Alexandra Palace is preparing to mark a landmark moment in broadcasting history this autumn, with a season of performances, talks, screenings and exhibitions commemorating 90 years since the BBC first transmitted television pictures from the north London venue.
The BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally programme, running from September to November 2026, celebrates the anniversary of Monday 2 November 1936, when presenter Leslie Mitchell addressed viewers at home with the words: “This is direct television from the studios at Alexandra Palace” — marking the launch of the world’s first regular public high-definition television service. The moment is widely regarded as one of the most transformative events in modern communications history, laying the foundation for how billions of people would come to receive news, education and entertainment throughout the twentieth century and beyond.
A Pioneering Heritage
Alexandra Palace, the Victorian-era venue that sits in Haringey in north London, has long been associated with landmark cultural moments. Its role as the birthplace of public television, however, remains its most historically significant distinction. The BBC operated from studios within the building from 1936, using the site’s prominent hilltop position to transmit signals across London and its surrounds via a mast that still stands on the Palace roof today.
Emma Dagnes OBE, Chief Executive of the Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust, said the anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on the enduring significance of what was achieved at the site. “Alexandra Palace has always been a place where innovation meets entertainment. 90 years ago, television changed forever, shaping the modern world as we know it today,” she said. “‘BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally’ celebrates that pioneering spirit and we’re looking forward to sharing the remarkable people, ideas and creativity that put Alexandra Palace at the heart of one of the greatest innovations of the 20th century.”
What the Programme Includes
The season will draw extensively on the Alexandra Palace Television Society archive, giving visitors access to rarely seen material from the early decades of British broadcasting. Free public displays will be installed in the Palace’s East Court, while new digital exhibitions developed in partnership with Google Arts and Culture will allow audiences to engage with the history online as well as in person. Throughout the anniversary period, the Palace’s iconic television transmitter mast will be illuminated as a visual tribute to the occasion.
A series of talks will examine television’s social and cultural impact across a range of themes, including Black representation on screen, children’s television, LGBTQIA+ broadcasting, educational programming and the contribution of women pioneers to the industry. Speakers will include academics, working broadcasters, historians and industry professionals.
Kirsten Forrest, Alexandra Palace’s Curatorial and Interpretation Manager, said the season was designed to encourage fresh engagement with the venue’s most significant heritage. “From delving into the archives to shed new light on television’s trailblazers to talks, performances and digital exhibitions, we want to inspire curiosity, spark conversations about the remarkable role that Alexandra Palace played in shaping small screen culture as we know it,” she said.
Culminating in a Historic Unveiling
The celebrations will reach their peak on 2 November 2026 — exactly 90 years to the day since that first broadcast — when a World Origin Site plaque will be unveiled in the East Court of Alexandra Palace. The plaque will formally recognise the site’s place in global broadcasting history, providing a permanent marker for future generations of visitors.
The anniversary comes at a time of renewed public interest in British broadcasting heritage, with the BBC itself approaching its centenary in 2027. Alexandra Palace, which is managed by the Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust as a charitable venue open to the public, attracts millions of visitors each year for concerts, exhibitions, ice skating and other events. The BBC TV 90 season represents one of the most historically focused programmes the venue has mounted in recent years.
Full details of all events forming part of the BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally programme are available on the Alexandra Palace website.
