Pontop Pike transmission tower is a 200-meter-high landmark in County Durham, England. Built from reinforced concrete in 1953, it was designed to provide a TV transmission site for the new ITV service and as a booster station for existing BBC transmissions.

Its construction was brought forward by the BBC in preparation for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to ensure reliable television coverage of the event.

Test transmissions from a low-power temporary aerial began on Monday, 20 April 1953 & the first programmes were transmitted on Friday, 1 May 1953, in plenty of time for the Coronation on 2 June.

In 1974, a 140-meter mast was added to the tower to increase its overall height. In the early 2000s, it underwent a large-scale refurbishment to improve its broadcasting capabilities.

Today, it serves over 2 million households in the north-east of England, acts as a navigational beacon for Newcastle airport, and is a popular tourist attraction offering panoramic views of the countryside.