1987 in Scottish television

Events

March

• 3 March –
  • Debut of the BBC Scotland drama Tutti Frutti.
  • Take the High Road returns from its annual break, and from this date, the soap begins to be shown twice a week all year round.

June

• 11 – 12 June – Coverage of the results of the 1987 general election is broadcast both on BBC1 and ITV.
• 29 June – Schools programmes are broadcast on ITV for the last time.

August

• 31 August – The 30th anniversary of Scottish Television.

September

• 7 September – ITV launches a full morning programme schedule, with advertising, for the first time. The new service includes regular five-minute national and Scottish news bulletins.
• 14 September – After 30 years on ITV, ITV Schools moves to Channel 4. Opt outs of the network schools schedule continue, thereby allowing programmes relevant to schools in Scotland to continue to be broadcast. To date, this is the only time that Scotland has opted out of the Channel 4 schedule.
• 10 December – Grampian Television and Camanachd Association agree a three year contract for shinty coverage, taking over from Scottish Television.

Debuts

BBC

• 3 March – Tutti Frutti (1987)

Television series

• Scotsport (1957–2008)
• Reporting Scotland (1968–1983; 1984–present)
• Top Club (1971–1998)
• Scotland Today (1972–2009)
• Sportscene (1975–present)
• The Beechgrove Garden (1978–present)
• Grampian Today (1980–2009)
• Take the High Road (1980–2003)
• Taggart (1983–2010)
• James the Cat (1984–1992)
• Crossfire on Grampian (1984–2004)
• City Lights (1984–1991)
• The Campbells (1986–1990)
• Naked Video (1986–1991)

Ending this year

• 7 April – Tutti Frutti (1987)

Births

• 8 August – Katie Leung, actress

Deaths

• 4 February – Fyfe Robertson, 84, television journalist
• 6 June – Fulton Mackay, actor (Porridge)
• Unknown – Finlay J. MacDonald, 61, radio and television presenter

References

References

1. Lowe, Douglas. (10 December 1987). "Shinty to get more box time". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
2. (17 November 2016). "BBC Sport in Black and White". Springer.
3. (6 August 2025). "Sportscene at 50: Famous faces back for anniversary".
4. (13 February 2020). "Performing Scottishness: Enactment and National Identities". Springer Nature.
5. (14 October 2016). "Contemporary British Television Crime Drama: Cops on the Box". Taylor & Francis.
6. (30 April 2020). "A look back at classic Glasgow comedy show City Lights".
7. (15 November 2019). "A 1980s Childhood". Amberley Publishing Limited.