1999 in television

This is a list of television-related events in 1999.

Events

• January 1 - On 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 portrayed him.
• January 6 - Bob Newhart receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• February 14 - Elton John appears as himself in a special Valentine's Day episode of the animated series The Simpsons.
• March 5 - After 32 years, what is billed as the last ever News at Ten is broadcast on ITV, hosted as usual by Trevor McDonald. It is replaced with the ITV Nightly News from Monday. In the event, News at Ten returns in 2001, though is axed again in 2004.
• May 21 - Susan Lucci wins a Daytime Emmy Award for her role as Erica Kane on All My Children, after eighteen failed nominations in previous years.
• June 1 - The educational channel BBC Knowledge launches in the UK.
• June 2 - The ban on television in Bhutan is lifted, with the launch of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service. A cable service launches in English, Dzongkha, and Nepali in September that year.
• July 18 - Actor Hank Azaria marries actress Helen Hunt. The couple divorced on December 18, 2000.
• August 18 - Former child star Gary Coleman files for bankruptcy.
• September 6 - The ITV London Weekday franchise Carlton drops the on-air branding of the Central and Westcountry ITV regions, replacing them with Carlton.
• September 11 - The first of Channel 4's '100 Greatest' programmes air, The 100 Greatest TV Moments.
• October 4-November 8 - 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.
• November 8 - 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.
• November - Test Card J and Test Card W debut on the BBC, replacing Test Card F which is retired after 32 years.
• December 7 - Channel 5 in the UK broadcasts the TV movie Winter Angel, a revival of the popular 1970s BBC science-fiction series Doomwatch.
• December 17 - 10th anniversary of the first half-hour episode of The Simpsons.
• December 24 - 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 had not had a million pound winner).
• December 25 - ITV beats BBC One in the Christmas Day ratings for the first time since 1984.
• December 31 - Over 60 countries take part in 2000 Today, a program seeing in the start of the new millennium.

Debuts

• January 4 - Ed, Edd n Eddy premieres on Cartoon Network (1999-present).
• January 10 - The Sopranos premieres on HBO (1999-present).
• January 10 - Batman Beyond premieres on The WB (1999-2001)
• January 31 - Family Guy premieres on FOX (1999-2002, 2005-present).
• February 23 - Queer as Folk (UK) premieres on Channel 4 (1999-2000).
• February 25 - premieres on FOX (1999-present).
• March 19 - Farscape premieres on the Sci Fi Channel (1999-2003).
• March 24 - Tenacious D premieres on HBO (1999-present).
• March 28 - Futurama premieres on FOX (1999-2003).
• March 30 - The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn premieres on CBS (1999-2004).
• April 26 - Home Movies premieres on UPN (1999, 2001-2004).
• June 1 - Bad Girls premiers on ITV1 (1999-)
• 22 June - Hope And Glory premieres on BBC One (1999-2000).
• July 5 - Passions debuts on NBC in the slot vacated by Another World ten days before (1999-present).
• July 17 - SpongeBob SquarePants premieres on Nickelodeon (1999-present).
• August 14 - Digimon: Digital Monsters premieres in the U.S. on Fox Kids (1999-2003).
• August 16 - Rocket Power premieres on Nickelodeon (1999-2004).
• August 16 - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire premieres in the U.S. on ABC, hosted by Regis Philbin. The show is based on a British show of the same name (1999-present).
• August 30 - The Parkers premieres on UPN (1999-2004).
• September 16 - Big Brother premieres on Talpa in the Netherlands, produced by Endemol (1999-present). Many international versions follow.
• September 19 - Judging Amy premieres on CBS (1999-2005).
• September 20 - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premieres on NBC (1999-present).
• September 22 - The West Wing premieres on NBC (1999-2006).
• September 23 - Stark Raving Mad premieres on NBC (1999).
• September 23 - Third Watch premieres on NBC (1999-2005).
• September 28 - Watership Down premieres on ITV (1999-2000).
• September 29 - Judge Mathis premieres in syndication (1999-present).
• October 5 - Angel premieres on The WB (1999-2004).

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).

1960s

• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• It's Academic (1961-present).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• Play School (Australia) (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).

1970s

• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
• Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Arena (UK) (1975-present).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• 20/20 (1978-present).
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
• Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979-present).
• Nightline (1979-present).
• This Old House (1979-present).

1980s

• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
• What Now (1982-present)
• Timewatch (UK) (1982-present)
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
• Sally (1985-2002).
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
• Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
• Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
• ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
• Inspector Morse (UK) (1987-2000).
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
• America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
• The American Experience (1988-present).
• Fair City (1988-present).
• Home and Away (Australia) (1988-present).
• This Morning (UK) (1988-present).
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
• Electric Circus (Canada) (1988-2003).
• Baywatch (1989-2001).
• COPS (1989-present).
• The Simpsons (1989-present).

1990s

• Law & Order (1990-present).
• America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
• Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000).
• One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990-2000).
• Rugrats (1991-2004).
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
• The Red Green Show (1991-2006).
• Barney & Friends (1992-2002).
• Dateline NBC (1992-present).
• The Real World (1992-present).
• Frasier (1993-2004).
• Ricki Lake (1993-2004).
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
• NYPD Blue (1993-2005).
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
• The X-Files (1993-2002).
• WWF RAW Is War/WWF War Zone (1993-present).
• Chicago Hope (1994-2000)
• ER (1994-present).
• Friends (1994-2004).
• Party of Five (1994-2000).
• Time Team (UK) (1994-present).
• Touched by an Angel (1994-2003).
• JAG (1995-2005).
• Sesame Park (Canada) (1995-2002).
• Sliders (1995-2000).
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001).
• The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004).
• The Wheezer Bros. (1995-2001).
• WCW Monday Nitro (1995-2001).
• 7th Heaven (1996-2006).
• Access Hollywood (1996-present).
• Dexter's Laboratory (1996-2003).
• Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005).
• Hey Arnold! (1996-2004).
• Judge Judy (1996-present).
• Spin City (1996-2002).
• Suddenly Susan (1996-2000).
• The Daily Show (1996-present).
• 100% (game show) (UK) (1997-2001).
• Ally McBeal (1997-2002).
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
• Daria (1997-2001).
• Dharma & Greg (1997-2002).
• Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997-2001).
• Family Affairs (UK) (1997-2005).
• Johnny Bravo (1997-2003).
• Just Shoot Me (1997-2003).
• King of the Hill (1997-2006).
• South Park (1997-present).
• Stargate SG-1 (1997-present).
• The Practice (1997-2004).
• Teletubbies (UK) (1997-2001).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1997-present).
• Becker (1998-2004).
• Call For Help (1998-2004).
• CatDog (1998-2006).
• Charmed (1998-2006).
• Dawson's Creek (1998-2003).
• Forgive or Forget (1998-2000).
• Oh Baby (1998-2000).
• Oh Yeah! Cartoons (1998-2001).
• Sex and the City (1998-2004).
• SMTV Live (UK) (1998-2003).
• That '70s Show (1998-2006).
• The King of Queens (1998-present).
• The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2004).
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK) (1998-present).
• Will & Grace (1998-2006).
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).

Ending this year

• March 20 - Noel's House Party (1991-1999).
• April 5 - Red Dwarf (UK) (1988-1999).
• April 13 - The Sifl and Olly Show (1998-1999).
• April 14 - Cow and Chicken (1997-1999).
• May 4 - NewsRadio (1995-1999).
• May 12 - The Nanny (1993-1999).
• May 21 - Millennium (1996-1999).
• May 24 - Mad About You (1992-1999).
• May 24 - Melrose Place (1992-1999).
• May 25 - Clueless (1996-1999).
• May 25 - Home Improvement (1991-1999).
• June 2 - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999).
• June 25 - the American soap opera Another World airs its final episode (#8891) (1964-1999).
• September 12 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999).
• December 31 - Sunset Beach (1997-1999).
• Pamela Wallin Live (Canada) (1995-1999).
• Doug (1991-1994, 1996-1999).
• Match Game (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).

Changes of Network Affiliation

• Franklin, from CBS to Nickelodeon.
• Rupert, from Nickelodeon to CBS.
• Pokémon, from syndication to Kids' WB!

Deaths

• January 4 - Iron Eyes Cody, 94, actor known for a popular anti-littering commercial from the 1970s.
• March 21 - Ernie Wise, 73, surviving half of UK comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise.
• March 22 - David Strickland, 29, actor on Suddenly Susan, suicide.
• March 30 - Gary Morton, 74, producer, second husband of Lucille Ball.
• April 10 - Jean Vander Pyl, 79, voice actor who voiced Wilma Flintstone on The Flintstones and Rosie the Robot Maid on The Jetsons.
• April 26 - Jill Dando, 37, presenter (co-host of Crimewatch).
• May 8 - Dana Plato, 34, actress (Kimberly Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes).
• June 11 - DeForest Kelley, 79, actor (Bones McCoy on Star Trek}.
• July 12 - Bill Owen, 85, actor (Compo Simmonite) on Last of the Summer Wine.
• July 20 - Sandra Gould, 72, actress (Gladys Kravitz #2 on Bewitched}.
• September 5 - Allen Funt, 84, host of Candid Camera.
• December 29 - Gene Rayburn, 81, television host (Match Game).

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