2000 in television

The year 2000 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2000.

"For the American TV schedule, see: 2000-01 United States network television schedule."

Events

*January 3 - The highest rated UK programme of the year is recorded, an episode of "Coronation Street" that gets 18.96 million. [http://www.barb.co.uk/25years/top10.php?section=events&callyear=2000]
*January 7 - The long-running BBC children's programme "Blue Peter" reunites two former presenting teams to dig up the time capsules they buried for the year 2000 in 1971 and 1984.
*January 17 - Robin Givens replaces Mother Love as host of the talk show "Forgive or Forget".
*January - Talk show host David Letterman undergoes quintuple heart bypass surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, following an angiogram that revealed that one of his arteries was seriously constricted.
*February 15 - Rick Rockwell marries stranger Darva Conger in front of 22 million viewers on the FOX reality show "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" While he and Darva are honeymooning, word surfaces that Rockwell—who is sometimes a comedian—had a restraining order against a former girlfiend, and he was not really a multi-millionaire. As a result, FOX cancels a rerun scheduled the following week, and does not air any new installments. In addition the couple break up shortly after the show's taping.
*February 21 - David Letterman returns to television following his quintuple heart bypass surgery in January. Letterman brings all of the doctors that had performed the operation out on stage with him, including Dr. O. Wayne Isom and Physician Louis J. Aronne, who makes frequent appearances on the show. In an unusual show of emotion, Letterman is nearly in tears as he thanked the doctors. The episode earned an Emmy nomination. Letterman's father died of a heart attack while still in his 50s.
*March - Japan's national broadcaster NHK gains approval from the International Telecommunications Union for the 1,125 scanning lines and 16:9 aspect ratio wide-screen standard HDTV format. NHK also broadcasts all-digital programming as of this year. [http://www.nhk.or.jp/digital/en/]
*April 30- "Arabian Nights" is shown on ABC in the United States and BBC One in the United Kingdom.
*June 4 - 13-year-old "Coronation Street" character Sarah Platt gives birth to a baby daughter called Bethany.
*July 1 - C-Day in the United Kingdom. From today, most commercial broadcasters begin broadcasting commercials, promotions, and idents in 16:9 widescreen ratio.
*July 5 - "Big Brother" premieres in the United States. The series is considered a major failure and is retooled and renewed for the next season.
*August 21 - "'ZDTV" is renamed to "TechTV"
*September 29 - Eddie McGee is crowned the winner of the first American season of "Big Brother" and wins $500,000. Runners-Up are Josh Souza, winner of $100,000, and Curtis Kin, winner of $50,000. Toon Disney and Playhouse Disney launches in the United Kingdom.
*October 23 - 15-year-old Sonia Jackson, a character in "EastEnders", unexpectedly gives birth to a baby girl called Chloe.
*November 25 - Indonesian first 24-hours news channel, Metro TV bigin broadcasting.
*December - The character of Bianca Montgomery, played by Eden Riegel on the soap opera "All My Children", comes out as a lesbian to her mother, Erica Kane (played by Susan Lucci).
*December 18 - Actor Hank Azaria and actress Helen Hunt file for divorce.
*ANT1 Satellite and Pacific extends its programing to 24 hour broadcasting.
*Greek broadcasting networks Alter Channel and Tempo TV began broadcasting.
*The British Film Institute publishes its list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th century. Compiled by a poll of industry professionals, "Fawlty Towers" tops the list, followed by "Cathy Come Home" and "Doctor Who".

Debuts

fnb|1 After Home and Away stopped airing on ITV it took a year break and debuted on Channel 5 in early 2001

Deaths

*January 15 - Fran Ryan, character actress (Doris Ziffle #2 on "Green Acres"), sister of Irene Ryan.
*February 10 - Jim Varney, 50, actor and comedian who created the character Ernest P. Worrell.
*February 12 - Charles M. Schulz, 77, cartoonist, creator of Peanuts.
*March 25 - Helen Martin, 90, veteran African American character actress (Pearl on "227").
*April 10 - Larry Linville, 60, actor (Frank Burns on the TV version of "M*A*S*H").
*July 14 - Meredith MacRae, 56, actress on "Petticoat Junction".
*August 12 - Loretta Young, 87, actress.
*September 14 - Beah Richards, 80, actress.
*September 26 - Richard Mulligan, 67, actor (Burt on "Soap" and Harry on "Empty Nest").
*October 18 - Julie London, 74, singer, actress ("Emergency!".
*October 30 - Steve Allen, 78, comedian, composer, talk show host, author.
*December 6 - Werner Klemperer, 80, actor (Col. Wilhelm Klink on "Hogan's Heroes").
*December 26 - Jason Robards, 78, actor.