List of longest-running UK television programmes

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

This television-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Running
Genre Title Airing for Length (years)
Outside broadcast Lord Mayor's Show 1937–1938, 1946–present[1] 83
Current affairs Panorama[2] 1953–present 67
Science show The Sky at Night 1957–present 63
Children's show Blue Peter 1958–present 62
Soap opera Coronation Street[3] 1960–present 60
Religious series Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol[4] 1961–present 60
Religious series Songs of Praise 1961–present 59
Science fiction series Doctor Who 1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present 56
Song contest Eurovision Song Contest 1956–2019, 2021– 65
Science show Horizon 1964–present 56
Sport Match of the Day 1964–present 56
Gardening show Gardener's World 1968–present 53
Game show A Question of Sport 1968–present 51
Factual Points of View 1961–1971, 1979–present 48
Quiz show University Challenge 1962–1987; 1994–present 47
Children's news Newsround 1972–present 48
Game show Mastermind 1972–present 48
Soap opera Emmerdale 1972–present 48
Documentary Arena 1975-present 45
Sport Sportscene 1975–present 46
Soap opera Pobol Y Cwm[5] 1974–present 46
Factual Antiques Roadshow 1977, 1979–present 39
Political panel show Question Time 1979–present 41
Automotive series Top Gear 1977–2001, 2002–present 38
News show Newsnight 1980–present 40
Charity show Children in Need 1980–present 40
Art show The South Bank Show 1978–2010, 2012–present 36
Deaf magazine programme See Hear 1981–present 39
Game show Countdown 1982–present 38
News show BBC News at Six 1984–present 36
Children's show Thomas & Friends 1984–present 36
Soap opera EastEnders 1985–present 35
Consumer show Watchdog 1985–present (inc. years within other shows) 35
Game show Catchphrase 1986–2004, 2013–present 32
News show BBC News at One 1986–present 34
Medical drama Casualty[6] 1986–present 34
Current affairs Dispatches 1987–present 33
News magazine Countryfile 1988–present 32
Sitcom Red Dwarf 1988–1999, 2009–present 33
Daytime TV This Morning 1988–present 32
News Sky News Sunrise 1989–present 31
Comedy You've Been Framed 1990–present 30
Satire Have I Got News for You 1990–present 30
Archive music show Top of the Pops 2 1994–present 26
Game show The National Lottery Draws 1994–present 26
Soap opera Rownd a Rownd 1995–present 25
Children's show Art Attack 1990–2007, 2011–present 22
Soap opera Hollyoaks 1995–present 25
Drama Silent Witness 1996–present 24
Detective series Midsomer Murders 1997–present 23
Medical drama Holby City 1999–present 22
DIY DIY SOS 1999–present 22
Documentary Animal Park 2000–present 21
Antiques show Bargain Hunt 2000–present 20
News show BBC News at Ten 2000–present 20
Game show Surprise Surprise 1984–2001, 2012–2015 20
Preschool series Something Special 2003–present 17
Preschool series Peppa Pig 2004–2012, 2016–present 16
Talent show Strictly Come Dancing 2004–present 16
Antiques show Dickinson's Real Deal 2006–present 14
Animation Shaun the Sheep 2007–present 13
Variety talent show Britain's Got Talent 2007–present 13

Ended
Category Show name Duration Length (years)
Entertainment review The Film Show[7] 1971–2018 47
Talent show Come Dancing 1950–1995 (though not a competition until 1953) 46
News show What the Papers Say 1956–2008 52
Sport Grandstand 1958–2007 49
Finance show The Money Programme 1966–2010 44
Documentary This Is Your Life 1955–1964, 1969–2003, 2007 44
Chart show Top of the Pops 1964–2006 42
Science & Technology Tomorrow's World 1965–2003 38
Travel documentary Holiday 1969–2007 38
Children's show The Sooty Show 1955–1992 37
Sitcom Last of the Summer Wine 1973–2010 37
Game show The Generation Game 1971–2007 36
Current affairs World in Action 1963–1998 35
Kids show Postman Pat 1981–2016 34
Game show Call My Bluff 1965–1988, 1994, 1996–2005, 2011 34
Crime show Crimewatch 1984–2017 33
Children's show Jackanory 1965–1996 31
News show BBC Nine O'Clock News 1970–2000 30
Children's drama series Grange Hill 1978–2008 30
History series Timewatch 1981–2009 28
Game show It's a Knockout 1966–1988, 1990–1994, 1999–2001 28
Police drama The Bill 1984–2010 26
Soap opera Crossroads 1964–1988, 2001–2003 26
Detective drama Poirot 1989–2013 24
Children's show Play School 1964–1988 24
Game show Play Your Cards Right 1980–2003 23
Sitcom Only Fools and Horses 1981–2003 22
Children's show ChuckleVision 1987–2009 22
Detective series Taggart 1983–2010 27
Children's Pingu 1986–2006 20
Factual Time Team 1994–2014 20
Drama Heartbeat 1992–2010 18
Detective drama A Touch of Frost 1992–2010 18
Game show The Krypton Factor 1977–1995 18
Reality television Big Brother 2000–2010; 2011–2018 18
Dating game show Blind Date 1985–2003 18
Teen drama Byker Grove 1989–2006 17
Children's show How 2 1990–2006 16
Current affairs Daily Politics[8] 2003–2018 15
Comedy-drama Minder 1979–1994 15
Drama London's Burning 1988–2002 14
Legal drama Rumpole of the Bailey 1978–1992 14
Children's game show Get Your Own Back 1991–2004 13
Sitcom The Vicar of Dibley 1994–2007; 2020 13
Detective drama Inspector Morse 1987–2000 13
Detective drama Foyle's War 2002–2015 13
Comedy-drama All Creatures Great and Small 1978–1990 12
Comedy-drama New Tricks 2003–2015 12
Sitcom Benidorm 2007–2018 11
Children's Brum 1991-2002 11
Discussion series After Dark 1987–1997; 2003 11
Children's drama series Children's Ward 1989–2000 11
Comedy Harry Hill's TV Burp 2001–2012 11
Comedy Till Death Us Do Part 1965–1975 11
Game show Deal or No Deal 2005–2016 11
Sitcom My Family 2000–2011 11
Children's show Mike and Angelo 1989–2000 11
Sitcom One Foot in the Grave 1990–2000 10
Children's show Rosie & Jim 1990–2000 10
Sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps 2001–2011 10
Detective drama The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1984–1994 10
Family drama Where the Heart Is 1997–2006 9
Drama Waterloo Road 2006–2015 9
Black comedy Shameless 2004–2013 9
Medical drama Peak Practice 1993–2002 9
Crime drama Spooks 2002–2011 9
Children's show Horrid Henry 2006–2015 9

See also

References
  1. "The Lord Mayor's Show dates". BBC Genome. Retrieved 2018-09-10. (not broadcast during WW2 1939–1945)
  2. "Panorama BBC Television, 11 November 1953". BBC Genome. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  3. Bloxham, Andy (24 September 2010). "Coronation Street becomes world's longest-running soap". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  4. "Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol". January 1, 1961. p. 16 – via BBC Genome.
  5. "Pobol y Cwm". October 16, 1974. p. 55 – via BBC Genome.
  6. "Casualty to celebrate the end of 30th Anniversary series with a pioneering one-shot episode". BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. The Film Programme https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46694568
  8. "The Daily Politics 8 January 2003". BBC Genome. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
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