This is a list ofBritish television related events from 1997.

• 1 January –
  • New Year's Day highlights on BBC1 include a TV film adaptation ofThe Mill on the Floss andGlobal Sunrise, an 80-minute film presented byJulian Pettifer. It also includes the culmination of a project that saw camera crews at twenty locations around the world on 1 January 1996, recording the rising sun through six continents and all time zones.^[1]
  • ITV introduces a third weekly episode ofEmmerdale.
• 2 January – Test transmissions begin for Channel 5 in some areas. Details of them are made available on Ceefax page 698 for a few weeks.^[2]
• 3 January
  • The final episode in the second run of the game showCelebrity Squares, presented byBob Monkhouse, is broadcast on ITV, although it will be revived briefly in 2014.
  • The first episode of the ninth series ofWheel of Fortune is broadcast on ITV, withBradley Walsh taking over as host.
• 5 January – The network television premiere ofJim Sheridan's 1993 biographical dramaIn the Name of the Father on BBC2, starringDaniel Day-Lewis,Pete Postlethwaite andEmma Thompson.
• 6 January – Channel 4 closes down for the last time with 24-hour transmissions commencing at 6am the following day. Consequently, after nearly 15 years on the air,4-Tel On View ends.
• 7 January – Carlton presentsMonarchy: The Nation Decides, a live studio debate discussing the future of the monarchy in the UK, fronted byTrevor McDonald,John Stapleton,Michele Newman andRoger Cook. Viewers are encouraged to vote on the issue in what is the UK's largest television phone poll. However, Carlton is forced to extend the deadline for calls following complaints from people unable to get through. Of the 2.6 million callers who vote, 66% are in favour of retaining a monarch.^[3]
• 8 January – The serialised children's seriesThe Wild House makes its debut on BBC1.^[4]
• 9 January – BT releases an advert featuringLetitia Dean and nine other formerEastEnders stars in its Friends and Family promotion despite the BBC threatening them with legal action. The BBC subsequently withdraws its threat to sue after BT pays them an undisclosed five-figure amount.^[5]
• 11 January –John Fashanu co-hosts his final edition ofGladiators, which is a sports celebrity special. He will return to the show for its final mini-series in 1999.
• 14 January – Viewing figures released for 1996 indicate that BBC1 and BBC2 are the only terrestrial channels to increase their audience share during the year.^[6]
• 29 January – Debut of the spoof documentary seriesBrass Eye on Channel 4.
• 31 January
  • The Independent Television Commission receives two applications for the licence to operate digital terrestrial television in the UK. They come from British Digital Broadcasting (BDB), a joint venture between Carlton, Granada and British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB)^[7] and from Digital Television Network (DTN), a company created by cable operator CableTel, later known as NTL.^[8]
  • Details of Channel 5's schedule are leaked toBroadcast magazine. A spokeswoman for the channel confirms the schedule is largely accurate but that the amount of imported content has been distorted: Channel 5's schedule will be made up of 70% UK-produced content.^[9]

• 2 February – BBC2 airsGeorge A. Romero's cult 1978 zombie horrorDawn of the Dead, starringDavid Emge,Ken Foree,Scott Reiniger andGaylen Ross.
• 3 February
  • Trouble launches, broadcasting programmes aimed at teenagers and young adults. It shares space with Bravo, the broadcasting hours of which change to 8pm to 6am.
  • The Family Channel relaunches as a game show channel calledChallenge TV, althoughFamily Late continues to broadcast as an overnight programming block.
  • Pre-school programmes block Tiny TCC which aired every day from 6am until 9am is transferred to UK Living and is renamedTiny Living with its airtime being changed to 7am to 9am on weekdays and 7am to 10am during the weekend.
• 5 February – The first Wednesday edition of the National Lottery is broadcast on BBC1 with the introduction of a second weekly draw.^[10]
• 5 February – Debut of the comedy sketch seriesArmstrong and Miller on the Paramount Comedy Channel and later on Channel 4, starringAlexander Armstrong andBen Miller.
• 9 February – The live final of the1997 Masters on BBC2 is interrupted bysnooker's first ever streaker, 22-year-old secretary Lianne Crofts, who invades the playing area at the beginning of the third frame. After stewards remove her from the arena,Ronnie O'Sullivan amuses the crowd by comically wiping the brow of veteran refereeJohn Street who is refereeing the final match of his career.^[11][12][13]
• 12 February – Channel 5 releases details of its programme scheduling. It will introduce the concept of stripping and stranding to British television, stripping being where a programme is shown at the same time each day and stranding being where similar programmes are shown at the same time each day.^[14] A full schedule is published on 18 February.^[15]
• 14 February – The cable-only entertainment channelCarlton Select replaces SelecTV which it acquired when Carlton bought Pearson Television.
• 15 February –The Simpsons is shown for the last time on BBC1 with the episode "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish".
• 19 February – Ceefax ceases to provide information on Channel 5 test transmissions.^[16]
• 21 February - Ornithology seriesBirding with Bill Oddie is first broadcast on BBC2.
• 24 February – The final episode of the sitcomThe Brittas Empire is broadcast on BBC1.
• 28 February – The BBC sells its transmitters and transmission services to Castle Transmission Services for £244 million to help fund its plans for the digital age.
• February –The Paramount Channel relaunches as the Paramount Comedy Channel, a channel dedicated solely to comedy.^[17] Previously, the channel had aired drama alongside its comedy output.

• 3 March
  • The iconic snooker seriesPot Black returns in a format for veteran players aged over 40 years in a one year only tournament calledSeniors Pot Black which runs for 10 editions for the next two weeks shown on a tea-time slot on BBC2. Regular snooker presenterDavid Vine hosts the series which featured former champions by now retiredRay Reardon,John Spencer and then current playersDennis Taylor andTerry Griffiths. The title was won byJoe Johnson who never competed in the original series.
  • Dave Spikey becomes the sixth host for the final series of the ITV weekday morning game showChain Letters in the same year as its 10th anniversary.
• 4 March – The BBC and Flextech agree on a deal to provide BBC-branded channels. BBC Showcase, for entertainment, BBC Horizon, for documentaries, BBC Style for lifestyle programming, BBC Learning for schools and BBC Arena for the arts, plus three other channels: BBC Catch-Up for repeats of popular programmes within days of their original broadcast; a dedicated BBC Sport channel; and a TV version of Radio 1.^[18]
• 8 March – ITV takes over the UK television rights to Formula One after 18 years of coverage on the BBC. It shows full coverage of qualifying as well as the race itself, something that the BBC generally did not do, although it is also criticised for showing advertisement breaks during the races.
• 10 March –The Simpsons is moved from BBC1 to BBC2 and is shown between Monday and Friday at 6pm.
• 14 March – Among the highlights of this year's Comic Relief telethon isPrime Cracker, a short spoof crossover of ITV stablemate crime dramasPrime Suspect andCracker, starringHelen Mirren andRobbie Coltrane as their respective characters.^[19]
• 18 March – The final episode ofCome Outside is broadcast on BBC2.
• 21 March –Campaign magazine reports that the BBC and Flextech have ratified their joint venture. They will create two new operational ventures, one that will develop and launch subscription channels in the UK and Ireland and one that will acquire and run UK Gold.^[20]
• 23 March
  • The science documentaryThe Language Master makes its debut on BBC2 in which language teacherMichel Thomas teaches French to sixth form students for five days at a further education college in London.^[21] As a result of the interest generated by this documentary, the publisher Hodder & Stoughton commissions Thomas to produce commercial versions of his courses.^[22]
  • Debut on ITV of the long-running crime dramaMidsomer Murders, starringJohn Nettles.
• 25 March – ITV'sNetwork First strand presents a ground-breaking documentary about Edinburgh's Royal Blind School, a boarding school for visually impaired students.^[23]
• 26 March – The network television premiere on ITV ofAlan J. Pakula's 1993 American thrillerThe Pelican Brief, based onJohn Grisham's novel of the same name starringJulia Roberts andDenzel Washington.
• 28 March – The final episode of the children's seriesPlaydays is broadcast on BBC2.
• 30 March
  • Channel 5, the UK's fifth and last analogue terrestrial channel, launches at 6pm. The first faces seen are theSpice Girls who perform 1-2-3-4-5, a rewritten version ofManfred Mann's 1964 song5-4-3-2-1. The opening night's highlights include the launch of a new daily soapFamily Affairs andThe Jack Docherty Show, a weeknight chat show based on the format of American shows such asThe Late Show with David Letterman.
  • Sky1 airs "The Springfield Files", a crossover episode ofThe Simpsons withThe X-Files, featuring the guest voices ofDavid Duchovny andGillian Anderson as FBI agentsFox Mulder andDana Scully, as well asStar Trek'sLeonard Nimoy, who appears as himself to feature numerous references of the series.
  • ITV airs the comedy pilotCold Feet. It returns for a full series the following year and runs until 2003. It will be revived in 2016 for four series.
• 31 March
  • The hugely popular preschool children's seriesTeletubbies makes its debut on BBC2.^[24]
  • The game showBlockbusters relaunches on BBC2, presented byMichael Aspel. This is the first version featuring adult contestants and the only version to have purple rather than blue hexagons while retaining the same format. The series continues until 28 August.
  • BBC1 airs a made-for-television version ofMichael Flatley's musicalLord of the Dance.^[25] The programme is shown on the same evening that Channel 4 airs a relaunched version ofRiverdance featuringColin Dunne andJean Butler.^[26]
  • Channel 5 becomes the subject of a ratings war with all major channels adopting aggressive scheduling to retain viewers. As well asLord of the Dance, BBC1 airs two episodes ofEastEnders and the thrillerMalice, while ITV screens five films, includingAce Ventura: Pet Detective andRoboCop 2. Channel 4 has the filmsThe Goodbye Girl andBreakheart Pass.^[27]
  • The inaugural edition of5 News features an interview with Labour Party leaderTony Blair.^[28]
  • Among the new shows that make their debut on Channel 5 today are the game shows100% andWhittle as well asHot Property and the children's programming blockMilkshake!.
  • Debut of BBC World's flagship interview seriesHARDtalk.^[29]

• 1 April
  • At 4:40am, Channel 5 begins a rerun of the Australian soapPrisoner: Cell Block H. This is the series' first networked broadcast in the UK as during its earlier run on ITV, scheduling of the show had varied from region to region.
  • Quincy, a series that was previously shown on ITV, begins airing on BBC1 as part of their daytime schedule.^[30]
• 3 April
  • BBC1 airs Episode 2710 ofNeighbours in which the characterCheryl Stark, played byCaroline Gillmer, is killed when she is hit by a vehicle while trying to cross a road to save her daughter. Scenes involving the accident are censored by the BBC before the episode is broadcast. Five seconds of the episode had also been cut before it aired in Australia in September 1996.^[31][32]
  • Postman Pat returns for a new series of 13 episodes on BBC1, copyrighted the previous year. Two special episodes are aired two and a half years prior to making another 15 episodes in total.^[33]
  • As a build up to theWorld Snooker Championship which was taking place at theCrucible Theatre inSheffield for the 21st year, BBC2 airs a three part seriesSnooker: the Crucible - 21 Years in the Frame about the celebration of the championship by featuring the last 20 years of the event.
  • The Learning Channel is renamedDiscovery Home & Leisure.^[34]
• 5 April
  • The 1997 Grand National is delayed after a suspectedIRA bomb threat.^[35] The race is eventually run on 7 April at 5pm.^[36] It is the last of 50 Nationals, including the void race of 1993, to be commentated byPeter O'Sullevan.
  • Debut on Channel 5 of the music game showNight Fever, presented bySuggs.
  • Debut on BBC1 of the game showWhatever You Want, presented byGaby Roslin.
• 5–6 April – BBC1 airs a two-part adaptation ofThe Ice House, the debut novel of crime writerMinette Walters. The miniseries starsDaniel Craig,Corin Redgrave,Kitty Aldridge andFrances Barber.^[37][38]
• 6 April
  • The network television premiere on Channel 5 ofChris Columbus's 1993 American comedy dramaMrs. Doubtfire, starringRobin Williams.^[39]
  • Debut on ITV of the drama seriesWhere the Heart Is.
• 7 April
  • Debut on BBC1 of the children's game show50/50, presented bySally Gray.
  • HTV's main evening news programme is renamedThe West Tonight, as the change coincides with the opening of a digital broadcast centre at Bristol studios.
  • Peter Baldwin makes his final appearance as popular characterDerek Wilton inCoronation Street, having appeared on and off since 1976, with Derek dying of a heart attack following a road rage incident. The character is axed in a high-profile cull by producerBrian Park.
• 8 April
  • BBC journalistMartin Bell announces that he is to stand as a candidate againstNeil Hamilton in the Tatton constituency on an anti-corruption platform.^[40]
  • The American/Canadian children's animated seriesArthur makes its UK debut on BBC1.
• 12 April – The final edition of the game showYou Bet! is broadcast on ITV after 9 years on the air.^[28]
• 13 April – The network television premiere ofBrian Gibson's 1993 biographical dramaWhat's Love Got to Do with It on Channel 4, based on the life of the legendary American singerTina Turner and starsAngela Bassett,Laurence Fishburne andVanessa Bell Calloway.
• 14 April –June Brown returns toEastEnders asDot Cotton after a four-year break.
• 15 April – TheBookmark documentary filmThe Thomas the Tank Engine Man airs on BBC2 again as a tribute to the author and creator ofThe Railway Series andThomas the Tank Engine & Friends,the Rev. W. Awdry, who died in his home in Stroud, Gloucestershire after being bedridden and suffering from health problems on 21 March.
• 16 April – The network television premiere on ITV ofAndrew Davis's 1993 American action thrillerThe Fugitive, starringHarrison Ford andTommy Lee Jones.
• 23 April –Channel 5 launches on satellite so that the third of the UK who live outside of its broadcast area can view the newly launched channel.^[41]
• 25 April – The final edition of the daytime game showChain Letters is broadcast on ITV after 10 years on the air.
• 27 April – The BBC confirms that the comedy duoHale and Pace have signed a £1 million two-year deal that will see them move from ITV.^[42]

• 1 May –General election night: for the first time, brothersDavid andJonathan Dimbleby anchor rival results programmes on BBC1 and ITV, respectively. The same arrangement will occur for the General Elections in 2001 and 2005.
• 2 May – The network television premiere ofFalling Down on BBC1, a 1993 American action thriller starringMichael Douglas,Robert Duvall andBarbara Hershey.^[43]
• 3 May –Katrina and the Waves win theEurovision Song Contest (staged in Dublin) with the song "Love Shine a Light", the first time the UK has won the competition since 1981.
• 10 May – Debut on BBC1 of the crime mystery seriesJonathan Creek, starringAlan Davies as the titular character.
• 13 May –Jeremy Paxman speaks toMichael Howard onNewsnight on BBC2 and the interview becomes the programme's most notorious. Howard, who had been Home Secretary until thirteen days earlier, had held a meeting with Derek Lewis, head of the Prison Service, about the possible dismissal of the governor of Parkhurst Prison, John Marriott. Howard, having given evasive answers, was asked by Paxman the same question, "Did you threaten to overrule him [Lewis]?", a total of twelve times in succession, 14 if the first two enquiries worded somewhat differently and some time before the succession of 12 are included. Howard did not give a direct answer, instead repeatedly saying that he "did not overrule him" and ignoring the "threaten" part of the question.^[44][45][46] Howard finally answers Paxman's question on his final edition ofNewsnight in 2014, saying "No, Jeremy, I didn't. But feel free to ask another eleven times."^[47]
• 21 May – Serena Martin wins the 1997 series ofJunior MasterChef on BBC1.
• 23 May – The long-running Channel 4 game showCountdown celebrates its 2000th edition with a special retrospective programme.^[48]
• 24–26 May – Channel 4 dedicates the Spring Bank Holiday weekend to sitcoms. It features classic episodes, 1970s spin-off films and documentaries about the genre's appeal.
• 25 May – The network television premiere ofJohn Waters 1994 American black comedySerial Mom on Channel 4, starringKathleen Turner,Sam Waterston andRicki Lake.
• 26 May – BBC1 airs the documentaryLenny's Big Amazon Adventure, which seesLenny Henry travel to Peru with survival expertLofty Wiseman.^[49]
• 30 May
  • The network television premiere on Channel 5 ofRussell Mulcahy's 1993 American crime caperThe Real McCoy, starringKim Basinger,Val Kilmer andTerence Stamp.
  • ITV airs a one-off special programme,Kids Behaving Badly:Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan present a live debate spotlighting lawlessness among Britain's youth with video evidence of juvenile crime and live links to troubled areas.
  • The network television premiere on BBC1 ofCarl Reiner's 1993 American spoof erotic thrillerFatal Instinct, starringArmand Assante,Sherilyn Fenn,Kate Nelligan andSean Young.
• 31 May
  • Michael Grade steps down from the role of Chief Executive of Channel 4. He is succeeded byMichael Jackson who takes over the following day.^[50]
  • Channel 5 airs its first international football coverage, a match between England and Poland. The channel experiments with a new presenting format which tries to recreate the atmosphere of a bar with presenters supplying coverage against the backdrop of chatter from an invited audience. The format draws criticism with Glenn Moore ofThe Independent describing it as a "shambles".^[51] However, the coverage gives the channel its largest audience so far with a viewership of five million.^[52]

• 2 June –BBC Breakfast News is given a revamp. Its studio and theme tune change. It is now known asBreakfast News, rather thanBBC Breakfast News.
• 4 June – Magdalen College, Oxford wins the1996–97 series ofUniversity Challenge on BBC2, beating The Open University 250–195.
• 7 June
  • Debut on BBC1 of the dating game showThe Other Half, presented byDale Winton.
  • Faye Dempsey wins the eighth series ofStars in Their Eyes on ITV, performing asOlivia Newton-John.
• 8 June
  • The last football match commentated byJock Brown for BBC Scotland which is a World Cup qualifier with Scotland playing away to Belarus to win 1–0. Brown leaves the station at the end of the month to take a role as general manager at Celtic FC.
  • The network television premiere on BBC2 ofBrian De Palma's 1983 American gangster thriller remakeScarface as part of theMoviedrome strand, starringAl Pacino,Michelle Pfeiffer,Robert Loggia,Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,Steven Bauer andF. Murray Abraham.
• 10 June
  • BBC2 airs the documentaryHomeground: An Exile's Return, telling the story ofMartin McGartland, a former British agent who infiltrated the Provisional Irish Republican Army.^[53]
  • Debut of the docusoapDriving School on BBC1.
• 11 June – SMG buys Grampian Television, the ITV contractor for Northern Scotland, for £105 million.^[54]
• 18 June – The final episode of the supernatural soapSpringhill is broadcast on Sky1.
• 19 June – Media agencies reject Granada Group chairmanGerry Robinson's call for the formation of a single ITV company, expressing concerns it would be extremely damaging to advertisers.^[55]
• 25 June
  • The Independent Television Commission awards the sole digital terrestrial television broadcast licence to British Digital Broadcasting.
  • Classic children's characterCaptain Pugwash is announced as being brought back for a new series afterThe Britt Allcroft Company purchased the rights to the character. The new series will be animated using digital animation.^[56]
• 26 June – Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television plc is acquired by Granada Group plc.^[57]
• 30 June – BBC1 airs a day of coverage of theHong Kong handover ceremony, marking the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China, an event that happens at midnight local time, which is 5pm in the UK.^[58]

• 1 July – MTV launches on all satellite and cable platforms in the UK and Ireland. It replaces the pan-European service and is part of a strategy which sees localised MTV channels launch across Europe.
• 3 July – After 17 years,Peter Snow presentsNewsnight for the last time, although he will continue to make occasional appearances as a political analyst until 2005.
• 4 July – The Battersby family, described by the media as a "family from hell", makes its debut inCoronation Street.^[59]
• 5 July – ITV airs the comedy pilotThe Grimleys. A full series begins in 1999 and runs until 2001.
• 11 July – Debut on BBC1 ofCelebrity Ready Steady Cook, presented byFern Britton.
• 12 July
  • The network television premiere on BBC1 ofJohn Woo's 1993 American action thrillerHard Target, starringJean-Claude Van Damme.
  • The US fantasy seriesXena: Warrior Princess makes its UK debut on Channel 5, starringLucy Lawless as the titular character.
• 14 July – Debut of the...from Hell documentary series on ITV.
• 18 July – The network television premiere ofBernard Rose's 1992 American horrorCandyman on Channel 4, starringVirginia Madsen,Tony Todd,Xander Berkeley,Kasi Lemmons andVanessa Williams.
• 25 July
  • Channel 5 announces plans to run an advertising campaign on ITV in order to attract more viewers.^[60]
  • The network television premiere ofClive Barker's 1987 supernatural horrorHellraiser on Channel 4, starringAndrew Robinson,Clare Higgins,Ashley Laurence andDoug Bradley.
• 26 July –Midlands Today presenterAlan Towers announces live on air that he is leaving the programme after 25 years in broadcast journalism, describing BBC bosses as "pygmies in grey suits wearing blindfolds".^[61]

• 1 August – The US animated seriesKing of the Hill makes its UK debut on Channel 4.
• 3 August – Julie Friend wins the 1997 series ofMasterChef on BBC1.
• 7 August – The final episode ofThis Life is broadcast on BBC2.
• 8 August – The children's animated seriesPostman Pat has been snapped up byPremiere 12 for broadcasting in Singapore.
• 24 August – Sky1 airsa special episode ofThe Simpsons, in whichTroy McClure introduces threespin-off segments including references to many different television series, as well as American comedian and actorTim Conway, who makes a guest appearance as himself.
• 26 August
  • It is reported that formerGrandstand presenterHelen Rollason has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo emergency surgery.^[62]
  • Debut of the fly-on-the-wall documentary seriesVets in Practice on BBC1.
• 31 August
  • Sky2 and Granada Talk TV both cease broadcasting.
  • BBC1 interrupts the late-night filmBorsalino to bring a newsflash aboutDiana, Princess of Wales's car accident. The film then resumes until the end, while another newsflash airs onBBC2 after their late-night filmReds. When it is time to BBC1 to close down, they don't, instead staying on the air throughout the night, simulcasting withBBC World News to bring updates of the car accident and Diana's subsequent death, which is announced at 5am, while BBC2 closes down as usal, after theWeatherview bulletin. At 6am, a rolling news programme, first anchored byMartyn Lewis and from 1pm byPeter Sissons, is shown on both BBC1 and BBC2 until the latter breaks away at 3pm to provide alternative programming (a shortnedSunday Grandstand, BBC1 leftoverCountryfile, documentaryThe Restless Year, the premiere ofFull Circle with Michael Palin (a another BBC1 programme),Stephen Hawking's Universe (which is the only scheduled programme of all the BBC television channels to air on its intended channel, but delayed by the aformentionedFull Circle with Michael Palin),The Natural World,Everyman, which is also a BBC1 leftover, and ending with the filmRing of Bright Water). BBC1 continues to provide coverage until closedown when it once again hands over to BBC World News. A weather bulletin, presented byJohn Kettley, is the only non-Diana programme to air on BBC1 on that day. ITV initially continues with its normal late night programming (only making a newsflash during a commercial break ofNight of the Hunter onLondon News Network'sITV Night Time) before interrupting a repeat ofThe Chart Show (also onITV Night Time) to commence open-ended news coverage from ITN shortly before her death is announced, anchored byDermot Murnaghan andNicholas Owen. After handing over to GMTV at 6am (who runs in its weekday lenght), its unbroken news coverage of the tragedy resumes at 9:25am and lasts well into the evening (with an interruption for the lunchtime children's current affairs programmeStraight Up!) withCoronation Street,Heartbeat and the filmSharpe's Eagle being the only scheduled programmes airing that day. Among the programmes to be pulled from the day's schedule areOpen University programming,Children's BBC,Breakfast with Frost,See Hear,Snowy River: the McGregor Saga, both of that day'sEastEnders omnibus,Escape to Athena,Songs of Praise, the American game showSingled Out,Oh, Doctor Beeching!,Star Trek: Voyager,The Outer Limits,Airplane II: The Sequel,Reality Bites,Goin' South andThe Doors on BBC1 and 2 respectively, andSurvival Special,Alright on the Night's Cock-Up Trip,The Deadly Companions andPlanet Mirth on ITV.

• 1–5 September – Extended news bulletins and additional programmes are broadcast all week to keep viewers up to date on the aftermath of thedeath of Diana, Princess of Wales.
• 1 September
  • TheNational Geographic Channel is launched. It is an evening-only service, on air each day from 7.00 o'clock until 1.00 o'clock.
  • Channel 5'sThe Jack Docherty Show returns after the summer break with a relaunch which includes new music and titles. The Friday edition is also dropped at Docherty's suggestion, ending the original five-nights-a-week format.^[63]
  • Magnus Magnusson hosts his final episode ofMastermind on BBC1.John Humphrys would succeed him upon its return in 2003.
• 5 September –Queen Elizabeth II addresses the nation with a special broadcast in which she pays tribute toDiana, Princess of Wales, only the second time she has done so. The address is broadcast live at 6.00pm, ahead of the early evening news broadcasts.^[64][65]
• 6 September – The live broadcast of thefuneral of Diana, Princess of Wales is watched by 2.5 billion viewers worldwide.^[66] The ceremony's footage goes down in the Guinness World Records as the biggest TV audience for a live broadcast.^[67] In the UK, 32.10 million viewers watch the broadcast. It is the UK's second most-watched broadcast of all time, behind 1966's World Cup final.^[68]
• 9 September – The network television premiere on ITV of the 1993 American crime dramaA Perfect World, starringKevin Costner,Clint Eastwood andLaura Dern.
• 10 September – BBC2 begins showing the six-part documentary seriesThe Nazis: A Warning from History, which examines the rise and fall of theNazi Party inGermany.^[69] The final part is aired on 15 October.^[70]
• 11 September – The US sitcomSuddenly Susan makes its UK debut on Sky1, starringBrooke Shields.
• 12 September – The former ITV game showName That Tune returns for a new series on Channel 5, presented byJools Holland.^[71] The revival was delayed by a week due todeath of Diana, Princess of Wales.
• 13 September
  • Gladiators returns to ITV for its sixth series, delayed by a week following schedule changes in the light of thefuneral of Diana, Princess of Wales the previous Saturday. England rugby union playerJeremy Guscott joins the show as new co-host toUlrika Jonsson.
  • The network television premiere on ITV of the 1991 American romantic dramaThe Prince of Tides, starringBarbra Streisand andNick Nolte.
• 14 September –Gumby: The Movie is broadcast on The Disney Channel, marking the only timeGumby is aired in the UK.
• 16 September
  • The BBC announces a radical shake-up of news and current affairs programming that will see television and radio news services produced by the same production teams.
  • BBC1 airs the documentary seriesHoliday Memories, in which presenterEsther Rantzen revisits Zimbabwe with her daughter.^[72] She becomes severely ill after filming the episode and is subsequently diagnosed withGiardiasis. She is absent from her BBC2 afternoon talk showEsther for a few months while recovering from the condition, returning to television in early 1998.^[73]
• 19 September – Debut of the garden makeover seriesGround Force on BBC2, presented byAlan Titchmarsh,Charlie Dimmock andTommy Walsh.
• 20 September – Debut of the BBC promotional film featuring a version ofLou Reed's 1972 song "Perfect Day" performed by various artists includingDavid Bowie,Bono,Brett Anderson andLaurie Anderson. Owing to its popularity, the version is released as a single on 17 November with sales benefiting Children in Need.^[74] The song ultimately spends three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart and raises £2,125,000 for Children in Need. By November 2016, it has sold 1.54 million copies, despite not being available for download.^[75][76]
• 22–25 September –EastEnders airsa series of episodes from Ireland which attract criticism from viewers and the Irish embassy because of their negative and stereotypical portrayal of Irish people. The BBC later issues an apology for any offence the episodes caused.^[77][78]
• 29 September – Two new children's animated series,The Enchanted Lands (based on the book seriesThe Faraway Tree andThe Wishing Chair byEnid Blyton) andNoah's Island, made by Telemagination, the company behindThe Animals of Farthing Wood, make their debuts on BBC1. Both of the series first aired in Ireland, prior to airing in their homeland.

• 3 October – The 'Virtual Globe' ident is seen for the final time on BBC1 after six years in use.
• 4 October
  • BBC One launches its new hot air balloon globe idents to coincide with the introduction of the network's new corporate logo. Also on this day, new idents feature on BBC Two alongside the existing ones first seen in 1991 with the new logo.
  • BBC2 begins showing the six-part documentary seriesClive Barker's A-Z of Horror, written and presented by the acclaimed horror author and directorClive Barker.
• 11 October – ITV airs delayed coverage of England's final qualifying match for the1998 FIFA World Cup against Italy in Rome which is shown exclusively live this evening on Sky Sports. The goalless draw is enough to qualify England for next summer's tournament.
• 14 October – Debut of the football-based drama seriesDream Team on Sky One.
• 16 October –Emmerdale celebrates its 25th anniversary.
• 19 October
  • The network television premiere ofSteven Spielberg's 1993 Oscar-winning dramaSchindler's List on BBC One, based on the novelSchindler's Ark byThomas Keneally starringLiam Neeson,Ben Kingsley andRalph Fiennes. The film is followed by an interview with Spielberg and a profile ofOskar Schindler.^[79]
  • Debut ofLynda La Plante's police procedural seriesTrial & Retribution on ITV, which makes frequent use of the split-screen format.
• 27 October – UK Living changes its name to Living to distance itself from the forthcoming UKTV network.
• 30 October – BBC One airsClive Anderson's infamous interview with theBee Gees which ends with them storming out of the studio. He repeatedly jokes about their life and career throughout the interview, but they decide to leave after he refers to them as "tossers".^[80]
• 31 October –Queen Elizabeth II opens a £5.5 million interactive visitors centre, the BBC Experience at Broadcasting House. The venture proves to be loss-making for the corporation and is closed in 2001.

• 1 November
  • The UKTV network is launched. Existing channel UK Gold is joined byUK Horizons,UK Arena andUK Style. The channels' full broadcast hours are available only on cable due to limited capacity on satellite.
  • The Movie Channel is rebranded under the Sky Movies banner, now called Sky Movies Screen 1 and Sky Movies Screen 2.^[81]
• 2 November – The network television premiere on BBC2 ofQuentin Tarantino's 1994 critically acclaimed thrillerPulp Fiction, starringJohn Travolta,Samuel L. Jackson,Bruce Willis andUma Thurman.^[82]
• 3 November – Debut on BBC Two of the sitcomI'm Alan Partridge, starringSteve Coogan.
• 4 November –BBC News Online is launched, BBC News having previously created special websites for the 1995 budget as well as this year's 1 May general election and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.^[83]
• 9 November – At 6pm,BBC News 24 is launched, but only on cable. It is the BBC's first new channel since BBC Two in 1964. It also broadcasts on BBC One through the night after closedown.
• 12 November – The network television premiere on ITV ofIn the Line of Fire, starringClint Eastwood.
• 20 November – BBC One airs live coverage of the service of thanksgiving marking the golden wedding anniversary ofQueen Elizabeth II andPrince Philip, held at Westminster Abbey.^[84]
• 21 November – For the first time,Children in Need has its own website, which is launched at 4pm ahead of the evening's telethon on BBC One.^[85]
• 26 November – The network television premiere on Channel 4 ofTrainspotting, starringEwan McGregor.^[86]
• November – The BBC introduces regional news and sports pages toCeefax. This is the first time that any part of the Ceefax service has been regionalised.

• 1 December
  • Sky Box Office is relaunched with four movies-on-demand channels.
  • Konnie Huq presents her first episode of the long-running children's seriesBlue Peter on BBC1. She will go on to be the longest-running female presenter and the third longest overall in the show's history, presenting for ten years before leaving in January 2008.
• 2 December –Is Painting Dead?, a discussion on ITV following this year'sTurner Prize award, becomes notorious for artistTracey Emin appearing drunk and storming off.^[87]
• 5 December – The Canadian/German science-fiction seriesLexx makes its UK debut on Channel 5.
• 7 December
  • TheTeletubbies, the characters from the BBC children's series that first went on the air at the end of March, are at number one in the UK Singles Chart with their debut single "Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!"". The track is a contender for the coveted Christmas number one, but that title is taken by theSpice Girls with "Too Much".^[88][89][90]
  • Jeremy Beadle presents his final edition ofYou've Been Framed! on ITV.
• 9 December
  • CNBC Europe announces its intention to merge with the Dow Jones news channel in Europe, European Business News.^[91]
  • The final episode ofSoldier Soldier is broadcast on ITV.
• 14 December – The US/Canadian science-fiction seriesEarth: Final Conflict makes its UK debut on Sky One.
• 16 December – The last regular edition ofThe Cook Report airs on ITV; the show will continue to air as one hour specials until 1999.
• 20 December – The ITC award the three pay-TV digital multiplex licences to British Digital Broadcasting.
• 24 December
  • Christmas Eve highlights on BBC One include the 1994 comedy filmNaked Gun33+1⁄3: The Final Insult, starringLeslie Nielsen.^[92]
  • Christmas Eve on ITV has the terrestrial premiere of the 1992 Christmas film sequelHome Alone 2: Lost in New York, again starringMacaulay Culkin,Joe Pesci andDaniel Stern.
  • Christmas Eve highlights on Channel 5 includeTim Vine's Christmas Present, anAndy Williams Show-style programme of festive music and guests.^[93]
• 25 December
  • Christmas Day highlights on BBC One include the network television premieres of the 1994 live actionThe Flintstones film, starringJohn Goodman andElizabeth Taylor and the 1994 Superhero comedy filmThe Mask, starringJim Carrey.^[94][95]
  • ITV show the network premiere of the 1992 family Christmas filmThe Muppet Christmas Carol, starringMichael Caine.
• 26 December
  • Boxing Day highlights on BBC One includeSteven Spielberg's 1991Peter Pan filmHook starringDustin Hoffman andRobin Williams,James Cameron's 1994 action blockbusterTrue Lies starringArnold Schwarzenegger andJamie Lee Curtis and the 1993 comedy sequelBeethoven's 2nd starringCharles Grodin.Paul McCartney's Standing Stones, the Documentary andUnplugged: Oasis are also shown.^[96]
  • After a seven-year absence, the game showBlankety Blank returns to BBC One, presented byLily Savage.
  • The network television premiere ofNell on Channel 4, starringJodie Foster,Liam Neeson andNatasha Richardson.
• 27 December – Channel 4 airs an evening of programmes chosen by its viewers. The line-up includes episodes ofBrookside,Friends,Father Ted,Cutting Edge andWhose Line is it Anyway?, as well as the filmShallow Grave starringEwan McGregor.^[50]
• 28 December – BBC One airs a two-part adaptation ofThe Woman in White, based on the novel of the same name. The second part is shown the following day.
• 29 December
  • The final episode ofTalking Telephone Numbers is broadcast on ITV.
  • Telly Addicts returns to BBC One after a year long break with a celebrity special. The show is heavily revamped with completely new games now played by three pairs of players rather than two teams of four as before. Regular editions of the new-look show will begin to be shown in the following spring.
• 31 December – BBC One airsCold Enough for Snow, the sequel toJack Rosenthal's 1996 comedyEskimo Day.^[97]
• December – The first series ofRobot Wars begins filming in London, continuing into January 1998, with the first episode airing on BBC Two on 20 February 1998.

• Michael Jackson is appointed Chief Executive of Channel 4.^[98]
• Chris Smith, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, announces that Channel 4's funding formula with ITV will be abolished from 1998.^[98]

• 1 January –The Mill on the Floss (1997)
• 6 January –Gadget Boy & Heather (1995–1998)
• 7 January
  • The Prince of Atlantis (1997)
  • Hububb (1997–2001)
• 8 January –The Wild House (1997–1999)
• 12 January –Ivanhoe (1997)
• 19 February –Insiders (1997)
• 20 February –Chalk (1997)
• 27 February –A Perfect State (1997)
• 1 March –Crime Traveller (1997)
• 15 March –Have Your Cake and Eat It (1997)
• 29 March –The Missing Postman (1997)
• 3 April –No Sweat (1997–1998)
• 5 April
  • The Ice House (1997)
  • Whatever You Want (1997–2000)
• 7 April –50/50 (1997–2005)
• 8 April –Arthur (1996–2021)
• 17 April –Keeping Mum (1997–1998)
• 22 April –Breakout (1997)
• 4 May –The Heart Surgeon (1997)
• 10 May –Jonathan Creek (1997–2004, 2009–2016)
• 18 May –Plotlands (1997)
• 20 May –Plasmo (1997)
• 25 May –Born to Run (1997)
• 30 May –Drovers' Gold (1997)
• 7 June –The Other Half (1997–2002)
• 10 June –Driving School (1997)
• 17 June –The Broker's Man (1997–1998)
• 11 July –Celebrity Ready Steady Cook (1997–2003)
• 21 July –Match of the Eighties (1997)
• 31 July –Pilgrim's Rest (1997)
• 24 August –The Beggar Bride (1997)
• 26 August –Vets in Practice (1997–2002)
• 31 August –Full Circle with Michael Palin (1997)
• 8 September –Bloomin' Marvellous (1997)
• 14 September –The Lakes (1997, 1999)
• 15 September –A Prince Among Men (1997–1998)
• 25 September
  • Dad (1997–1999)
  • The Locksmith (1997)
• 29 September –Noah's Island (1997–1999)
• 4 October –The Fix (1997)
• 11 October –Bright Hair (1997)
• 2 November –Get Well Soon (1997)
• 3 November –Hotel (1997)
• 9 November –The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling (1997)
• 10 November –Spark (1997)
• 16 November –The Phoenix and the Carpet (1997)
• 29 November –The Student Prince (1997)
• 2 December –Aquila (1997–1998)
• 28 December –The Woman in White (1997)
• 31 December –Cold Enough For Snow (1997)

• 7 January –Grown Ups (1997)
• 1 February –Nostromo (1997)
• 21 February –Birding with Bill Oddie (1997–2000)
• 24 February –Ray Mears' World of Survival (1997–1998)
• 31 March –Teletubbies (1997–2001, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015–2018)
• 14 April –Look and Read: Captain Crimson (1997)
• 18 April –Sunnyside Farm (1997)
• 1 June –The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo (1996)
• 2 September –Holding On (1997)
• 5 September –VR.5 (1995)
• 10 September –The Nazis: A Warning from History (1997)
• 19 September –Ground Force (1997–2005)
• 4 October –Clive Barker's A-Z of Horror (1997–1998)
• 28 October –Back to the Floor (1997–2002)
• 3 November –I'm Alan Partridge (1997–2002)
• 9 November –Profit (1996)
• 17 November –Land of the Tiger (1997)
• 7 December –Love Bites (3 single dramas –Bumping the Odds,In Your Dreams andThe Perfect Blue) (1997)
• 22 December –Stella Street (1997–2001)
• 28 December –Mothertime (1997)
• 29 December –Operation Good Guys (1997–2000)

• 31 March –HARDtalk (1997–2025)
• 9 November –BBC World News (1991–present)

• 5 January –Rebecca (1997)
• 6 January
  • Sooty's Amazing Adventures (1997–1998)
  • Adam's Family Tree (1997–1999)
• 7 January –Quayside (1997)
• 8 January –The Blobs (1997–1998)
• 18 January –The Place of the Dead (1997)
• 24 January –Holding the Baby (1997–1998)
• 5 February –Supply & Demand (1997–1998)
• 6 February –Reckless (1997)
• 24 February –Snap (1997–1999)
• 25 February –No Child of Mine (1997)
• 26 February –Dr. Xargle (1997–1998)
• 28 February –Slim Pig (1996–2005)
• 8 March –Formula One coverage on ITV (1997–2008)
• 9 March –Jane Eyre (1997)
• 23 March –Midsomer Murders (1997–present)
• 30 March
  • Cold Feet (1997–2003, 2016–2020)
  • Comedy Premieres (1997)
• 2 April –The Vanishing Man (1997–1998)
• 4 April –The Grand (1997–1998)
• 6 April –Where the Heart Is (1997–2006)
• 29 April –Touching Evil (1997–1999)
• 3 May –Mashed (1997–1998)
• 9 May –See You Friday (1997)
• 18 May –Wokenwell (1997)
• 6 June –The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1997)
• 25 June –The Animal Shelf (1997–2000)
• 8 July –Captain Star (1997–1998)
• 14 July –...from Hell (1997–2010)
• 30 August –Tricky (1997)
• 2 September –Knight School (1997–1998)
• 4 September –The Adventures of Paddington Bear (1997–2000)
• 5 September –Kipper (1997–2000)
• 8 September –Noah's Ark (1997–1998)
• 12 September –The Practice (1997–2004)
• 25 September –The Uninvited (1997)
• 26 September –Titch (1997–2001)
• 19 October –Trial & Retribution (1997–2009)
• 24 October –An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1997–2001)
• 14 November –Bernard's Watch (1997–2005)
• 18 November –Savage Earth (1997)
• 21 November –Blind Men (1997–1998)
• 7 December –Painted Lady (1997)
• 23 December –The Pale Horse (1997)

• 3 January –Captain Butler (1997)
• 13 January –Collectors' Lot (1997–2001)
• 25 January –Last Chance Lottery (1997)
• 27 January –Pet Rescue (1997–2003)
• 29 January
  • Brass Eye (1997–2001)
  • Fortean TV (1997–1998)
• 1 February –The Show (1997)
• 17 February –Under the Moon (1997–1998)
• 24 March –Light Lunch (1997–1999)
• 7 April –Armstrong and Miller (1997–2001)
• 12 May
  • Melissa (1997)
  • Soul Music (1997)
• 30 May –Harry Hill (1997–2003)
• 15 July –Space Cadets (1997)
• 1 August –King of the Hill (1997–2010)
• 3 August –Game of War (1997)
• 9 October –A Dance to the Music of Time (1997)
• 31 October –TV Offal (1997–1998)
• 4 November –Underworld (1997)

• Unknown
  • Y Clwb Rygbi (1997–present)
  • Ffermio (1997–present)

• 30 March
  • Family Affairs (1997–2005)
  • The Jack Docherty Show (1997–1999)
• 31 March
  • 100% (1997–2001)
  • Whittle (1997–1998)
  • 5 News (1997–present)
  • Hot Property (1997–1998, 2001–2003)
  • Havakazoo (1997–2002)
  • Milkshake! (1997–present)
• 3 April –Bring Me the Head of Light Entertainment (1997–2000)
• 4 April –MLB on Five (1997–2008)
• 5 April –Night Fever (1997–2002)
• 12 April –Wimzie's House (1995–1996)
• May –Football on 5 (1997–2012, 2015–present)
• 12 July –Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001)
• 12 September –Name That Tune (1997–1998)
• 22 September –Wing and a Prayer (1997–1999)
• 5 December –Lexx (1997–2002)

• 13 January –Kenan & Kel (1996-2001)
• 1 September –KaBlam! (1996-2000)
• 4 November –The Angry Beavers (1997–2006)

• 6 January –Cow and Chicken (1997–1999)
• 30 August –Johnny Bravo (1997–2004)

• 30 August –Nightmare Ned (1997)
• 1 September –Studio Disney UK (1997–2005)
• 18 October –
  • Recess (1997–2001)
  • Pepper Ann (1997–2000)

• 14 October –Dream Team (1997–2007)

• 5 February –Armstrong and Miller (1997–1999)

• Captain Pugwash (1957–1975 BBC,1997–2002 ITV)
• Sale of the Century (1971–1983 ITV, 1989–1991 Sky One,1997 Challenge)
• Birds of a Feather (1989–1994,1997–1998, 2014–2020)
• Blankety Blank (1979–1990,1997–2002)
• Blockbusters (1983–1993 ITV, 1994–1995 Sky One,1997 BBC Two, 2000–2001 Sky One, 2012 Challenge, 2019 Comedy Central)

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

• 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)

• Come Dancing (1949–1998)

• Panorama (1953–present)
• Take Your Pick! (1955–1968, 1992–1998)
• What the Papers Say (1956–2008)^[99]
• The Sky at Night (1957–present)
• Blue Peter (1958–present)
• Grandstand (1958–2007)

• Coronation Street (1960–present)
• Songs of Praise (1961–present)
• World in Action (1963–1998)
• 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)

• 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)

• 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)
• The Cook Report (1985–1999)
• Crosswits (1985–1998)
• Screen Two (1985–1998)
• Telly Addicts (1985–1998)
• 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)
• Chain Letters (1987–1997)
• The Time, The Place (1987–1998)
• ChuckleVision (1987–2009)
• You Bet! (1988–1997)
• Playdays (1988–1997)
• 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)

• Drop the Dead Donkey (1990–1998)
• 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)
• The Brittas Empire (1991–1997)
• Soldier Soldier (1991–1997)
• Noel's House Party (1991–1999)
• GamesMaster (1992–1998)
• Heartbeat (1992–2010)^[100]
• Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998)
• The Big Breakfast (1992–2002)
• 999 (1992–2003)
• Sooty & Co. (1993–1998)
• 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)
• Wycliffe (1994–1998)
• Top of the Pops 2 (1994–present)
• Oh, Doctor Beeching! (1995–1997)
• Father Ted (1995–1998)
• Hollyoaks (1995–present)
• Is It Legal? (1995–1998)

• The Woody Woodpecker Show (1957–1997)
• Sportsnight (1965–1997)
• Rainbow (1972–1992,1994–1997)
• Mastermind (1972–1997, 2003–present)
• Celebrity Squares (1975–1979,1993–1997, 2014–2015)
• Give Us a Clue (1979–1997)
• Postman Pat (1981, 1991–1994,1996, 2004–2008)
• Chain Letters (1987–1997)
• You Bet! (1988–1997, 2024–present)
• Playdays (1988–1997)
• The Brittas Empire (1991–1997)
• Soldier Soldier (1991–1997)
• Come Outside (1993–1997)
• Talking Telephone Numbers (1994–1997)
• All Quiet on the Preston Front (1994–1997)
• Pie in the Sky (1994–1997)
• Oh, Doctor Beeching! (1995–1997)
• Mr. Men and Little Miss (1995–1997)
• Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's... (1996–1997)
• This Life (1996–1997)
• All Rise for Julian Clary (1996–1997)
• Have Your Cake and Eat It (1997)
• Plotlands (1997)
• The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1997)
• Drovers' Gold (1997)
• Holding On (1997)
• Hotel (1997)
• The Prince of Atlantis (1997)
• The History of Tom Jones (1997)

• 2 February –Ellie Bamber, actress
• 1 April –Asa Butterfield, actor
• 15 April –Maisie Williams, actress
• 3 July –Mia McKenna-Bruce, actress
• 16 August –Tilly Keeper, actress
• 25 August –Holly Gibbs, actress
• 7 September –Dean-Charles Chapman, actor
• 16 September –Amy-Leigh Hickman, actress

• 1997 in British music
• 1997 in British radio
• 1997 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1997

• List of 1997 British television series atIMDb

• 1997 in British television

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