Thames Television

Thames Television was a British commercial television company that held the weekday London franchise of the ITV network from 30 July 1968 until the end of 31 December 1992. It was created as a new joint company combining the television operations of Associated-Rediffusion, the incumbent London weekday broadcaster, and ABC Television, a major ITV company that was losing its existing weekend franchises during the restructuring of the network for the 1968 contract period. The Independent Television Authority arranged the combination because it wanted to preserve the production capacity, management expertise and national programming contribution associated with both companies. The resulting company was controlled by the ABC side, which held 51 percent of the voting shares, while the remaining structure gave the former Associated-Rediffusion interests a significant economic stake. Its name referred to the River Thames and the London region it served. Thames inherited studios, staff, formats and production experience from both predecessors. Its principal production base became the former ABC studios at Teddington, while its corporate headquarters moved to purpose-built facilities on Euston Road in 1970. As an ITV franchisee, Thames performed several functions at once. It provided scheduled television for London viewers during the weekday portion of the regional contract, commissioned and produced programmes for its own service, and supplied programmes to the national ITV network and overseas distributors. Its transmission period originally ran from Monday morning until 7 p.m. on Friday, when London Weekend Television took over; the Friday handover was moved to 5:15 p.m. in 1982. This arrangement made Thames one of the large ITV companies commonly described as the “Big Five.” Thames developed a broad public-service commercial schedule. Its output included current affairs and regional news, drama, situation comedy, entertainment, children’s programming, documentaries and television films. Programmes associated with the company included The Benny Hill Show, Rainbow, The Sooty Show, Magpie, The World at War, The Sweeney, Minder, Armchair Theatre and the Thames News service. The company also developed specialist production units. Euston Films, established in 1971, concentrated on filmed drama and became associated with police, crime and contemporary social series. Cosgrove Hall, created as a Thames subsidiary in 1976, became an important producer of animated children’s programmes. The company’s programming reached beyond light entertainment. The World at War, a major documentary series made over several years and narrated by Laurence Olivier, used archival footage and interviews with participants in the Second World War. Thames drama productions such as Edward & Mrs. Simpson and Jenny, Lady Randolph Churchill received international recognition, while series including The Sweeney and Minder became durable examples of British television drama. Thames also continued or revived established formats inherited from earlier ITV and BBC production, including Opportunity Knocks, This Is Your Life and The Sooty Show. Thames became involved in one of British television’s most widely reported live-broadcast controversies when an interview with the Sex Pistols on the regional programme Today included unexpected profanity in December 1976. The incident led to extensive press coverage, complaints from viewers and the suspension of presenter Bill Grundy. It also contributed to the programme’s withdrawal and replacement by a more conventional Thames news service. In the 1991 ITV franchise auction, Thames lost its London weekday licence to Carlton Television. Its final franchise transmission ended on New Year’s Eve 1992. Thames continued as an independent production business after leaving the ITV network, but its corporate identity later became part of FremantleMedia. It was combined with Fremantle’s Talkback operation as Talkback Thames, meaning th…

Thames Television emerged from the major ITV franchise reorganization intended to take effect in 1968. Before the change, Associated-Rediffusion supplied weekday programmes to London, while ABC Television operated weekend services in London and other regions. The revised system removed several separate weekend contracts and created new seven-day arrangements in some areas. ABC therefore risked losing both of its established franchises. At the same time, Associated-Rediffusion’s application for renewal was weakened by its overconfident dealings with the Independent Television Authority and by concerns about the company’s conduct during the application process. The authority’s solution was to combine ABC’s production organization with Associated-Rediffusion’s London operation in a new company. ABC received control through 51 percent of the voting shares, while a dual-share structure gave the two predecessor interests a more balanced participation in profits. A direct merger of the parent companies was impractical, so Thames Television Holdings was established as the corporate vehicle. ABC executives Howard Thomas and Brian Tesler were appointed to senior operating roles. The company took its name from the River Thames, reflecting its London service area. Thames began broadcasting on 30 July 1968. The launch was affected by strikes, followed shortly afterward by an industry-wide dispute that forced ITV to operate an emergency national service. Once normal operations resumed, Thames transmitted from Monday morning through Friday, handing over to London Weekend Television in the evening. Its main production facilities were the former ABC studios at Teddington. The company also inherited or acquired other premises connected with ABC and Rediffusion, while its corporate offices moved to Euston Road in 1970. During the 1970s and 1980s, Thames became one of ITV’s principal programme suppliers. It retained popular formats from its predecessor companies and developed a substantial portfolio of original productions. Comedy and entertainment included The Benny Hill Show, Father, Dear Father, Bless This House and the Man About the House franchise. Children’s output included Magpie, Rainbow, The Sooty Show and The Tomorrow People. The company’s drama reputation grew through productions such as Armchair Thriller, Edward & Mrs. Simpson and Jenny, Lady Randolph Churchill. Thames also produced major factual programming, most notably The World at War, a 26-part account of the Second World War that combined archive material with interviews and was narrated by Laurence Olivier. Thames invested in production structures suited to changing television practices. Euston Films was created in 1971 to make drama entirely on film, at a time when much British television drama still used a combination of studio videotape and location film. Its output included The Sweeney, Danger UXB, Minder and Quatermass, as well as television films such as The Naked Civil Servant. Cosgrove Hall, established as a Thames subsidiary in 1976, became a significant animation producer, especially for children’s television. The company was also associated with a major live-broadcast controversy. On 1 December 1976, Today presenter Bill Grundy interviewed members of the Sex Pistols. Profanity was broadcast during the live segment, generating a large public reaction and press coverage. Thames stated that the live format made the language impossible to predict, but Grundy was suspended and Today was soon discontinued. Thames subsequently developed a more conventional regional news offering, eventually known as Thames News. In the 1991 franchise round, Thames lost its London weekday licence to Carlton Television. Its final ITV transmission took place on 31 December 1992. The business continued to produce programmes independently after the franchise ended, but it was later acquired by FremantleMedia and combined with Talkback to form Talkback Thames. The Thames identity continued in limited label use before being replaced by a new Talkback Thames logo in 2006. In 2012, FremantleMedia UK revived Thames as one of several production labels. The original franchise company, however, had ceased to exist as a separate broadcaster.

1. 2012Brand revived as a Fremantle label

   The Thames name was reintroduced within FremantleMedia UK’s multi-label production structure.

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2. 1992End of ITV franchise

   Thames completed its final London weekday transmission on 31 December 1992.

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3. 1991Franchise lost to Carlton

   Thames failed to retain the London weekday ITV franchise in the regulatory franchise auction.

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4. 1976Cosgrove Hall established

   Thames formed the animation subsidiary that became closely associated with British children’s programming.

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5. 1971Euston Films established

   Thames created Euston Films to specialize in filmed television drama.

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6. 1970Move to Euston Road headquarters

   The company moved its corporate offices and studios to a newly constructed complex on Euston Road.

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7. 1968First broadcast

   Thames began serving London on weekdays on 30 July 1968.

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8. 1967Creation of Thames Television

   The Independent Television Authority arranged a new company combining Associated-Rediffusion and ABC Television interests for the London weekday ITV contract.

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A broad-based British commercial public-service broadcaster and production company, combining London weekday ITV transmission with nationally distributed drama, documentary, comedy, entertainment and children’s programming.

• The World at WarDocumentary series1973

  A landmark 26-part documentary history of the Second World War, combining archive footage with interviews and narrated by Laurence Olivier. The series demonstrated Thames’s capacity for large-scale factual production and became one of the company’s most internationally recognized programmes.

• The Benny Hill ShowComedy and variety1969

  Thames’s long-running vehicle for comedian Benny Hill, combining sketches, visual comedy, music and recurring characters. Hill remained under contract to Thames for most of his later career, and the programme was widely sold beyond the United Kingdom.

• RainbowChildren’s television1972

  A preschool and young-children’s programme using puppetry, animation, songs and educational segments. It began in 1972 and ran for approximately two decades, becoming one of Thames’s most durable children’s brands.

• The SweeneyCrime drama1975

  A filmed police series produced through Euston Films, focusing on an elite London crime squad. Its location filming, action-led storytelling and contemporary setting helped establish Euston Films as a distinctive Thames production unit.

• MinderCrime comedy-drama1979

  A London-set series blending crime drama and comedy, produced by Euston Films. It became one of Thames’s best-known continuing dramas and remained associated with the company beyond the end of its ITV franchise.

• The Sooty ShowChildren’s television1968

  A puppet-based children’s programme transferred to Thames after the BBC cancelled it in 1967. Thames broadcast it from its first day on air and continued the programme through the change from Harry Corbett to Matthew Corbett.

• Thames NewsRegional news

  The company’s London regional news service, developed after the discontinuation of Today and presented as a more conventional regional news operation.

• 2012Revival of the Thames production labelStrategy

  FremantleMedia UK reorganized Talkback Thames into several production labels.

  What changed. The Thames name was revived alongside Boundless, Retort and Talkback.

  Aftermath. The name continued as a production label, distinct from the original London ITV franchise company.

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• 1992Continuation as an independent producerStrategy

  Thames lost its London weekday ITV franchise to Carlton Television after the 1991 franchise auction.

  What changed. The company continued producing programmes after its final franchise transmission rather than ending all production activity immediately.

  Aftermath. The business was later incorporated into FremantleMedia’s Talkback Thames structure and ceased to operate as a separate original company.

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• 1976Formation of Cosgrove HallStrategy

  Thames sought to expand and consolidate its production capability in animation and children’s television.

  What changed. It established Cosgrove Hall as an animation subsidiary.

  Aftermath. Cosgrove Hall became an important source of animated children’s programming associated with Thames.

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• 1971Creation of Euston FilmsStrategy

  Thames wanted a production unit capable of making drama entirely on film rather than relying on the then-common hybrid of studio video and location film.

  What changed. It established Euston Films as a specialist filmed-drama subsidiary.

  Aftermath. The unit produced prominent series including The Sweeney, Danger UXB and Minder, strengthening Thames’s reputation in contemporary drama.

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• 1976Sex Pistols live interview controversyControversy

  During a live Today interview, Sex Pistols members used profanity that was broadcast to viewers. The incident triggered complaints and sustained newspaper coverage, led to Bill Grundy’s suspension and was followed by the programme’s cancellation.

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• 2012Thames brand revived within FremantleMedia UK

  The Thames name returned as one of several production labels created after Talkback Thames was divided into separate FremantleMedia UK units.

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• 1992Final Thames ITV transmission

  Thames ended its role as London’s weekday ITV contractor on the night of 31 December, after more than 24 years on air.

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• 1991Thames loses London weekday ITV franchise

  The company was unsuccessful in the franchise auction and lost its London weekday contract to Carlton Television.

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• 1968Thames Television begins London weekday broadcasting

  The newly formed company began its ITV service for London on 30 July, although industrial action disrupted its opening period and soon contributed to a wider ITV stoppage.

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1. Thames Television