▁British ▁television ▁science ▁fiction ▁refers ▁to ▁popular ▁program mes ▁in ▁the ▁genre ▁that ▁have ▁been ▁produced ▁by ▁both ▁the ▁BBC ▁and ▁Britain ' s ▁largest ▁commercial ▁channel , ▁I TV . ▁The ▁BBC ' s ▁Doctor ▁Who ▁is ▁listed ▁in ▁the ▁Gu in ness ▁World ▁Records ▁as ▁the ▁longest - running ▁science ▁fiction ▁television ▁show ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁" most ▁successful " ▁science ▁fiction ▁series ▁of ▁all ▁time . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁The ▁first ▁known ▁science ▁fiction ▁television ▁programme ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁the ▁BBC ' s ▁pre war ▁television ▁service . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁a ▁thirty - five - min ute ▁adapted ▁extract ▁of ▁the ▁play ▁R . U . R ., ▁written ▁by ▁the ▁Czech ▁play w right ▁K arel ▁Č ape k , ▁was ▁broadcast ▁live ▁from ▁the ▁BBC ' s ▁Alex andra ▁Palace ▁stud ios . ▁Conc ern ing ▁a ▁future ▁world ▁in ▁which ▁rob ots ▁rise ▁up ▁against ▁their ▁human ▁master s , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁piece ▁of ▁science ▁fiction ▁to ▁be ▁produced ▁until ▁the ▁BBC ▁television ▁service ▁res umed ▁after ▁the ▁war . ▁Only ▁a ▁few ▁on - set ▁public ity ▁photograph s ▁surv ive . ▁R . U . R . ▁was ▁produced ▁a ▁second ▁time ▁on ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁this ▁time ▁in ▁a ▁full ▁nin ety - min ute ▁live ▁production , ▁adapted ▁for ▁television ▁by ▁the ▁producer ▁Jan ▁B uss ell , ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁responsible