16 July 1977: Ross Higgins, Noeline Brown, Kevin Golsby (The Naked Vicar Show)

16 July 1977: Graham Kennedy (Blankety Blanks)

16 July 1983: Tony Barber (Sale Of The Century)

16 July 2005: Big Brother

16 July 1956: Melbourne’s HSV7 commences its first test transmissions ahead of its official launch in November. The test transmissions, which include test patterns and short documentary films, are set for 3.00-5.00pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 7.00-9.00pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10.00am-12.00pm on Saturdays — HSV7, First in Melbourne [2016]

16 July 1976: Bluey, the police drama starring Lucky Grills (pictured with jockey Peter Bakos, who guest starred in one episode) as Detective Sargeant ‘Bluey’ Hills, debuts on ATN7, Sydney. The series first aired in Brisbane on 20 July and in Melbourne, where it was filmed, on 2 August. The series was not renewed beyond its first season but gained a cult following almost 20 years later when episodes were comically re-dubbed as Bargearse for The Late Show.

16 July 1990: Sale Of The Century presents the first in the week-long Celebrity Challenge, commemorating the show’s tenth anniversary. Taking part in the challenge include Bert Newton, Andrew Gaze, Simon O’Donnell, Peta Toppano, Gough Whitlam, Lisa Curry, Cameron Daddo, George Negus and Jennifer Byrne.

16 July 2001: The debut of Melbourne-based apartment drama The Secret Life Of Us (including cast Samuel Johnson, Claudia Karvan and Deborah Mailman), beginning as a two-hour double episode, follows the finale of the first series of Big Brother Australia.

16 July 2003: The Nine Network presents coverage of Game Three of the Rugby League State Of Origin — Queensland versus NSW — from Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

16 July 2008: SBS premieres mY Generation, a six-part series which puts Australian youth under the microscope to reveal what they really think and feel about the big issues: religion, politics, adulthood, housing and community engagement.