First night of BBC Two

Image: Hullabaloo and Custard, the BBC 2 launch mascots by Desmond Marwood. 

The BBC launched BBC Two - the third national TV station – on 20 April 1964. The debut evening was planned as an enticing showcase of the best of the new service, but was ruined by outside events, as a fire at Battersea Power Station caused a blackout across much of central and west London. All that was broadcast was the news, which came from Alexandra Palace.

The first full programme to go out on BBC Two was Play School, transmitted at 11 the following morning. The opening night line-up was eventually shown that evening, featuring a performance of Kiss Me Kate - starring Howard Keel and Patricia Morrison.

BBC Two was transmitted on the European standard 625 lines. This gave a better quality picture but viewers had to get a new television and aerial to watch it. Despite some criticism the channel scored many notable successes in its first months, including The Great War, Jazz 625, and Play School. As a channel which complemented BBC One – as the existing television service was now known – BBC Two featured more adult educational programmes and minority interest features, such as weekly news digests for the hearing impaired.

BBC Two has honed a reputation for innovation – from ground breaking social comedy such as Goodness Gracious Me to new arenas of sport broadcasting including tennis at Wimbledon, snooker and skiing, and fresh perspectives on the arts and music in series as different as Arena and The Old Grey Whistle Test.