exploring the Solar System, debuts on BBC Two.
30 April
The BBC is reviewing whether or not to air the remaining episodes of Antiques Inspectors following Jill Dando's murder, Broadcast magazine reports. The series had made its debut with Dando as presenter on 25 April with filming of the final episode completed two days before that.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc-may-pull-antiques-show/1213779.article |title=BBC may pull antiques show |publisher=Broadcast |date=30 April 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}} The programme is subsequently cancelled,{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/JILL+DANDO%3A+EVERY+PICTURE+TELLS+A+STORY...-a060149175 |title=Jill Dando: Every picture tells a story |newspaper=The People |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=9 May 1999 |access-date=13 April 2014}} but it is decided later in the year that it should be aired as a tribute to the presenter with the series beginning its run from 5 September.{{cite news|first=Richard |last=Savage |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/JILL+DANDO'S+LAST+TV+SHOW+GOES+ON.-a060409270 |title=Jill Dando's last TV show goes on |newspaper=The Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=4 September 1999 |access-date=13 April 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/688e6069f16a498a83d56295dc8f14f0 |title=Antiques Inspectors – BBC One London – 5 September 1999 – BBC Genome |date=5 September 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
Sky Soap closes due to poor viewing figures.
Scottish Television launches S2.

=May=

1 May
Channel 4 airs Now We Are Two, a weekend of programmes marking the second anniversary of the election of Tony Blair's Labour Government. On this day, If John Smith Had Lived imagines the direction the Labour Party might have taken under the leadership of John Smith, while The Trial of Margaret Thatcher debates the policies of former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in a courtroom setting. The following day, Blair's Third Way looks at Tony Blair's governing style.{{cite news|first=John |last=Davies |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/higher-channels/146127.article |title=Higher channels |newspaper=Times Higher Education |publisher=TES Global |date=30 April 1999 |access-date=31 March 2016}}
From the Earth to the Moon, a thirteen-part spin-off from the film Apollo 13 made by HBO debuts on Channel 4.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/apr/19/tvandradio.television4 |title=Everyone's gone to the moon |newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 April 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
The cable-only film service Home Video Channel closes after 14 years on air.
2 May – Sheena McDonald is released from hospital two months after she received severe head injuries when she was hit by a police van.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/333653.stm |title=TV presenter home after accident |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 May 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}
5 May – An inquest into the death of Rod Hull records a verdict of accidental death.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/336174.stm |title=Rod Hull's death 'accidental' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 May 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}
6–7 May – BBC One provides coverage of the first elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly, as well as the year's local elections.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc-reveals-details-of-election-coverage/1213277.article |title=BBC reveals details of election coverage |work=Broadcast |date=16 April 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}
9 May – Michael Parkinson presents the 1999 British Television Academy Awards in which the UK television industry pays tribute to the late Jill Dando. She had been due to host the ceremony alongside Parkinson, but following her death the BBC had decided not to replace her.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/339084.stm |title=TV stars honour Jill Dando |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 May 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
11 May
News at Ten and World in Action, both of which have been axed by ITV are announced as winners at the Royal Television Society's Journalism Awards. News at Ten is voted programme of the year, while World in Action wins the judges' award. Other winners include the Nine O'Clock News in the international category for its coverage of the Drenica massacre and Dermot Murnaghan for an ITV Lunchtime News interview with Peter Mandelson in which he questioned the politician about his loan from Geoffrey Robinson.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/axed-itv-shows-win-rts-awards/1214352.article |title=Axed ITV shows win RTS awards |work=Broadcast |date=14 May 1999 |access-date=1 May 2015}}
The BBC confirms that EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook will return to the soap as Sam Mitchell in the Summer, three years after she was last seen on screen.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/341174.stm |title=Sam's back in the Square |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=11 May 1999 |access-date=26 May 2014}}
14 May – Helen Rollason presents the first Friday sport bulletin on the BBC's Six O'Clock News.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Helen+takes+on+top+BBC+sports+job+as+she+battles+cancer.-a060424704 |title=Helen takes on top BBC sports job as she battles cancer |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=21 April 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
17 May
The Independent Television Commission rejects a number of viewer complaints about editions of The Jerry Springer Show featuring a gay marriage and amateur strippers that aired on weekday afternoons as not being inappropriate viewing. The Commission finds that the subject of same-sex marriage was dealt with sensitively, while the episode featuring the strippers was "not explicit" because they had only removed some of their clothes. However, a complaint is upheld against Sky One's Bloody Foreigners that aired on 2 March which featured an interview with a female member of a wife-swapping club while an explicit pornographic film played on a television in the background.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/345832.stm |title=Watchdog backs Springer |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=17 May 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
Channel 4 airs the network television premiere of Bill Condon's 1995 American horror sequel film Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, starring Tony Todd and Kelly Rowan.
18 May – The BBC's Crimewatch programme broadcasts a reconstruction of presenter Jill Dando's murder. The show opens without its usual titles and music.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/346237.stm |title=Crimewatch tribute to Jill Dando |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=18 May 1999 |access-date=16 April 2014}}
19 May – ITV airs the first British Soap Awards, which are presented by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The Awards ceremony had been recorded the previous weekend.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/PICK+OF+THE+BOX%3B+Gorgeous+George+crashes+out.-a060420742 |title=Pick of the Box; Gorgeous George crashes out |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=19 May 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}}
20 May
The first Pride of Britain Awards, an annual event launched by The Mirror newspaper to honour ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations is presented by Carol Vorderman at London's Dorchester Hotel.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/1999+Pride+of+Britain+Awards%3a+Our+proudest+day%3b+The+waiting's+over.-a060385507 |title=1999 Pride of Britain Awards: Our proudest day; The waiting's over |newspaper=The Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=20 May 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}}{{cite news|last=Maguire |first=Kevin |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pride+of+Britain+Awards%3A+Hard-working,+creative+tolerant,+understated...-a060385062 |title=Pride of Britain Awards: Hard-working, creative tolerant, understated courageous, generous.. a quiet heroism which makes our Great Britain |newspaper=The Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=21 May 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}} The Awards are such a success that ITV agrees to screen the second event the following year.{{cite news|last=Sayid |first=Ruki |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Mirror's+Pride+Of+Britain%3B+DON'T+MISS+THE+BIG+EVENT+IN+AND+ON+ITV...-a061392261 |title=The Mirror's Pride Of Britain |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Mirror |date=8 April 2000 |access-date=27 April 2014}}
The broadcasters union BECTU condemns plans to air a Party election broadcast by the far right British National Party due to be shown on 21 May and says it will support any of its members who refuse to work on the broadcast.{{cite news |author=BECTU |url=http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/gen/ng0056.html |work=BECTU News |title=BNP broadcast condemned |publisher=BECTU |date=20 May 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014 |archive-date=9 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809120630/http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/gen/ng0056.html |url-status=dead }} The BNP has been allocated a party political broadcast slot for the forthcoming European election after fielding enough candidates to qualify for free airtime during the election campaign. The Independent Television Commission receives seven complaints from viewers that the BNP should not have been allowed to air their views, but the Commission later rules that none of its rules were breached because the broadcast did not mention race or immigration and to ban the BNP from television on principle would be undemocratic.
21 May – The funeral of Jill Dando is held in her home town of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. Although the service itself is private, footage is relayed to a crowd gathered in the town's Ellensborough Park East.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/349661.stm |title=Emotional farewell to Dando |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=21 May 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}
24 May – The Digital Spy website reports that UK Gold 2 is to have its broadcasting hours extended from 1 June. The channel has operated on a limited basis, airing on Fridays to Sundays from 6pm to 2am, but will become a daily service.{{cite news|last=Chapman |first=Iain |url=https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a120/uk-gold-2-to-increase-its-hours.html#~oLfi6QZgalEmSk |title=UK Gold 2 To Increase {{as written|I|t's [sic]}} Hours |publisher=Digital Spy |date=24 May 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}
25 May – Bostock's Cup a single comedy-drama about a fictional football team winning the 1974 FA Cup Final airs on ITV.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Those+were+the+Des%3B+BOSTOCK'S+CUP%3B+ITV,TUESDAY,+9.00pm.-a060512964 |title=Those were the Des; Bostock's Cup; ITV, Tuesday, 9.00pm |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=22 May 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=Morgan |first=Kathleen |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Too+many+own+goals+in+football+side+swipe.-a060420866 |title=Too many own goals in football side swipe |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=26 May 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=Davies |first=Mile |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Central's+ball+skills+found+wanting.-a060540148 |title=Central's ball skills found wanting |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=26 May 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
26 May
Following a ten-day trial at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court, former London's Burning actor John Alford is jailed for nine months after being convicted of supplying cocaine and cannabis resin to an undercover reporter. He has been the victim of a sting by a tabloid newspaper, a factor taken into account in his sentencing.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/specials/drugs/355161.stm |title=Alford jailed for nine months |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=28 May 1999 |access-date=19 May 2014}} He is released from prison six weeks later.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/396003.stm |title=London's Burning star released |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 July 1999 |access-date=19 May 2014}}
19 million viewers see Manchester United complete The Treble by beating Bayern Munich 2–1 in injury time in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/354290.stm |title=Millions watch United victory |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 May 1999 |access-date=19 May 2014}}
27 May – The Broadcasting Standards Commission upholds several viewer complaints about an episode of EastEnders aired on Valentine's Day that featured the killing of the character Saskia Duncan which the watchdog rules was too graphic to be shown before the watershed when the content could be seen by children.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/353641.stm |title=EastEnders killing too 'macabre' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 May 1999 |access-date=31 March 2014}}
28 May – The BBC have signed a deal to air the network television premiere of Titanic.
29 May – Sweden's Charlotte Nilsson wins the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem with "Take Me to Your Heaven".
29–31 May – The final mini-series of Gladiators is aired exclusively on the ONdigital platform. The four episodes would be later shown on ITV at Christmas.

=June=

1 June
ITN's Bill Neely sends a report from the Albania-Kosovo border as NATO aircraft mistakenly bomb Albanian army forces on the Albanian side of the border, destroying a guard box.{{cite news|url=http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/ITN/1999/06/01/T01069931/?s=Bill%20Neely%20Albania |title=Kosovo: NATO action: Albania hit |publisher=ITN |work=ITN Source |date=1 June 1999 |access-date=10 May 2014}}
The educational channel BBC Knowledge goes on the air.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/355646.stm |title=BBC launches digital learning channel |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 May 1999 |access-date=10 May 2014}}
Debut of ITV's gritty prison drama Bad Girls, a series set in a high security women's prison.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+soft+cell%3B+BAD+GIRLS+ITV,+TUESDAY,+9.00pm.-a060420599 |title=The soft cell; Bad Girls ITV, TUESDAY, 9.00pm |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=29 May 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
4 June – ITV airs the final edition of the 1999 series of Play Your Cards Right, the last of the current run since the series was revived in 1994. It will be revived again in 2002 but axed again a year later.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Play_Your_Cards_Right |title=Play Your Cards Right |publisher=UKGameshows.com |access-date=18 August 2017}}
5 June – Ian Moor wins the tenth series of Stars in Their Eyes, performing as Chris De Burgh.{{cite news|last=Rockett |first=Karen |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/IAN'S+GOT+STARS+IN+HIS+EYES.-a060163970 |title=Ian's got stars in his eyes |publisher=Trinity Mirror |work=Sunday Mirror |date=6 June 1999 |access-date=27 April 2014}}
6 June – Six TV, Britain's sixth and last free-to-air terrestrial analogue local channel, broadcast on UHF under a Restricted Television Service Licence, launches in both Oxfordshire and Southampton as the Oxford channel in Oxfordshire and the Southampton channel in Hampshire.{{cite book |first=Oksana |last=Vozhdaeva |url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/The%20crisis%20in%20commercial%20regional%20TV%20main%20challenges%20and%20possible%20solutions.%20%20A%20comparison%20of%20Russia%20and%20the%20UK.pdf |title=The crisis in commercial regional TV: main challenges and possible solutions |publisher=Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism |year=2009–2010 |pages=49–51 |access-date=3 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008030615/https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/The%20crisis%20in%20commercial%20regional%20TV%20main%20challenges%20and%20possible%20solutions.%20%20A%20comparison%20of%20Russia%20and%20the%20UK.pdf |archive-date=8 October 2015 |url-status=dead }}
7 June – A study by the Broadcasting Standards Commission finds an increase in the number of viewer complaints about the amount of sex on television. Among those surveyed, the number feeling there was too much sex on television rose from 32% in 1997 to 38% in 1998.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/362966.stm |title=TV sex complaints rise |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=7 June 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
8 June – The BBC axes the Hale and Pace entertainment series h&p@bbc due to poor ratings. The series was planned to "hilariously interact" with the public.{{cite news|first=Nicola |last=Methven |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/BBC+DUMP+HALE+AND+PACE+SHOW.-a060452299 |title=BBC dump Hale and Pace show |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=9 June 1999 |access-date=12 November 2016}}
10 June – BBC One announces that the short-lived The Vanessa Show which was at the centre of a fake guests controversy earlier in the year, will be axed. The final edition will air on 23 July.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/365302.stm |title=Vanessa 'will be back' on BBC |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 June 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
12 June
Debut of Winning Lines, the BBC's new National Lottery game show hosted by Simon Mayo. Viewers could interact by phoning in to apply to be a contestant on the show if the numbers generated in the opening round of the game matched the last six digits of their phone number. The show also includes the launch of Thunderball, a new game to accompany the main Lottery draw on Saturday nights onwards.
Following two special one-offs the previous year, Man O Man returns to ITV for a full series of eight episodes.
13 June
S Club 7, stars of the BBC children's television series Miami 7, reach number one in the UK Singles Chart with their debut single "Bring It All Back".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/368484.stm |title=Spice svengali celebrates S Club success |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=14 June 1999 |access-date=27 May 2014}}
Changing Places, the Heartbeat spin-off starring Nick Berry that takes his character, PC Nick Rowan, to Canada after Berry left the series, receives its debut on ITV.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Nick%27s+done+well%2C+which+is+nice%3B+HEARTBEAT%3B+SUNDAY%2C+ITV%2C+8.20pm.-a060419212 |title=Nick's done well, which is nice; HEARTBEAT; SUNDAY, ITV, 8.20pm. – Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=2018-01-13}}
19 June – The wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones takes place at St George's Chapel, Windsor.Penguin Pocket On This Day. Penguin Reference Library. 2006. {{ISBN|0-14-102715-0}}.
20 June – The BBC broadcasts live cricket for the final time for more than 20 years when it shows live coverage of the 1999 Cricket World Cup Final, bringing to an end sixty years of continuous cricket coverage on the BBC. The terrestrial rights now transfer to Channel 4.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/cricket/194168.stm |title=Channel 4 wins rights to home Tests |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 October 1998}}
22 June – The Independent Television Commission criticises Channel 4 for failing to warn viewers about the level of explicit sex scenes in its controversial gay drama, Queer as Folk. Concern is also expressed about the series first episode which included a scene portraying the seduction of a teenager below the age of consent by an older gay male, but says the content did not breach broadcasting regulations.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/374973.stm |title=Gay drama rapped over sex warnings |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 June 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
24 June – The Broadcasting Standards Commission rejects viewer complaints about the second series of BBC One drama The Lakes which had featured sexual violence, rape and a relationship between a Roman Catholic priest and a member of his congregation, saying the programme "had not exceeded acceptable boundaries".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/377112.stm |title=Lakes complaints rejected |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 June 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
25 June – It is announced that Pearson TV chairman Greg Dyke will succeed John Birt as Director-General of the BBC from April 2000.{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/bbc_after_birt/377424.stm|title= Greg Dyke is new BBC boss|work= BBC News|date= 25 June 1999|access-date= 30 April 2009}}
28 June
BBC One airs the last episode in the original run of its time-travelling comedy series Goodnight Sweetheart.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/238c1e6ce4bd4adab01a2b501e888506 |title=Goodnight Sweetheart – BBC One London – 28 June 1999 – BBC Genome |date=28 June 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}} It returns in 2016 for a one-off special as part of the BBC's 60th anniversary of comedy celebrations.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/09/02/goodnight-sweethearts-revival-reminded-us-just-how-weird-its-pre/ |title=Goodnight Sweetheart's revival reminded us just how weird its premise is – review |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=2 September 2016 |access-date=9 July 2017}}
Ulster Television launches TV You (later UTV2).
30 June – Janet Street-Porter, pioneer of "yoof" television at the BBC, is appointed as editor of The Independent on Sunday, her first major role in print journalism.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/382142.stm |title=Street-Porter scoops top newspaper job |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 June 1999 |access-date=31 May 2014}}

=July=

1 July
BBC One airs a special edition of Question Time from Birmingham featuring Leader of the Opposition William Hague as the sole panelist.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/question_time/your_comments/383550.stm |title=Question Time, July 1, Birmingham |work=BBC News |date=July 1999 |access-date=22 June 2014}}
Channel 4 starts broadcasting cricket following the channel sensationally obtaining the rights from the BBC the previous year.
3 July
Following a one-off pilot the previous year, Give Your Mate a Break returns to ITV for a full series of six episodes. Les Dennis takes over as host from John Leslie, who had hosted the pilot episode.
FilmFour will launch an interactive service similar to Digital Teletext, the website Digital Spy reports.{{cite news|url=https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a157/filmfour-to-launch-interactive-service.html#~oEaAgUWECswJPW |title=FilmFour to launch Interactive Service |publisher=Digital Spy |date=3 July 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}
5 July – BBC One Controller Peter Salmon has commissioned a World in Action-style investigative series to air as part of the Autumn schedule. The as-yet untitled programme is being developed by several members of the team who formerly worked for the now defunct ITV programme.{{cite news|first=Janine |last=Gibson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/jul/05/mondaymediasection.broadcasting |title=BBC1 sets up investigative news show |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 July 1999 |access-date=1 May 2015}}
6 July
BBC Director-General John Birt warns that the increase in paid for digital television could lead to a "knowledge underclass" if public service broadcasters such as the BBC do not remain universally available.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/387079.stm |title=Birt warns of digital threat |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=6 July 1999 |access-date=10 May 2014}}
ITV unveils its first Autumn schedule since moving News at Ten to a later time slot. Highlights include a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, written by Alan Bleasdale that will attempt to update the character of Fagin, moving him away from the Ron Moody interpretation that is often associated with the story.{{cite news|last=McCann |first=Paul |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/a-new-twist-in-fagins-life-as-bleasdale-fleshes-out-dickens-1104596.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/a-new-twist-in-fagins-life-as-bleasdale-fleshes-out-dickens-1104596.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=A new twist in Fagin's life as Bleasdale fleshes out Dickens |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=6 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}
8 July
Singer Robbie Williams will appear in a TV advert aimed at raising awareness of testicular cancer, it is reported.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/389088.stm |title=Campaigning Robbie goes below the belt |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 July 1999 |access-date=16 April 2014}}
BBC One airs a special edition of Question Time from London with Prime Minister Tony Blair as its sole panelist.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/question_time/your_comments/389324.stm |title=Question Time, July 8, London |work=BBC News |date=8 July 1999 |access-date=22 June 2014}}
9 July – Carlton Cinema has signed a deal with MGM.
14 July – Debut of BBC One's groundbreaking series The Secret Life of Twins.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/394741.stm |title=Twin trouble |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=14 July 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
15 July – US crime drama The Sopranos makes its British television debut on Channel 4.{{cite news|first=Mark |last=Lawson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/jul/12/tvandradio.columnists |title=In the family way |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 July 1999 |access-date=19 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LAST+NIGHT%3B+Mafia+gets+a+kick+up+the+90s+in+a+big+way.-a060355446 |title=Last night; Mafia gets a kick up the 90s in a big way |first=Kathleen |last=Morgan |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=16 July 1999 |access-date=19 April 2014}}
16 July
BBC One airs the Two Ronnies Night, an evening of programmes paying tribute to The Two Ronnies, Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker. The evening sees the two comedians reunited on screen for the first time since Christmas Day 1987.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/389107.stm |title=Tempting back The Two Ronnies |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}
Channel 4 announces the axing of the highly acclaimed Trial and Error, a series that investigates miscarriages of justice which it feels is outdated. The final edition looking at the murder of Billie-Jo Jenkins airs on 26 July.{{cite news|first=Jane |last=Robins |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/channel-4-to-axe-outdated-criminal-justice-show-1106580.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/channel-4-to-axe-outdated-criminal-justice-show-1106580.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Channel 4 to axe 'outdated' criminal justice show |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=16 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}
Channel 4 launches its Over the Moon season to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing. The season includes Real Time Apollo, a five-day broadcast of footage of the Moon mission, airing at roughly the same time events happened in 1969. The programme also features interviews with Buzz Aldrin who took part in the mission.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/jul/16/tvandradio.television3 |title=Watch this: terrestrial |newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 July 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
17 July – Debut of Channel 4's Late Night Poker,{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/One+small+step+for+man+...-a060354957 |title=One small step for man ... |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=17 July 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}} a series which helps to popularise poker in the 2000s and developed a cult following.{{cite news|first=Aled |last=Blake |newspaper=Western Mail |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/POKER+nation.-a0112331268 |title=Poker nation |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=17 January 2004 |access-date=14 May 2014}} The programme includes under table cameras allowing viewers to view players cards that are hidden from the others taking part in the game and is unique in that participants are allowed to smoke on air.{{cite news|last=Syal |first=Rajeev |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1450878/Its-full-house-as-poker-deals-TV-a-winning-hand.html |title=It's full house as poker deals TV a winning hand |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=4 January 2004 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
19 July – Channel 4 airs an evening of programmes about space ahead of the Moon landing anniversary.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/PICK+OF+THE+BOX%3B+Hospital+life+should+be+a+tonic.-a060355090 |title=Pick of the Box; Hospital life should be a tonic |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=19 July 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
22 July – Test cricket coverage debuts on Channel 4 with an updated format and new presenters.{{cite news|first=Stan |last=Hey |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-channel-4-passes-the-screen-test-1108162.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-channel-4-passes-the-screen-test-1108162.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Cricket: Channel 4 passes the screen Test |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}
23 July
The Queen unveils a bronze statue of Eric Morecambe at a ceremony in the Lancashire town of Morecambe, the comedian's home town from which he took his stage name, fifteen years after his death.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/401617.stm |title=Eric brings Morecambe lasting sunshine |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=11 December 2014}}
Channel 4 has commissioned Projector Productions to make a £2 million feature-length adaptation of the children's fairytale Cinderella to be aired over Christmas.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/projector-productions-has-been-commissioned-by-channel-4-to-make-a2-million-feature-length-tv-adaptation-of-cinderella-to-be-broadcast-over-christmas-writes-wale-azeez-the-90-minute-drama-underst/1217406.article |title=Projector Productions has been commissioned by Channel 4 to make a£2 million feature-length TV adaptation of Cinderella, to be broadcast over Christmas |first=Wale |last=Azeez |work=Broadcast |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}
Broadcast magazine reports that Teletext Ltd's plans for a digital teletext service have been put back by delays in software development to support the service on the ONdigital platform.{{cite news|first=Wale |last=Azeez |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/teletext-digital-delayed-again/1217559.article |title=Teletext digital delayed again |work=Broadcast |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
24 July – Goodness Gracious Me Night, an evening of programming dedicated to the Asian comedy sketch show Goodness Gracious Me airs on BBC Two.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/401948.stm |title=A night of Gracious comedy |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}
27 July – Cable TV operator NTL buys its largest rival, Cable & Wireless Communications, for £8.2bn.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/403884.stm |title=NTL spends Ł8.2bn in UK cable deal |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 July 1999 |access-date=1 May 2015}}
30 July
After two decades with the BBC, comedy writer John Sullivan signs a deal to write material for ITV, although he will continue to write his current BBC series Roger Roger and Heartburn Hotel.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/sullivan-snubs-bbc-to-sign-itv-contract/1217673.article |title=Sullivan snubs BBC to sign ITV contract |publisher=Broadcast |date=30 July 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
Three contestants who did not disclose unspent criminal convictions before appearing on ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? are to have their winnings withdrawn, the show's producers confirm.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/407878.stm |title=Quiz contestants denied winnings |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 July 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
Channel 4 confirms that Kelly Brook has left The Big Breakfast. The announcement follows recent media speculation about her future with the programme.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/jul/30/2 |title=Brook quits Big Breakfast |newspaper=The Guardian |date=30 July 1999 |access-date=18 May 2014}}

=August=

1 August
Dominique Fraser wins the 1999 series of Junior MasterChef.
BBC One airs the network television premiere of A Time to Kill.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4c04b67275b34786875224208c78840c |title=A Time to Kill – BBC One London – 1 August 1999 |work=BBC Genome |date=August 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=26 October 2016}}
2 August – It is announced that ITV has signed the BBC sports presenter Des Lynam on a four-year contract. He is to become the company's main football presenter.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/409897.stm|title= ITV signs Des Lynam|work= BBC News|date= 2 August 1999|access-date= 24 May 2009}}
3 August – Liza Tarbuck is chosen to replace Kelly Brook as co-presenter of The Big Breakfast.{{cite news|last=Alba |first=Carlos |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Liza+is+new+toast+of+The+Big+Breakfast.-a060356000 |title=Liza is new toast of The Big Breakfast |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=4 August 1999 |access-date=19 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/411398.stm |title=Tarbuck on Big Breakfast menu |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 August 1999 |access-date=19 May 2014}}
5 August
The publication of the Davies Report which sets out proposals for the future funding of BBC digital services.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/412332.stm |title=Move to audit BBC accounts |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 August 1999 |access-date=12 April 2014}}
Former EastEnders co-stars Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson who played Den and Angie Watts are to team up again to play husband and wife in a Sky Premier adaptation of the Stephen Leather thriller The Stretch which will air the following year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/412777.stm |title=Den and Angie team up again |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=5 August 1999 |access-date=14 March 2015}}
6 August – ITV axes two programmes from its primetime Monday night slot because of falling ratings. Tested to Destruction presented by Carol Vorderman and documentary series The Sexual Century debuted at 9pm and 9:30pm respectively on 26 July, but will be replaced from 9 August and aired elsewhere in the schedule.{{cite news|first=Jason |last=Deans |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/itv-scraps-the-sexual-century-from-2130-slot/1218005.article |title=ITV scraps The Sexual Century from 21.30 slot |work=Broadcast |date=6 August 1999 |access-date=6 April 2014}}
8 August
The Sunday Telegraph reports that former player Gary Lineker has signed a £500,000 five-year contract to become the BBC's new face of football coverage following the departure of Des Lynam.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/414635.stm |title=Lineker 'steps into Des's shoes' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 August 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}} Lineker will remain in this role for more than 20 years.
Noel Edmonds announces he is leaving the BBC because its programmes are "too boring". His contract with the Corporation expires in March 2000 and he will present two further shows before his departure, an August Bank Holiday special and Noel's Christmas Presents Unwrapped.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/414837.stm |title=Noel Edmonds to leave BBC |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 August 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}
9 August – Helen Rollason who in 1990 became the first female presenter on BBC One's Grandstand, dies aged 43, following a two-year battle with cancer.{{cite news|first=Kathy |last=Marks |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/bbc-sports-presenter-helen-rollason-dies-1111805.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/bbc-sports-presenter-helen-rollason-dies-1111805.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason dies |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=10 August 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|first=Adam |last=Szreter |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-helen-rollason-1111811.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-helen-rollason-1111811.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Obituary: Helen Rollason |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=10 August 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}{{cbignore}}
11 August – BBC One and Channel 5 show live coverage of the 1999 solar eclipse. It is not shown live on the ITV network, but in the only region where the eclipse is total, Westcountry Television, just weeks away from losing its on-screen identity, opts out and provides its own coverage.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/eclipse-covering-the-eclipse/1218217.article |title=Eclipse – Covering the eclipse |publisher=Broadcast |date=6 August 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
12 August – The BBC programme complaints unit rules that jokes about speech impediments made by comedian Frank Skinner on an edition of his BBC One chat show on 20 May were "insensitive".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/418361.stm |title=Skinner's 'insensitive' joke slammed |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 August 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
13 August – Following a successful month-long trial, Cable & Wireless Communications begins offering its customers email and internet services through their television sets.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/419044.stm |title=Cable firm offers two-way TV |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 August 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}
16 August – The US version of ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? debuts on ABC with Regis Philbin as host. The show's success leads to an increase in interest in UK game shows from American producers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/424092.stm |title=Millionaire cash-in for US TV |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=18 August 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/430617.stm |title=Who wants a UK quiz show? |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=26 August 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}
19 August – Claims by The Sun that it has obtained a document detailing EastEnders plotlines for the forthcoming year have been dismissed by the show's producers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/424715.stm |title=BBC shrugs off EastEnders 'leak' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 August 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}
22 August – Sky Sports Xtra launches, initially as an interactive service.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/aug/13/newsstory.sport|title=Now armchair fans get to control what they watch|last=Chaudhary|first=Vivek|date=12 August 1999|work=The Guardian|access-date=20 August 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}
24 August – BBC One airs Helen Rollason: The Bravest Fight, a 30-minute documentary presented by Peter Sissons in which friends and colleagues pay tribute to her.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/BBC+tribute+to+brave+Helen.-a060492273 |title=BBC tribute to brave Helen |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |date=11 August 1999 |access-date=27 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f36833f361474af899b2940be34f0f15 |title=Helen Rollason: the Bravest Fight – BBC One London – 24 August 1999 |work=BBC Genome |date=24 August 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=26 October 2016}}
24 August – The final edition of The Cook Report airs on ITV.
27 August – The BBC names Gordon Brewer and Anne Mackenzie as the presenters of Newsnight Scotland, BBC Two's forthcoming Newsnight opt-out for Scottish viewers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/431782.stm |title=Leading names present Newsnight Scotland |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 August 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}
31 August – The BBC unveils plans to create separate television, radio and online news services for four new regions in London and the South East.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/434798.stm |title=BBC hopes for capital gains |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=31 August 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}}

=September=

1 September – Launch of Nick Jr., the UK's first television channel dedicated to viewers under the age of seven.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/435278.stm |title=Digital choice for juniors |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=1 September 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}}
2 September
Comedian Frank Skinner has been dropped by the BBC after demanding a reported £20 million to stay with the network.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/436289.stm |title=BBC rejects Skinner's 'ridiculous' demands |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 September 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald that launched earlier in the year, is to be cut from an hour to 45 minutes and moved from Thursdays to Wednesdays. ITV says this is to make way for documentaries and drama in the Thursday slot.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/436554.stm |title=ITV trims down Tonight |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 September 1999 |access-date=30 March 2014}}
3 September – An updated version of the classic slapstick game show It's a Knockout makes its Channel 5 debut with Keith Chegwin taking on the presenting role. He is joined by Frank Bruno, Lucy Alexander and Nell McAndrew.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/421695.stm |title=Channel 5's knockout comeback |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 August 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/437501.stm |title=Channel 5's Knockout punch |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=3 September 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}} Two series are aired over the following 18 months before Channel 5 announce in April 2001 that they have no plans to commission more series.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1287863.stm |title=It's a Knockout out for the count |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 April 2001 |access-date=9 May 2014}}
5 September – ITV debuts Springer on Sunday, a one-off David Letterman-style chat show presented by Jerry Springer. Guests include Robbie Coltrane, Glenda Jackson and Tom Jones.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/sep/06/tvandradio.television |title=Are we getting too much sex? |newspaper=The Guardian |date=6 September 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}
6 September
The ITV London Weekday franchise Carlton drops the on-air branding of the Central and Westcountry ITV regions, replacing them both with Carlton.{{cite news|last=Timms |first=Dominic |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/carlton-axes-central-and-westcountry/1219328.article |title=Carlton axes Central and Westcountry |work=Broadcast |date=3 September 1999 |access-date=28 May 2014}}
CITV show Art Attack is now broadcast twice weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Diagnosis Murder, a US comedy/mystery/medical drama series starring Dick Van Dyke, makes its BBC One debut.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0a4b2eaa348a4e1f88e7a60fb6704d5f |title=Diagnosis Murder – BBC One London – 6 September 1999 |work=BBC Genome |date=3 September 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 July 2017}}
Debut of ITV's daytime topical discussion show, Loose Women,{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60360176.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714221831/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60360176.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2014 |title=EastEnder Nadia switches sides |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=24 August 1999 |access-date=10 June 2014 |url-access=subscription |via= HighBeam Research}} originally from Norwich. The show will pass its 3000th episode in 2018.
The popular children's programme Tweenies makes its debut on BBC2 at 10:30am and again at 3:25pm on BBC1.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f8c3d44d59f84f0e9917a2e9bd614f63 |title=Tweenies – BBC Two England – 6 September 1999 |work=BBC Genome |date=6 September 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 July 2017}}
7 September
A man is arrested by police after using a coffee table to smash his way through a plate glass window into the BBC newsroom at White City as journalists were preparing for the 11am bulletin. The intruder also hurled computers and furniture in what is reported to be a protest against the BBC's coverage of a story. The broadcaster launches an inquiry into the incident, after security was tightened at the BBC in the wake of Jill Dando's murder earlier in the year.{{cite news|first=Janine |last=Gibson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/sep/08/mondaymediasection.broadcasting1 |title=BBC staff terrified by violent intruder |newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5008110.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140323142327/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5008110.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 March 2014 |title=Intruder attacks BBC newsroom |first=Paul |last=McCann |newspaper=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print Limited |url-access=subscription |date=8 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}{{cite news|last=Leonard |first=Tom |url=https://www.independent.ie/world-news/man-faces-court-after-rampage-and-threats-in-bbc-newsroom-26137796.html |title=Man faces court after rampage and threats in BBC newsroom |publisher=Independent News and Media |newspaper=Irish Independent|date=8 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/441429.stm |title=Papers predict Portillo's return |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}
Channel 5 airs the network television premiere of Roland Emmerich's 1996 science-fiction epic film Independence Day, giving the broadcaster an average audience of 4.98 million (24%) and peaking at 5.5 million (25%) at 10pm, its largest to date.{{cite news|first=Tina |last=Mistry |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/channel-5-clocked-up-its-best-ever-audience-figures-this-week-with-the-terrestrial-tv-premiere-of-independence-day-pulling-in-an-average-498-million-viewers-24-per-cent-share-on/1219679.article |title=Channel 5 clocked up its best ever audience figures this week with the terrestrial TV premiere of Independence Day pulling in an average 4.98 million viewers (24 per cent share) on Tuesday |work=Broadcast |date=10 September 1999 |access-date=19 April 2015}}
9 September – Debut of the ITV documentary series The Second World War in Colour which marks sixty years since the start of the conflict, showing rare colour footage of World War II which has taken ten years to collate. The series is narrated by the actor John Thaw.{{cite news|last=Grimley |first=Terry |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Adding+colour+to+the+Holocaust+horror%3B+Terry+Grimley+previews+a...-a060466831 |title=Adding colour to the Holocaust horror; Terry Grimley previews a documentary spun around a spectacular photographic find |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |date=3 September 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=McMullen |first=Marion |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/True+colours+of+war%3B+The+fabulous+new+film+footage+that+means+the...-a060310698 |title=True colours of war; The fabulous new film footage that means the Second World War can now be seen in colour for the first time |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=4 September 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
11 September – The first of Channel 4's '100 Greatest' programmes air, starting with 100 Greatest TV Moments.
13 September – Blackadder Back and Forth, a new installment of the Blackadder comedy series will be part of the exhibition at the Millennium Dome from January 2000. The episode will receive its television debut on Sky in 2001 with the BBC also planning to show it.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/445805.stm |title=Blackadder back to the future |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=13 September 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}} The episode is part of "Skyscape", the Sky-sponsored entertainment venue at the Dome, something which has led to some confusion over who owns the broadcasting rights to the series that made its debut on the BBC.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/419247.stm |title=Blackadder's millennium duel |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=13 August 1999 |access-date=21 April 2014}}
15 September
S4C2 launches.{{cite news |title=S4C2 Launching... |first=Iain |last=Chapman |date=5 September 1999 |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a240/s4c2-launching.html |work=Digital Spy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320045229/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a240/s4c2-launching.html |archive-date=20 March 2018 |url-status=live}} It broadcasts coverage of the National Assembly for Wales and extended coverage of events being shown on S4C.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/s4c-2-channel-terminated-welsh-2736141|title=S4C 2 channel is 'terminated', Welsh broadcaster says|first=Tom|last=Bodden|date=15 January 2011|website=northwales|access-date=26 May 2019}}{{cite news|first=David |last=Williamson |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/s4c2-scrapped-in-cuts-1858179 |title=S4C2 scrapped in cuts |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Western Mail |date=14 January 2011 |access-date=26 May 2019}}
A police officer is charged with driving without due care and attention over the accident that left newsreader Sheena McDonald in hospital earlier in the year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/448695.stm |title=PC charged over TV presenter accident |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=15 September 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/448803.stm |title=Policeman charged over newsreader accident |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 September 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}
16 September – The first episode of the British-Canadian children's stop-motion animated series Rotten Ralph begins on BBC One with "Happy Birthday Rotten Ralph".
19 September – ITV airs Clive James's Postcard from... Havana, a documentary in which Clive James visits Cuba and investigates the impact Communism has on the ordinary lives of Cubans forty years after the Cuban Revolution.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Island+of+dreams+turns+sour%3B+Clive+James%3A+Postcard+From+Havana+ITV%2C...-a060358416 |title=Island of dreams turns sour; Clive James: Postcard From Havana ITV, 11.15pm |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Daily Record |date=18 September 1999 |access-date=13 January 2018}}{{cite news|first=Robert |last=Hanks |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-review-1120747.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-review-1120747.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Television Review |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=20 September 1999 |access-date=13 January 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|last=McMullen |first=Marion |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/SUNDAY+TV%3b+TODAY%27S+HIGHLIGHTS.-a060309924 |title=Sunday TV; Today's Highlights |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=18 September 1999 |access-date=23 October 2018}}
20 September
Jerry Springer UK debuts on ITV.{{cite news|last=Reade |first=Brian |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Over+the+top,+over+paid..+and+over+here%3B+Jerry+Springer+is+getting...-a060414202 |title=Over the top, over paid.. and over here |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=18 September 1999 |access-date=5 June 2014}}
Children's animation Bob the Builder goes on the air on television in Australia on ABC.
21 September – The US animated sitcoms Futurama and Family Guy both debut in the UK on Sky One.
23 September – Launch of BBC Text, the service which was renamed BBCi in 2001 and BBC Red Button in 2008, 25 years after the launch of the Ceefax service.{{cite news|first=Andrew |last=Laughlin |url=https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a442794/bbc-revamps-red-button-for-connected-tv-future.html#~oEf1kjOEwWAQUY |title=BBC revamps Red Button for connected TV future |publisher=Digital Spy |date=4 December 2012 |access-date=14 May 2014}}
24 September – Channel 4's cult sitcom Spaced airs its first episode.
25 September – Addressing clergy at a conference in Lancashire, The Right Reverend Allan Chesters, Bishop of Blackburn, criticises soaps such as Coronation Street for their high divorce rates.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/457612.stm |title=Soaps criticised for divorce rates |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 September 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}
26 September – Channel 4 broadcasts the network television premiere of Mary Reilly, starring Julia Roberts.
27 September
The popular children's puppet Sooty returns to television with a brand new series called Sooty Heights, set in a hotel with Richard Cadell and Liana Bridges taking over as presenters as their predecessor Matthew Corbett retired last year.
The children's cartoon series Angelmouse, narrated by David Jason, makes its debut on BBC One.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e77f4643a60945dfae5e3cd8f697976c |title=Angel Mouse – BBC One London – 27 September 1999 – BBC Genome |date=27 September 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
28 September – A service of thanksgiving is held for Jill Dando at All Soul's Church in Langham Place, London which is attended by family, friends and colleagues.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/456654.stm |title=The service of thanksgiving |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=28 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}} The service includes a special address from BBC Director-General John Birt.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/459941.stm |title=Sir John Birt's tribute to Jill Dando |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=28 September 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}}
29 September – The European Commission rejects a complaint from BSkyB that the licence fee funding of BBC News 24 is illegal under EU law because it amounts to state funding.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/461002.stm |title=BSkyB loses News 24 complaint |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=29 September 1999 |access-date=29 June 2014}}
30 September
The BBC announces details of 2000 to 1, a unique quiz for the millennium that will give one person the chance to win a year off work with prize money equivalent to double their annual salary. The show, presented by Gary Lineker will air through December with the winner being decided on New Year's Eve, although Lineker would be replaced as host by Michael Parkinson prior to filming.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/461682.stm |title=BBC offers year off work |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 September 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}{{cite news|last=Methven |first=Nicola |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/WIN+YEAR+2000+OFF+WORK+IN+TELLY+QUIZ.-a060332506 |title=Win year 2000 off work in telly quiz |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=1 October 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
The Broadcasting Standards Commission upholds 28 complaints about Channel 4's drama Psychos which aired in May, finding that the series reinforced stereotypes and prejudice towards people with mental health problems.{{cite news|first=Janine |last=Gibson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/sep/30/channel4.mondaymediasection |title=Channel 4 criticised on Psychos |newspaper=The Guardian |date=30 September 1999 |access-date=22 April 2015}}

=October=

1 October – Sky MovieMax 5 is launched.{{cite web|url=http://wotsat.com:80/|title=SatelliteTV online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991103190355/http://wotsat.com/|archive-date=3 November 1999|date=3 November 1999|access-date=23 September 2018|url-status=live}}
1 October–6 November – ITV provides coverage of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, hosted for the second time by several countries. Wales are the main host, but many matches are played in England, Scotland, Ireland and France.
2 October – The Mirror's Matthew Wright reports that a recent Coronation Street storyline involving the death of the character Judy Mallett, played by Gaynor Faye, has helped to save the life of a woman who sought medical help after watching the episode in which Judy died of a blood clot in her leg following a car crash. The unnamed woman had recently been involved in a motoring accident herself and was experiencing leg pain that she had attributed to bruising. She subsequently attended hospital where doctors diagnosed a blood clot.{{cite news|last=Wright |first=Matthew |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MATTHEW+WRIGHT'S+COLUMN%3A+SPOOKY+SCREEN+SAVER..-a060332024 |title=Spooky Screen Saver |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=2 October 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}
4 October
Launch of Newsnight Scotland, the BBC Scotland opt-out of the main Newsnight programme on BBC Two.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/newsnight/463230.stm |title=Newsnight Scotland |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 October 1999 |access-date=13 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=Williams |first=Craig |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4206477.stm |title=Devolution and Newsnight Scotland |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 January 2005 |access-date=13 May 2014}}
BBC Wales unveils a new look for its news programmes with new sets and titles.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/464216.stm |title=BBC Wales news gets a facelift |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 October 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
The BBC have agreed a deal with Welsh broadcaster S4C to screen Welsh language episodes of Teletubbies.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/464128.stm |title=Wales | Teletubbies' adventure in Welsh |work=BBC News |date=1999-10-04 |access-date=2018-01-13}}
HTV Wales launches the soap Nuts and Bolts, a series set in the South Wales Valleys which airs at 7pm. The Independent Television Commission later upholds nine viewer complaints against the programme because some of its content was inappropriate for airing before the watershed. HTV subsequently airs a later episode of the series containing similar content at 10pm.{{cite news|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/itc/itc_publications/complaints_reports/programme_complaints/show_complaint.asp-prog_complaint_id=230.html |title=Complaints & Interventions Report for Nuts and Bolts |publisher=Independent Television Commission |access-date=3 May 2015}}
4 October–8 November – The six-part documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs airs on BBC One, using computer-generated imagery and animatronics to show life in the Mesozoic era.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/specials/sheffield_99/448505.stm |title=Walking like a dinosaur |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 September 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}{{cite news|last=Morgan |first=Kathleen |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Gripping+drama+of+Jurassic+survival%3B+WALKING+WITH+DINOSAURS+(BBC1).-a060328727 |title=Gripping drama of Jurassic survival; Walking with Dinosaurs (BBC1) |newspaper=Daily Record |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=5 October 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}{{cite news|last=Donovan |first=Paul |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/overnight-ratings-tv-soap-and-quiz-blitz-pulls-in-punters/1224585.article |title=Overnight ratings – TV soap and quiz blitz pulls in punters |work=Broadcast |date=12 November 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}} Figures issued on 20 October by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board indicate that the first episode was watched by 18.9 million viewers, making it the all-time most watched science programme in the UK and the BBC's 19th most watched programme of all time. 15 million see the episode on 4 October, while a further 3.91 million watch the repeat on 10 October.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/480284.stm |title=Ratings record for dino saga |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 October 1999 |access-date=2 May 2014}}
6 October – ITV airs the network television premiere of the 1996 disaster film Twister, starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt.
7 October – Gimme Some Truth, a 56-minute documentary featuring unseen footage of John Lennon is set to be aired on British television. Work has recently been completed on the project, but a deal to broadcast it is yet to be agreed.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/467885.stm |title=Unseen Lennon on screen |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=7 October 1999 |access-date=31 March 2014}} The film is ultimately shown on BBC Two on 13 February 2000.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cf913a6e0cbc472d811695b97607d7e2|title=Gimme Some Truth – BBC Two England – 13 February 2000 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=13 February 2000 |access-date=14 October 2018}}
8 October – The BBC prepares itself for a backlash from EastEnders viewers after a murder trial in the soap ends in a wrongful conviction. The character Matthew Rose is found guilty of the manslaughter of Saskia Duncan, but the killing was actually carried out by Steve Owen who walks free.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/469278.stm |title=Shock verdict in EastEnders trial |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 October 1999 |access-date=31 March 2014}} The episode prompts a tabloid newspaper campaign to free Rose who is dubbed "The Walford One". Joe Absolom who plays the character, announces a few days later his intention to leave the show at the end of the year, although he will be seen on screen until February 2000.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/480204.stm |title=Absolom quits EastEnders |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=20 October 1999 |access-date=31 March 2014}}
11 October – Debut of BBC One's The Major Years, a three-part documentary about the premiership of former Prime Minister John Major.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/463400.stm |title=Major hits back over 'Black Wednesday' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 October 1999 |access-date=29 June 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/470585.stm |title=Major savages 'trite' Thatcher |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 October 1999 |access-date=29 June 2014}}
12 October – Launch of Open, the UK's first interactive television shopping channel available to Sky Digital subscribers. Viewers can access services from several high street retailers, including WHSmith, Dixons and HSBC.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/472160.stm |title=Interactive shopping hits UK |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 October 1999 |access-date=22 May 2014}}
14 October – BBC One airs a special edition of Question Time recorded in Sydney, Australia, ahead of the country's republic referendum.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/question_time/your_comments/475380.stm |title=Question Time, Thursday 14 October |work=BBC News |date=14 October 1999 |access-date=22 June 2014}}
15 October – TNT Classic Movies is replaced with TCM. Also on this day is the launch of the short-lived analogue version of TNT.
18 October – Sheena McDonald presents the 1999 Gramophone Awards, her first public appearance since her accident in February.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/478141.stm |title=Sheena back in the spotlight |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=18 October 1999 |access-date=18 January 2014}}
19 October – At a hearing at London's Horseferry Road Magistrates Court, a media studies student who went on the rampage in the BBC newsroom the previous month pleads guilty to affray and common assault.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Student's+TV+news+rampage.-a060406394 |title=Student's TV news rampage |newspaper=The Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=20 October 1999 |access-date=23 March 2014}} At a subsequent hearing in March 2000, the man who was protesting against TV licence charges and planned to tackle Greg Dyke on the issue, is ordered to be detained indefinitely at a psychiatric hospital because of ongoing mental health problems.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2000/mar/14/bbc.uknews |title=BBC newsroom protester to be held under mental health act |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 March 2000 |access-date=23 March 2014}}
21 October – L!VE TV is expected to close after emerges that Mirror Group Newspapers are in negotiations with NTL to sell the channel.{{cite news|first=Janine |last=Gibson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/1999/oct/22/mondaymediasection.broadcasting1 |title=£30m gimmick ends with death of Live TV |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 October 1999 |access-date=28 June 2014}}
24 October – Debut of the BBC Two documentary series, Playing the Race Card which looks at the history of race and immigration in the United Kingdom.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/482565.stm |title=Looking back at race relations |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 October 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
25 October
Relaunch of BBC News 24 with a new set design.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/481625.stm |title=Relaunch for News 24 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 October 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
The final episode of BBC One's The Major Years shows footage of an abandoned Conservative Party political broadcast depicting Labour leader Tony Blair as Faust and Peter Mandelson as the Devil. John Major vetoed its use before the 1997 general election believing it would backfire on the Conservatives.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/484738.stm |title=Major's sympathy for the 'devil' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 October 1999 |access-date=29 June 2014}}
27 October – BBC Two airs the 150th edition of TOTP2.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/893cb7f8b2b1421d8d756433d07f51e2|title=TOTP2 – BBC Two England – 27 October 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=27 October 1999 |access-date=30 October 2018}}
29 October
ITV chief executive Richard Eyre is named as the new head of Pearson TV, replacing Greg Dyke in the new year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/493794.stm |title=Eyre joins Pearson |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=29 October 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}
A racism storyline in Brookside reaches a dramatic conclusion when a thug is shown being engulfed in flames as his attempt to petrol bomb the house of a black family goes wrong.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/478108.stm |title=Brookside racist torched |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=18 October 1999 |access-date=14 March 2015}}
30 October – A special live Stars in Their Eyes Champion of Champions is broadcast on ITV, in which the winners of the past ten series all return. Ian Moor, as Chris De Burgh, who won the tenth series in June, wins the show receiving nearly half a million votes from the public.
31 October – TeleG is established as the first daily digital Gaelic TV channel in Scotland.{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-18706883.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223745/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-18706883.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2014 |title=Gaelic viewers' digital service |publisher=Johnston Press |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=15 September 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014 |url-access=subscription |via= HighBeam Research}}

=November=

1 November
ITV has commissioned a further four editions of Springer on Sunday following the success of a pilot edition that aired earlier in the year.{{cite news|first=Michael |last=Schneider |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/itv-springs-for-springer-u-k-show-1117757627/ |title=ITV springs for Springer U.K. show |work=Variety |date=1 November 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/jerry-springer-moves-to-itv/1224137.article |title=Jerry Springer moves to ITV |publisher=Broadcast |date=3 November 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}
Channel 4 launches FilmFour magazine to accompany its subscription film channel FilmFour.{{cite news|first=Jane |last=Ratcliffe |url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/69861/media-c4-boosts-film-four-brand-subscriber-mag |title=C4 boosts Film Four brand with subscriber mag |work=Marketing Magazine |date=28 October 1999 |access-date=19 April 2015}}
FilmFour celebrates its first anniversary with a night of simulcast programmes with Channel 4, including the premiere of Caligula.{{cite web|url=http://indexda54.html/?page_id=1166|title=1999 : Off The Telly|access-date=23 January 2019}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
4 November
The BBC establishes the Helen Rollason Award, an award to be given at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in recognition of "outstanding achievement in the face of adversity" in honour of the presenter who died in August.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/7735134.stm|title=Sports Personality voting & judging: Terms & conditions|date=18 November 2008|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 December 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081217234446/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/7735134.stm| archive-date= 17 December 2008 | url-status= live}}{{cite news|title=BBC bravery award to remember Helen|last=Shannon|first=Sarah|date=4 November 1999 |work=London Evening Standard}}
Following an in-depth review of BBC One programming led by BBC Director of Television Alan Yentob, the channel says it will give priority to quality programming and reduce its output of docusoaps.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/505097.stm |title=Quality first for BBC One |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 November 1999 |access-date=22 May 2014}}
5 November – Trinity Mirror announces the closure of L!VE TV which goes off the air on the same day.{{cite news |url=http://www.investegate.co.uk/trinity-mirror-plc--tni-/rns/live-tv-to-stop-broadcasting/199911051618153883A/ |title=Live TV to Stop Broadcasting |publisher=FE Investegate |date=5 November 1999 |access-date=28 June 2014 |archive-date=6 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606132529/http://www.investegate.co.uk/trinity-mirror-plc--tni-/rns/live-tv-to-stop-broadcasting/199911051618153883A/ |url-status=dead }}
6 November
Investigative reporter and documentary maker Graham Hall who made the 1998 film Inside the ALF for Channel 4's Dispatches, gives an account of how he was recently kidnapped and branded with a hot iron by people claiming to be members of the Animal Liberation Front after meeting someone who told him they had information about an illegal dog fighting ring.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/507947.stm |title=Film-maker 'branded in attack' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=6 November 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}
The network television premiere of Tony Randel's 1988 British/American horror sequel Hellbound: Hellraiser II on Channel 4, starring Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins, Kenneth Cranham, Imogen Boorman, Sean Chapman and Doug Bradley.
8 November
ITV launches a generic look for the second time, the first being in 1989 with most regions adopting idents based around a heart theme. The exceptions are the three Carlton owned regions, the SMG plc owned Scottish and Grampian and UTV.
Debut of the six-part Coronation Street spin-off, After Hours which sees Julie Goodyear reprise her role as Bet Lynch.{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b83ae97e6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429061926/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b83ae97e6 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 April 2014 |title=Coronation Street: After Hours |publisher=British Film Institute |work=British Film & TV Database |access-date=28 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Street's+old+stars+in+seaside+reunion%3B+ROVER+RETURNS%3A+BET+IS+BACK.-a060143724 |title=Street's old stars in seaside reunion; Rover returns: Bet is back |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=2 November 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/509471.stm |title=Gloves off for ratings showdown |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 November 1999 |access-date=28 April 2014}}
9 November
Joanna Lumley and Tom Conti will appear in a series of TV broadcasts to raise funds for a Disasters Emergency Committee appeal to help victims of Cyclone Orissa.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/511195.stm |title=Lumley pleas for cyclone aid |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 November 1999 |access-date=6 June 2014}}
Comedian Tommy Tiernan plays a video rental store employee in Channel 4's new sitcom Small Potatoes alongside Sanjeev Bhaskar and Omid Djalili.
10 November – MacIntyre Uncovered, a series in which investigative journalist Donal MacIntyre goes undercover to examine issues such as football hooliganism, the fashion photography industry and private healthcare debuts on BBC One. The programme begins on the same day that he announces he is ending his undercover work because the job is becoming increasingly dangerous for him.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/514393.stm |title=Investigative reporter quits |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 November 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}
11 November
Popular children's animation Bob the Builder has been sold for broadcasting in South Africa. The series will premiere on SABC2 on Thursdays at 8:40am.
Former Blue Peter presenter Tim Vincent is to join the cast of ITV soap Emmerdale as a vet and will be seen on screen from March 2000.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/515582.stm |title=Tim gets Booked for Emmerdale |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=11 November 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}
12 November
Loud Tie Day, an event to raise money for Beating Bowel Cancer, a charity founded by television presenter Lynn Faulds Wood.{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Health+Zone%3A+Loud+Tie+Day+for+Beating+Bowel+Cancer.-a060405891 |title=Loud Tie Day for Beating Bowel Cancer |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=21 October 1999 |access-date=24 May 2014}} The event, led by Chris Tarrant aims to raise £1 million for bowel cancer clinics around the UK by encouraging people to wear colourful ties to work.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/482372.stm |title=Tarrant gets knotted for charity |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 October 1999 |access-date=24 May 2014}}
Chris Smith, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has instructed the Independent Television Commission to compile a report on the impact of ITV's decision to axe News at Ten, it has emerged.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/516816.stm |title=Report puts ITV under news pressure |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 November 1999 |access-date=30 March 2014}}
The BBC announce that Fiona Bruce will join Nick Ross as co-presenter of Crimewatch following Jill Dando's murder. She will appear on the show from the following January.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/517637.stm |title=Bruce takes Crimewatch job |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 November 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}
13 November
The debut of BBC One's National Lottery game show Red Alert sees Alan Dedicoat replaced by Sid Waddell as the "Voice of the Balls", a move that proves to be unpopular with viewers. Dedicoat resumes the role the following week. Waddell will claim he was sacked from the show for being "too Geordie".{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Red_Alert |title=Red Alert |publisher=UKGameshows |access-date=5 May 2014}}{{cite news|last=Walters |first=Mike |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Darts%3A+We+couldn't+have+more+excitement+if+Elvis+walked+in+and+asked...-a0155941841 |title=Darts: We couldn't have more excitement if Elvis walked in and asked for a chip sandwich |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=The Mirror |date=16 December 2006 |access-date=5 May 2014}}
Tom Baker presents a Doctor Who theme night on BBC Two.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/511431.stm |title=Repeat treat for Dr Who fans |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 November 1999 |access-date=5 April 2014}}
The final episode of Catchphrase to be presented by Roy Walker is shown on ITV. It is revamped the following year with new host Nick Weir.
14 November – On Remembrance Sunday, BBC One airs the World War I drama All the King's Men about volunteers from George V's Sandringham Estate in the 5th Norfolk Regiment which suffered heavy losses at Gallipoli in 1915. The film stars David Jason as Captain Frank Beck.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/511491.stm |title=Jason's heroic endeavour |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=10 November 1999 |access-date=28 May 2014}}
16 November – BBC Two begins rerunning episodes of Doctor Who, beginning with the first episode of the 1970 adventure Spearhead from Space.
17 November
To coincide with the release of the new James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, a special edition of BBC One's Tomorrow's World looks at the high tech gadgets that might be used by him.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cc07369d8525492cb01feee1845de1d4|title=Bond and Beyond – a Tomorrow's World Special – BBC One London – 17 November 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=17 November 1999 |access-date=18 October 2018}}
ITV and Sky Sports broadcast live coverage of the second leg of the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying play-off between England and Scotland at Wembley Stadium. The match finishes in a 1-0 win for Scotland, but England win the tie 2-1 on aggregate and qualify for next summer's tournament.
22 November – Channel 5 begins simulcasting Euronews, airing the channel daily between 5am and 6am. The simulcast lasts for only two months and ends on 23 January 2000.
23 November
BBC One airs an edition of MacIntyre Uncovered, looking at the exploitation of young girls in the fashion industry, something that leads to a row between the BBC and the Elite model agency which claims the programme was "rigged", biassed and unfair. Two executives seen making sexist and racist comments in the programme resign amid public anger, but are reinstated by the agency, although they elect to remain on gardening leave while an investigation into the matter takes place.{{cite news|first=Tom |last=O'Sullivan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/1999/nov/21/featuresreview.review2 |title=Who's exposing who? |publisher=Guardian Media Group |newspaper=The Observer |date=21 November 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}{{cite news|first=John |last=Schetler |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/fashion-scandal-agency-exposed-on-tv-say-bbc-film-was-rigged-1125517.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/fashion-scandal-agency-exposed-on-tv-say-bbc-film-was-rigged-1125517.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Fashion Scandal: Agency 'exposed' on TV say BBC film was rigged |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=2 December 1999 |access-date=2 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}
ITV unveils its Christmas schedule which includes an episode of Heartbeat that will see singer Charlotte Church make her acting debut.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/533341.stm |title=ITV's festive Frost |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=23 November 1999 |access-date=28 May 2014}}
24 November – BBC One unveils its Winter lineup of programming which will include a remake of the 1960s television series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), featuring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in the eponymous roles.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/534858.stm |title=BBC goes retro for winter |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=24 November 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}
25 November – Sarah Lancashire is to briefly reprise her role as Coronation Street{{'}}s Raquel Watts in early 2000, it is confirmed.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/536542.stm |title=Raquel's Corrie comeback |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=25 November 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}
26 November – BBC One airs the 1999 Children in Need television fundraiser. By the following day it has raised £11.6m for charity.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/537470.stm|title=TV appeal hits record total|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News|date=27 November 1999|access-date=30 August 2021}}
28 November
Debut of Wives and Daughters on BBC One and Oliver Twist on ITV, two costume dramas that compete head-to-head for viewers. Provisional figures released the following day indicate ITV had the larger audience with 8.4 million watching Oliver Twist compared to 7.2 million who saw Wives and Daughters.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/542005.stm |title=ITV pips BBC in corset wars |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=29 November 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
BBC One airs Ruth Ellis: a Life for a Life, a drama documentary presented by Kirsty Wark that reveals new evidence that could have prevented Ruth Ellis from being the last woman to be hanged in Britain.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2a92c8fb94bb42dfa8f115f438033c5c|title=Ruth Ellis: a Life for a Life – BBC One London – 28 November 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=28 November 1999 |access-date=18 October 2018}}
29 November – From today, children's programming is broadcast all day on BBC Choice, branded CBBC on Choice, every day from 6am until 7pm including programmes rarely seen on the main channel.
November – Test Card J and Test Card W debut on the BBC, replacing Test Card F which is retired after 32 years.

=December=

2 December – Comedian Frank Skinner has signed a three-year deal with ITV and will take his chat show to the network.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/547383.stm |title=Skinner switches to ITV |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 December 1999 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
3 December – Channel 5 has signed a deal with Warner Bros. International Television to show their 1999 titles from 2002. Among the films included in the deal are The Matrix, Deep Blue Sea, Message in a Bottle, Eyes Wide Shut, Wild Wild West, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Payback and Analyze This.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/c5s-warner-deal-brings-matrix-to-uk/1225510.article |title=C5's Warner deal brings Matrix to UK | News | Broadcast |work=Broadcast |date=3 December 1999 |access-date=19 April 2015}}
4 December – The millennium quiz 2000 to 1 debuts on BBC One with Michael Parkinson and Katy Hill presenting.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/2000_to_1 |title=2000 to 1 |publisher=UKGameshows |access-date=7 June 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/08ddac7d126b41909502a65e83f439dd |title=2000 to 1 – BBC One London – 4 December 1999 – BBC Genome |date=4 December 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
6 December – BBC One airs Stephen King: Shining in the Dark, an edition of Omnibus in which the author Stephen King talks about his life and work.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/10715a76c721462e979aed5f0f85ee7b|title=Omnibus – BBC One London – 6 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=6 December 1999 |access-date=25 September 2018}} The programme is followed by the first part of a TV adaptation of his story The Langoliers,{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a5582f5486cd48fd89cc7dd6129b2431|title=Stephen King's The Langoliers – BBC One London – 6 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=6 December 1999 |access-date=25 September 2018}} with part two airing on 8 December.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/36b789afedfb4a1abf801ad24d97ce49|title=Stephen King's The Langoliers – BBC One London – 9 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=9 December 1999 |access-date=25 September 2018}} The documentary is repeated on BBC Choice on 12 December.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a4be4dc55ce740808a397ac374f23ed1|title=Stephen King: Shining in the Dark – BBC Choice – 12 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=12 December 1999 |access-date=25 September 2018}}
7 December
A report published by the Broadcasting Standards Commission says that television is failing to reflect the multicultural nature of Britain with few ethnic characters seen on screen in drama and soap and viewers feeling that many that do appear are portrayed as two-dimensional and negatively stereotyped.{{cite news|first=David |last=Lister |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/multicultural-society-is-not-reflected-on-british-tv-say-watchdogs-1131029.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/multicultural-society-is-not-reflected-on-british-tv-say-watchdogs-1131029.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Multicultural society is not reflected on British TV, say watchdogs |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=8 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/554328.stm |title=TV 'failing ethnic minorities' |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=7 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
Channel 5 broadcasts the TV movie Winter Angel, a revival of the popular 1970s BBC science-fiction series Doomwatch.{{cite news|url=http://www.michael-sheen.co.uk/newsdesk/filmography/television-index/doomwatch-winter-angel/ |title=Doomwatch Winter Angel featuring Michael Sheen |publisher=Michael-Sheen.co.uk |access-date=3 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331002608/http://www.michael-sheen.co.uk/newsdesk/filmography/television-index/doomwatch-winter-angel/ |archive-date= 31 March 2014 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b83f0ac4b |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721041900/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b83f0ac4b |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2012 |title=Doomwatch Winter Angel |publisher=British Film Institute |work=BFI Database |access-date=3 May 2014}}
8 December
It is announced that Michael Starke who plays Sinbad in Brookside will leave the soap after more than a decade. He is due to exit the show in September 2000.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/555505.stm |title=Sinbad says farewell to Brookside |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 December 1999 |access-date=14 March 2015}}
BBC Two airs a special edition of TOTP2 featuring performances by US country singer Shania Twain.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0a889b74728445bca9997c85e11fb04a|title=TOTP2 – BBC Two England – 8 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=8 December 1999 |access-date=30 October 2018}}
11 December – "Flying Without Wings" by Irish boy band Westlife wins the 1999 Record of the Year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/560705.stm |title=Westlife win song award |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 December 1999 |access-date=27 May 2014}}
12 December – Recently retired National Hunt trainer Jenny Pitman is presented with the first Helen Rollason Award at the 1999 BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/561724.stm |title=Lewis heads sporting honours |date=12 December 1999 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021203152243/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/561724.stm |archive-date= 3 December 2002 |url-status=live }} Boxer Lennox Lewis is named as this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/561724.stm |title=Lewis heads sporting honours |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=12 December 1999 |access-date=7 November 2015}} while boxer Muhammad Ali is named as BBC Sports Personality of the Century.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/561352.stm |title=Ali crowned Sportsman of Century |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=13 December 1999 |access-date=4 June 2016}}
13 December
The Independent Television Commission rules that an episode of Jerry Springer UK featuring rubber fetishists that aired on 27 September was unsuitable for its 8pm timeslot.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/562514.stm |title=Springer's UK show under fire |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=13 December 1999 |access-date=5 June 2014}}
ITV says it has unearthed colour footage of World War I and plans to make a follow-up documentary to its popular series The Second World War in Colour. The channel has also commissioned a raft of historical documentaries for the 10pm slot.{{cite news|last=Robins |first=Jane |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/great-war-colour-film-found-by-itv-738999.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/great-war-colour-film-found-by-itv-738999.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Great War colour film found by ITV |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=13 December 1999 |access-date=29 May 2014}}{{cbignore}}
Campaign Live reports that Carlton Communications plc have decided to close their general entertainment channel Carlton Select which airs old terrestrial TV content.{{cite news|first=Rachel |last=Minter |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/carlton-pulls-plug-carlton-select/31519 |title=Carlton pulls plug on Carlton Select |publisher=Campaign Live |date=13 December 1999 |access-date=12 November 2016}}
16 December – Channel 4 signs a £100 million deal to regain the rights to show US TV series Friends and ER which it has shared with Sky One since 1996. The deal means new episodes of both series will make their British terrestrial debut on Channel 4 from 2001, instead of the current arrangement where Sky is allowed to show them first.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/568283.stm |title=Channel 4's Ł100m Friends deal |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=16 December 1999 |access-date=14 June 2014}}
19 December – Charlotte Church makes her acting debut in an episode of Heartbeat.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-they-famous-charlotte-church-1133374.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-they-famous-charlotte-church-1133374.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Why are they famous? Charlotte Church |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=19 December 1999 |access-date=6 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}
21 December – The Britt Allcroft Company purchases a 50% stake in Sooty. The joint-venture business, entitled "Bridgefilms" was formed in an attempt to expand the character to the United States.{{Cite web|date=21 December 1999|title=Sooty prepares to sweep the world|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/573833.stm|access-date=5 April 2021|publisher=BBC News}}{{Cite web|date=2000-02-01|title=Britt Allcroft picks up Sooty|url=https://kidscreen.com/2000/02/01/27978-20000201/|access-date=5 April 2021|website=Kidscreen.com}}
22 December
Former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton hangs up during the middle of a live telephone interview with BBC Breakfast News presenter John Nicholson after he begins questioning him about his financial backers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/574920.stm |title=Hamilton joins TV tantrums hall of fame |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}} Hamilton is being interviewed after losing a libel case.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/574951.stm |title=Hamilton's Ł1m hang-up |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
Spice Girls singer Emma Bunton launches a government safety advertising campaign warning people of the dangers of drinking and handling fireworks on millennium eve.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/574944.stm |title=Emma spices up fireworks campaign |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}
BBC One airs Tony Grounds's family drama Last Christmas, a television film starring Phillip Dowling, Pauline Quirke and Ray Winstone.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5fa30805355b46198f3155ec20d70723|title=Last Christmas – BBC One London – 22 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=22 December 1999 }}
BBC One airs Celine Dion: All the Way – a Decade of Song, a programme featuring Celine Dion in concert performing some of the tracks from her recently released compilation album All the Way... A Decade of Song.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/263dbecf4af6434d9370d4cecfacd18d|title=Celine Dion: All the Way – a Decade of Song – BBC One London – 22 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=22 December 1999 |access-date=25 September 2018}}
ITV shows the network television premiere of the 1996 Christmas comedy film Jingle All The Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
24 December – Ian Woodley becomes the first person on British television to win a million pounds on a segment of the Channel 4 show TFI Friday called Someone's Going to be a Millionaire, a reference to ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which at the time has not had a million pound winner but eventually will in November the following year.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/577278.stm |title=Who's become a millionaire? |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=27 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2014}}
25 December
Christmas Day highlights on BBC One include the network television premiere of the 1995 adventure fantasy Jumanji, starring Robin Williams.{{cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3449541168cb423fa71bb7e9ae6f6694 |title=Jumanji – BBC One London – 25 December 1999 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 October 2016}} Hooves of Fire, the first Robbie the Reindeer adventure, also premieres on the channel.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2d29ef162aab4d1096e3600e95bdf34c |title=Hooves of Fire – BBC One London – 25 December 1999 |work=BBC Genome |date=25 December 1999 |publisher=BBC |access-date=26 October 2016}} Noel Edmunds presents his final live Christmas morning programme for the BBC.
ITV beats BBC One in the Christmas Day ratings for the first time since 1984, airing a mixture of soaps, the drama A Touch of Frost and three episodes of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Coronation Street is the most viewed programme with an audience of 14.74 million. However, although ITV has the largest number of viewers for peak viewing, in terms of figures for the overall day, BBC One has the larger percentage of audience share.{{cite news|first=Will |last=Woodward |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/27/willwoodward |title=ITV wins Christmas Day peak-time ratings war |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 December 1999 |access-date=9 May 2014}}
Channel 4 airs the controversial modern opera Powder Her Face based on the life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. The work which includes a scene depicting oral sex is broadcast from 8:40pm in order to time the explicit content to appear after the 9pm watershed.{{cite news|last=Robins |first=Jane |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/channel-4-screens-sex-opera-on-christmas-day-739011.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/channel-4-screens-sex-opera-on-christmas-day-739011.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Channel 4 screens sex opera on Christmas Day |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=4 December 1999 |access-date=20 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}
26 December – Boxing Day highlights on BBC One include Mission: Impossible, a 1996 film produced by and starring Tom Cruise.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1999-12-26|title=BBC One London – 26 December 1999 – BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}
27 December
BBC One show the network television debut of the 1997 musical comedy film Spice World, starring The Spice Girls.{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bb93923bcfb449cb9a41c9bed24128e3 |title=Spice World – BBC One London – 27 December 1999 – BBC Genome |date=27 December 1999 |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=2018-01-13}}
ITV has decided to air a documentary about the Krays in which former gangster Freddie Foreman confesses to a murder he committed for the gang in 1966. The Krays – Unfinished Business is scheduled to air on 10 January 2000.{{cite news|last=Robins |first=Jane |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/itv-will-screen-confession-by-krays-hitman-739001.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/itv-will-screen-confession-by-krays-hitman-739001.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=ITV will screen confession by Krays' hitman |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=28 December 1999 |access-date=3 May 2015}}{{cbignore}}
29 December – Along with other terrestrial and satellite networks, the BBC simulcasts the "What is it like to lose someone?" ad campaign, featuring the parents of a young woman killed by a drink driver. The advert which explores the couple's grief over the loss of their daughter is part of a new Millennium Drink-Drive campaign.
31 December
Over 60 countries take part in 2000 Today, a programme seeing in the start of the new millennium. In the UK, the 28-hour marathon show is shown on BBC One and hosted by Michael Parkinson, Gaby Roslin and David Dimbleby.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/546386.stm |title=BBC's all-star millennium bash |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 December 1999|access-date=12 April 2014}}
Motivation expert John Mitchell wins the BBC One quiz 2000 to 1 after a tie-breaker in which his opponent answers a question incorrectly. He wins £70,000 and a year off work.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/583668.stm |title='Mr Motivator' wins year off work |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=31 December 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Big+quiz+winner+gets+pounds+70,000+and+a+year+off.-a060828293 |title=Big quiz winner gets £70,000 and a year off |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Daily Record |date=1 January 2000 |access-date=7 June 2014}}
On ITV, Trevor McDonald and Dermot Murnaghan present Countdown 2000, a programme showing key events from around the UK and the rest of the world as nations welcome in the new millennium.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/512699.stm |title=Sir Trevor's ITV millennium |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 November 1999 |access-date=28 May 2014}}

=Undated=

Baby Cow Productions founded by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal.

Debuts

=BBC=

1 January – Bang, Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer (1999)
3 January – Bravo Two Zero (1999)
4 January
Polka Dot Shorts (1993–2001)
The Vanessa Show (1999)
Misery Guts (1998–1999)
6 January – See It Saw It (1999–2001)
7 January – Home Farm Twins (1999–2000)
8 January
SMart on the Road (1999–2003)
Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999–2001)
10 January – Shooting the Past (1999)
11 January – The League of Gentlemen (1999–2002)
12 January – Holby City (1999–2022){{cite web |title=Holby City - an oral history by the show's stars and creators |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/holby-city/a35594857/holby-city-an-oral-history-by-the-shows-stars-and-creators/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=4 April 2022 |date=29 March 2022}}
15 January – Junk (1999){{Cite web |title=Scene: Junk |url=https://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Scene/Junk |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Broadcast for Schools.co.uk |language=en}}
16 January – Sunburn (1999–2000)
24 January – The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999–2000)
1 February – Anthony Ant (1999)
6 February – [http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Get%20Your%20Act%20Together%20(1) Get Your Act Together] (1999)
18 February –
Harbour Lights (1999–2000)
64 Zoo Lane (1999-2013)
22 February –
Mrs Merton and Malcolm (1999)
28 February – All Along the Watchtower (1999)
30 March – Supernatural: The Unseen Powers of Animals (1999)
7 April – Starhill Ponies (1998–2002)
8 April – Miami 7 (1999)
12 April
Bob the Builder (1999–2011 BBC, 2015–2018 Channel 5)
Great Expectations (1999)
14 April – The Naked Chef (1999–2001)
20 April – A Life of Grime (1999–2004)
28 April – h&p@bbc (1999){{cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9a4a59d76d8a4f43bbdeca01a6faab6d |title=h&p@bbc. – BBC One London – 28 April 1999 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 November 2016}}
29 April – The Planets (1999)
1 May – The Passion (1999)
9 May – Super League Show (1999–2023)
25 May – Barking Mad (1999–2001)
3 June – It's Only TV...but I Like It (1999–2002)
6 June – See How They Run (1999)
20 June – Aristocrats (1999)
22 June – Hope and Glory (1999–2000)
26 June – Star for a Night (1999, 2000–2001)
11 July – Badger (1999–2000)
18 July – The Mayfair Set (1999)
19 July – Life Support (1999)
23 July – Patrick Kielty Almost Live (1999–2003)
26 July – Zorro (1999–2002)
4 August – Jack of Hearts (1999)
5 September – Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll (1999)
6 September
Diagnosis: Murder (1993–2001)
Tweenies (1999–2002)
Animorphs (1998–1999)
9 September – Let Them Eat Cake (1999)
13 September – Eureka Street (1999)
14 September – Pure Wickedness (1999)
15 September – Insides Out (1999–2000)
16 September – Barmy Aunt Boomerang (1999–2000)
20 September – People Like Us (1999–2001)
27 September – Angelmouse (1999–2000)
28 September – Pablo the Little Red Fox (1999–2000)
29 September – Belfry Witches (1999–2000)
4 October
Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
Newsnight Scotland (1999–2014)
7 October – DIY SOS (1999–present)
8 October – Brotherly Love (1999–2000)
17 October – Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure (1999)
31 October
The Magician's House (1999–2000)
Living Britain (1999)
4 November – Extreme Survival (1999–2002)
6 November – Friends Like These (1999, 2000–2003)
12 November – Hippies (1999)
13 November – Red Alert (1999–2000)
14 November – All the King's Men (1999)
28 November – Wives and Daughters (1999)
7 December – Pig Heart Boy (1999)
19 December – The Big Knights (1999–2000)
24 December – The Greatest Store in the World (1999)
25 December – David Copperfield (1999)

=ITV (Including ITV and ITV2)=

2 January – The Wiggles (1998–2001)
4 January
Oggy and the Cockroaches (1999–Present)
Better Homes (1999–2003)
The Vice (1999–2003)
Mopatop's Shop (1999–2005)
7 January – Lavender Castle (1999–2000)
10 January – Notes from a Small Island (1999)
5 February – Comin' Atcha! (1999)
12 February – Days Like These (1999)
15 February – Forgotten (1999)
17 February – The Planet's Funniest Animals (1999–2008)
26 February – Pump It Up (1999–2000)
8 March
ITV Nightly News (1999–2001)
The Grimleys (1999–2001)
9 March – Wonderful You (1999)
18 March
Every Woman Knows a Secret (1999)
In the Company of Strangers (1999)
4 April – Nancherrow (1999)
7 April – The Last Train (1999)
8 April – Tonight (1999–present)
12 April – Maisy (1999–2001)
19 April – Butterfly Collectors (1999)
26 April – The Blonde Bombshell (1999)
4 May – Trust (1999)
5 May – Wilmot (1999–2000)
6 May
Dream Street (1999–2002)
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century (1999–2001)
12 May – Plastic Man (1999)
17 May – An Evil Streak (1999)
19 May – Pride of Britain Awards (1999–present)
25 May – Bostock's Cup (1999)
1 June – Bad Girls (1999–2006)
7 June – Always and Everyone (1999–2002)
12 June – Animals Do the Funniest Things (1999–2011)
6 September
Loose Women (1999–present)
In the Name of Love (1999)
9 September
Foxbusters (1999–2000)
Daylight Robbery (1999–2000)
10 September
Jungle Run (1999–2006)
Construction Site (1999)
23 September – Back to the '50s (1999)
27 September
Sooty Heights (1999–2000)
Hilltop Hospital (1999–2002)
28 September – Watership Down (1999–2000)
3 October – Nuts and Bolts (1999–2002)
8 November
My Parents Are Aliens (1999–2006){{cite web |last1=Rodger |first1=James |title=My Parents Are Aliens cast reunite after 17 years as fans left emotional |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/parents-aliens-cast-reunite-after-26543597 |website=BirminghamLive |access-date=25 March 2023 |language=en |date=23 March 2023}}
Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married (1999–2001)
11 November – Extremely Dangerous (1999)
14 November – Dr Willoughby (1999)
28 November – Oliver Twist (1999)
20 December – Dark Ages (1999)
26 December
Faeries (1999)
The Turn of the Screw (1999)

=Channel 4=

2 January – Angry Kid (1999–present)
3 February – Sex and the City (1998–2004)
5 February – Boyz Unlimited (1999)
21 February – Salty's Lighthouse (1997–1998)
23 February – Queer as Folk (1999–2000)
25 February – Boiling Point (1999)
18 March – Escape to River Cottage (1999)
19 March – Smack the Pony (1999–2003)
29 April – Grand Designs (1999–present)
6 May – Psychos (1999)
4 June – Bits (1999–2001)
6 June – This is Modern Art (1999)
20 June – Michael Moore Live (1999)
15 July – The Sopranos (1999–2007)
17 July – Late Night Poker (1999–2002, 2007–2011)
21 July – Love in the 21st Century (1999)
31 August – Los Dos Bros (1999–2000)
6 September – Show Me the Money (1999–2000)
11 September – 100 Greatest (1999–present)
17 September – Something for the Weekend (1999–2000)
22 September – The Richard Blackwood Show (1999–2001)
23 September – The Hip Hop Years (1999)
24 September – Spaced (1999–2001)
17 October – Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1999–2010)
19 October – Shockers (Anthology series) (1999–2001)
9 November – Small Potatoes (1999–2001)
24 November – Kid in the Corner (1999)
28 December – The 1900 House (1999–2000)

=Cartoon Network UK=

4 January – The Powerpuff Girls (1998–2005)
15 March – Ed, Edd n Eddy (1999–2009)

Channels

=New channels=

class="wikitable"
width=90\|Date ! width=250\|Channel
1 June \| BBC Knowledge
6 June \| Six TV (Oxford & Southampton)
1 July \| VH1 Classic MTV Base MTV Extra
1 September \| Nick Jr. Nick Replay
15 September \| S4C2
15 October \| TCM
18 October \| The Hallmark Channel
31 October \| TeleG (Scotland)

class="wikitable"

width=90|Date

! width=250|Channel

1 June

| BBC Knowledge

6 June

| Six TV (Oxford & Southampton)

1 July

| VH1 Classic
MTV Base
MTV Extra

1 September

| Nick Jr.
Nick Replay

15 September

| S4C2

15 October

| TCM

18 October

| The Hallmark Channel

31 October

| TeleG (Scotland)

=Defunct channels=

class="wikitable"
width=90\|Date ! width=250\|Channel
30 April \| Sky Soap
1 May \| Home Video Channel
15 October \| TNT Classic Movies
5 November \| L!VE TV

class="wikitable"

width=90|Date

! width=250|Channel

30 April

| Sky Soap

1 May

| Home Video Channel

15 October

| TNT Classic Movies

5 November

| L!VE TV

Television shows

=Changes of network affiliation=

class="wikitable"
Shows ! Moved from ! Moved to
It's a Knockout \|BBC One \|Channel 5

class="wikitable"

Shows

! Moved from

! Moved to

It's a Knockout

|BBC One

|Channel 5

=Returning this year after a break of one year or longer=

3 September – It's a Knockout (1966–1982, 1999–2001)
Unknown – Fully Booked sequels to be overtaken by FBi (1999–2000)

Continuing television shows

=1920s=

BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)

=1930s=

Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present)
The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)
BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)

=1950s=

Panorama (1953–present)
Take Your Pick! (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
What the Papers Say (1956–2008){{cite web |title=What the Papers Say in pictures |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2008/may/29/what.the.papers.say |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 April 2022 |date=29 May 2008}}
The Sky at Night (1957–present)
Blue Peter (1958–present)
Grandstand (1958–2007)

=1960s=

Coronation Street (1960–present)
Songs of Praise (1961–present)
World in Action (1963–2000)
Top of the Pops (1964–2006)
Match of the Day (1964–present)
Mr. and Mrs. (1965–1999)
Sportsnight (1965–1997)
Call My Bluff (1965–2005)
The Money Programme (1966–2010)

=1970s=

Rainbow (1972–1992, 1994–1997)
Emmerdale (1972–present)
Newsround (1972–present)
Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010)
Wish You Were Here...? (1974–2003)
Arena (1975–present)
One Man and His Dog (1976–present)
Grange Hill (1978–2008)
Ski Sunday (1978–present)
Antiques Roadshow (1979–present)
Question Time (1979–present)

=1980s=

Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003)
Family Fortunes (1980–2002, 2006–2015, 2020–present)
Children in Need (1980–present)
Timewatch (1982–present)
Brookside (1982–2003)
Countdown (1982–present)
Right to Reply (1982–2001)
Surprise Surprise (1984–2001, 2012–2015)
The Bill (1984–2010)
Channel 4 Racing (1984–2016)
Thomas & Friends (1984–2021)
EastEnders (1985–present)
Blind Date (1985–2003, 2017–2019)
Comic Relief (1985–present)
The Chart Show (1986–1998, 2008–2009)
Equinox (1986–2006)
The Really Wild Show (1986–2006)
Casualty (1986–present)
ChuckleVision (1987–2009)
Wheel of Fortune (1988–2001)
London's Burning (1988–2002)
On the Record (1988–2002)
Fifteen to One (1988–2003, 2013–2019)
This Morning (1988–present)
Children's Ward (1989–2000)
Mike and Angelo (1989–2000)
Birds of a Feather (1989–1998, 2014–2020)
Bodger & Badger (1989–1999)

=1990s=

One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000)
Rosie and Jim (1990–2000)
MasterChef (1990–2001, 2005–present)
How 2 (1990–2006)
Stars in Their Eyes (1990–2006, 2015)
2point4 Children (1991–1999)
Big Break (1991–2002)
Noel's House Party (1991–1999)
Heartbeat (1992–2010){{cite web |title=ITV axes popular police drama Heartbeat |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/4365441/ITV-axes-popular-police-drama-Heartbeat.html?fb |website=www.telegraph.co.uk |access-date=14 July 2023}}
The Big Breakfast (1992–2002)
999 (1992–2003)
Mr. Motivator exercise routines (1993–2000)
Breakfast with Frost (1993–2005)
Ky’s Cartoons (1994–1999)
Animal Hospital (1994–2004)
The National Lottery Draws (1994–2017)
Time Team (1994–2013)
The Vicar of Dibley (1994–2007)
Wipeout (1994–2003)
Frasier (1993–2004)
Top of the Pops 2 (1994–present)
Hollyoaks (1995–present)

Ending this year

BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024)
Mr. and Mrs. (1964–1999, 2008–2010, 2012–2016)
ITV Early Evening News (1967–1999)
Play Your Cards Right (1980–1987, 1994–1999, 2002–2003)
Strike It Lucky and Strike It Rich (1986–1999)
The Cook Report (1987–2000)
Rab C. Nesbitt (1988–1999)
Red Dwarf (1988–1999, 2009, 2012–present)
The Larry Sanders Show (1993-1999)
Bodger & Badger (1989–1999)
Fun House (1989–1999)
2point4 Children (1991–1999)
Murder Most Horrid (1991–1999)
Noel's House Party (1991–1999)
In Bed with Medinner (1992–1999)
Goodnight Sweetheart (1993–1999)
The Jack Docherty Show (1997–1999)
The Wild House (1997–1999)
The Ambassador (1998–1999)
Unfinished Business (1998–1999)
This Morning with Richard Not Judy (1998–1999)
Rocky and the Dodos (1998–1999)
Liverpool 1 (1998–1999)
Grafters (1998–1999)
Every Woman Knows a Secret (1999)
Butterfly Collectors (1999)
The Blonde Bombshell (1999)
An Evil Streak (1999)
Aristocrats (1999)
Win Beadle's Money (1999)
Let Them Eat Cake (1999)

Births

28 January – HRVY singer and television presenter
9 February – Adrianna Bertola actress and singer
12 April – Akai Osei, dancer, actor and musician
29 April – Callum Scott Howells, actor and television personality
7 May – Tommy Fury, reality TV personality and boxer{{Cite web |title=Who is Tommy Fury? The boxer and Love Island star fighting Jake Paul |url=https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-tommy-fury-the-boxer-and-love-island-star-fighting-jake-paul-12817960 |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Sky News |language=en}}
26 May – Molly-Mae Hague, reality TV personality{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Mel |date=2020-05-26 |title=Tommy Fury goes all out for Molly-Mae Hague's 21st birthday |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/26/tommy-fury-molly-mae-hague-21st-birthday-puppy-cartier-ring-12759072/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Metro |language=en}}
23 June – Noah Marullo, actor
14 October – Daniel Roche, actor{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/outnumbered/danielroche |title=Outnumbered is back for a brand-new, final series: Daniel Roche plays Ben Brockman |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Media Centre |date=15 January 2014 |access-date=6 July 2014}}

Deaths

class="wikitable"

! Date

Name

Age

Cinematic Credibility

9 February

|Bryan Mosley

|67

|actor (Alf Roberts in Coronation Street)

24 February

|Derek Nimmo{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/285764.stm|title= Nimmo dies after fall|work= BBC News|date= 24 February 1999|access-date= 29 April 2009}}

|68

|character actor

17 March

|Rod Hull{{cite news|last=Brooks |first=Libby |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/mar/19/libbybrooks |title=Rod Hull, crazy creator of Emu, dies in fall from roof |newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 March 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|63

|entertainer

21 March

|Ernie Wise{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/300444.stm |title=Comedian Ernie Wise dies |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=22 March 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|73

|surviving half of UK comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise

2 April

|Andrew Gardner{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/311111.stm |title= Veteran newsman Gardner dies |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=4 April 1999 |access-date=23 October 2012}}

|66

|newsreader

4 April

|Bob Peck{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/314161.stm |title=Cancer kills actor Bob Peck |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=8 April 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|53

|actor (Ronald Craven in Edge of Darkness)

14 April

|Anthony Newley{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/319748.stm |title=Anthony Newley dies aged 67 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=15 April 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|67

|actor, singer and songwriter

26 April

|Jill Dando{{cite news|last=Barker |first=Dennis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/apr/27/guardianobituaries.jilldando |title=Jill Dando |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 April 1999 |access-date=15 June 2014}}

|37

|presenter (co-host of Crimewatch)

6 May

|Johnny Morris{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/337622.stm |title=Friends mourn 'magic' Johnny Morris |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=7 May 1999 |access-date=9 May 2020}}

|82

|presenter (Animal Magic)

23 June

|Buster Merryfield{{cite news|first=Tom |last=Vallance |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-buster-merryfield-1102024.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-buster-merryfield-1102024.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Obituary: Buster Merryfield |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=24 June 1999 |access-date=31 May 2014}}{{cbignore}}

|78

|actor (Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horses)

25 June

|Fred Feast{{cite news|first=Anthony |last=Hayward |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-fred-feast-1103313.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-fred-feast-1103313.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Obituary: Fred Feast |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=30 June 1999 |access-date=11 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}

|69

|actor (Fred Gee in Coronation Street)

4 July

|Jack Watson{{cite news|first=Tom |last=Vallance |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-jack-watson-1105138.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-jack-watson-1105138.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Obituary: Jack Watson |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=9 July 1999 |access-date=21 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}

|78

|actor

12 July

|Bill Owen{{cite news|first=Vikram |last=Dodd |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/jul/13/vikramdodd |title=Compo actor Bill Owen dies at 85 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 July 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|85

|actor (Compo Simmonite in Last of the Summer Wine)

9 August

|Helen Rollason{{cite news|first=Stuart |last=Millar |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/aug/10/stuartmillar |title=Tributes paid as TV sports pioneer dies of cancer |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 August 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|43

|sports journalist and television presenter

10 August

|Jennifer Paterson{{cite news|first=Andrew |last=Barrow |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-jennifer-paterson-1112008.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-jennifer-paterson-1112008.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Obituary: Jennifer Paterson |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=11 August 1999 |access-date=17 March 2014}}{{cbignore}}

|70

|celebrity chef and television presenter, one half of the Two Fat Ladies

1 October

|Lena Zavaroni{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/463512.stm |title=Child star Lena dies at 35 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=2 October 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|35

|child singer and television presenter

7 October

|Deryck Guyler{{cite news|first=Carole |last=Woddis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/oct/09/guardianobituaries1 |title=Deryck Guyler |newspaper=The Guardian |date=9 October 1999 |access-date=27 July 2014}}

|85

|actor (Please Sir!, Sykes)

21 November

|Quentin Crisp{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/530833.stm |title=Quentin Crisp dies |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=21 November 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|90

|writer and raconteur

24 November

|Hilary Minster

|55

|actor (General Von Klinkerhoffen in 'Allo 'Allo!)

rowspan="2"|19 December

|Robert Dougall{{cite news|first=Dennis |last=Barker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/dec/20/guardianobituaries |title=Robert Dougall |newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 December 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|86

|newsreader

Desmond Llewelyn{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/571888.stm |title=Bond actor killed in crash |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=19 December 1999 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|85

|actor

25 December

|Peter Jeffrey{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/579124.stm |title=Actor Peter Jeffrey dies |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=26 December 1999 |access-date=5 November 2022}}

|70

|actor

Unknown

|Jim Wiggins{{cite news|last=Collinson |first=Dawn |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Whatever+happened+to+the+first+residents+of+.+.+.+Brookside+Close%3B+As...-a093923325 |title=Whatever happened to the first residents of . . . Brookside Close |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=2 November 2002 |access-date=15 May 2014}}

|76–77

|actor

References

External links

[https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_series&release_date=1999-01-01,1999-12-31&countries=gb&adult=include&sort=num_votes,desc List of 1999 British television series] at IMDb

1999 in British television

Events

=January=

=February=

=March=

=April=

=May=

=June=

=July=

=August=

=September=

=October=

=November=

=December=

=Undated=

Debuts

=BBC=

=ITV (Including ITV and ITV2)=

=Channel 4=

=Channel 5=

=Cartoon Network UK=

Channels

=New channels=

=Defunct channels=

Television shows

=Changes of network affiliation=

=Returning this year after a break of one year or longer=

Continuing television shows

=1920s=

=1930s=

=1950s=

=1960s=

=1970s=

=1980s=

=1990s=

Ending this year

Births

Deaths

See also

References

External links