‘A day long remembered: Star Wars comes to television’
^ a 2016 article at the excellent ‘Episode Nothing’ blog - with a few images and advert videos from the time.
It also chronicles the early US TV appearances - and also quotes from Lucasfilm seemingly not happy and also not wanting Star Wars to be on tv…
‘Star Wars on TV: how Britain’s TV Times celebrated its arrival on the small screen’
^ another 2016 article at the excellent ‘Episode Nothing’ blog - with more images and advert videos form the time.
As well as The TV Times’ Star Wars comic strip!
and from the same quality ‘Episode Nothing’ blog…
‘A 1977 interview with Mark Hamill from Blue Peter - and what it reveals about Star Wars’
Star Wars At 40 (pop-up 4) - UK TV Premiere, 35 years ago - an insightful and cool 2017 ‘Strange Tales’ blog post.
ITV trailer for the 1982 UK TV premiere of Star Wars - a 32 second youtube video; from Philo1978.
Star Wars: 1982 UK TV Premiere - ITV London: Continuity and Adverts - a 22 minute youtube video; from Young But Retro 2.
Christmas 1988 empire strikes back Anglia tv intro - a 30 second youtube video, from jaysnell75.
Return of the Jedi UK Première on ITV, Boxing Day, Christmas 1989 - a 3 minute youtube video; from Gareth McCarthy.
A couple of BBC articles from 2001 re the 1997 Special Editions being shown on satellite TV in the UK for the first time:-
Sky wins Star Wars (15th February)
Satellite TV feels force of Star Wars (3rd April)
A 2002 article from The Guardian on the first showing the 1997 Special Editions on terrestrial UK TV:-
Star Wars takes ITV over to the dark side (11th September)
Help: looking for… star wars ITV broadcast version - a 2005 OT•com discussion thread
Info: 1983 UK ‘TVS’ Star Wars premiere - anybody still have a recording? - a 2012 OT•com discussion thread
📍 A few available Original Trilogy Preservations - from a long time ago . . . . - November 2024 ‘legacy project’ offer…
^ Copies of the ITV Premieres for ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Empire Strikes Back’ have been found and made available - however ‘Return Of The Jedi’ is still missing from the collection. If you have a copy or know where it can be acquired, please let us know - thank you.
a few articles from the official site about Star Wars in the UK (should be some TV airing mentions too?)…
Star Wars in the UK: Late '70s, Early '80s
Star Wars in the UK: 1977, the First Star Wars Christmas
Star Wars in the UK: Star Wars Monthly Issues 159 - 165
Star Wars in the UK: The Dark Times, 1987—1991
Star Wars in the UK: Together We Shall Ruler the Galaxy
London Calling: Star Wars in the United Kingdom - 2023 article
more articles can be found at this link - www.starwars.com/news/tag/star-wars-in-the-uk