This is a list of events in British radio during 1975.

Events

January

*1 January – BBC Radio Ulster launches as a full time station. It replaces what had been a Northern Ireland opt-out of

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

. *6 January –

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

's broadcasting hours are reduced due to budget cuts at the BBC. The former 5am2am schedule is reduced to a 6am start up Mondays to Saturdays with a 6:55am start up on Sundays. The station closes down at around 12:33am each day. Another consequence on the cuts is that David Hamilton's afternoon show is broadcast on both Radio 1 and Radio 2. * 22 January – Radio Forth begins broadcasting to the

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

area.Radiomusications: Radio Reference: Independent Local Radio Stations (TBS Editors)
; accessed 18 February 2010

February

*No events.

March

*No events.

April

*No events.

May

* 19 May –

Plymouth Sound Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a deep inlet or sound in the English Channel near Plymouth in England. Description Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point in Devon, a distance of abo ...

begins broadcasting to the

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

area.

June

* 9 June – Proceedings in the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

are broadcast on radio for the first time. * 24 June –

Radio Tees TFM is an Independent Local Radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Teesside and surrounding areas of County Durham and North Yorkshire. As of Septem ...

begins broadcasting to the Teesside area.

July

* 3 July – Radio Trent beings broadcasting to the

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

area.

August

*No events.

September

* 16 September – Pennine Radio begins broadcasting to the

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

area. * 29 September –

's broadcasting hours are further reduced when the station closes slightly earlier, concluding its day at around 12:10am Mondays to Fridays, and at 12:33am on Saturdays and Sundays. *September – The first edition of ''The Sunday Request Show'' is broadcast on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

. Presented by

Annie Nightingale Annie Avril Nightingale (born 1 April 1940) is an English radio and television broadcaster. She was the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970, and is its longest-serving presenter. Early life and career Nightingale was born in Osterley ...

, the show runs until the end of 1979 before being re-introduced as an evening programme in 1982.

October

* 14 October –

Radio Victory Radio Victory was the independent local radio (ILR) station for Portsmouth in southern England. It was launched on 14 October 1975 and served south Hampshire, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight initially until 1986, with various later reincarnat ...

begins broadcasting to the

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

area. * 28 October –

Radio Orwell Heart Ipswich (formerly SGR FM) was a radio station that evolved from Suffolk Group Radio, which was the parent company for two Independent radio stations serving the county of Suffolk in England. Overview The older of the radio stations was Radi ...

begins broadcasting to the

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...

area.

November

*No events.

December

*No events.

Station debuts

*1 January – BBC Radio Ulster *22 January – Radio Forth *19 May –

*24 June –

*3 July – Radio Trent *16 September – Pennine Radio *14 October –

*28 October –

Programme debuts

* 1 October – '' The News Huddlines'' on

(1975–2001)

Continuing radio programmes

1940s

* ''

Sunday Half Hour ''The Sunday Hour'' was a long-standing show broadcast on the BBC Light Programme and then BBC Radio 2 in the United Kingdom, broadcast for 78 years between 14 July 1940 and 28 January 2018. For most of its life it occupied a Sunday evening ...

'' (1940–2018) * '' Desert Island Discs'' (1942–Present) * ''

Down Your Way ''Down Your Way'' was a BBC radio series which ran from 29 December 1946 to 1992, originally on the Home Service, later on BBC Radio 4, usually being broadcast on Sunday afternoons. It visited towns and villages around the United Kingdom, spoke to ...

'' (1946–1992) * ''

Letter from America ''Letter from America'' was a weekly fifteen-minute speech radio series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and its predecessor, the Home Service, and around the world through the BBC World Service. From its first edition to its last, it was presented by A ...

'' (1946–2004) * ''

Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by A ...

'' (1946–Present) * ''

A Book at Bedtime ''Book at Bedtime'' (''A Book at Bedtime'' until 9 July 1993) is a long-running radio programme that is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 each weekday evening between 22.45 and 23.00. The programme presents readings of fiction, including modern classics, ...

'' (1949–Present)

1950s

* ''

The Archers ''The Archers'' is a BBC radio drama on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural settin ...

'' (1950–Present) * ''

The Today Programme ''Today'', colloquially known as ''the Today programme'', is a long-running British morning news and current-affairs radio programme on BBC Radio 4. Broadcast on Monday to Saturday from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, it is produced by BBC News and is the ...

'' (1957–Present) * '' The Navy Lark'' (1959–1977) * ''

Sing Something Simple ''Sing Something Simple'' was a half-hour radio programme, which featured Cliff Adams and The Cliff Adams Singers, with Jack Emblow on accordion. The programme ran for 42 years from 1959 until 2001, initially on the BBC Light Programme and later ...

'' (1959–2001) * ''

Your Hundred Best Tunes ''Your Hundred Best Tunes'' was a BBC radio music programme, always broadcast on Sunday evenings, which presented popular works which were mostly classical excerpts, choral works, opera and ballads. The hundred tunes which made up the playlist w ...

'' (1959–2007)

1960s

* '' Farming Today'' (1960–Present) * '' In Touch'' (1961–Present) * ''

The Men from the Ministry ''The Men from the Ministry'' is a British radio comedy series broadcast by the BBC between 1962 and 1977, starring Wilfrid Hyde-White, Richard Murdoch and, from 1966, when he replaced Hyde-White, Deryck Guyler. Written and produced by Edward ...

'' (1962–1977) * '' Petticoat Line'' (1965–1979) * ''

The World at One ''The World at One'', or ''WATO'' ("what-oh") for short, is BBC Radio 4's long-running lunchtime news and current affairs programme, produced by BBC News, which is currently broadcast from 13:00 to 13:45 from Monday to Friday. The programme de ...

'' (1965–Present) * ''

The Official Chart ''The Official Chart'' is a long-running United Kingdom music chart programme, airing each Friday afternoon on BBC Radio 1. It airs the UK Singles Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company. In July 2015 ''The Official Chart'' moved from ...

'' (1967–Present) * '' Just a Minute'' (1967–Present) * ''

The Living World ''The Living World'' is a long-running natural history radio programme, made by the BBC and broadcast on its Radio 4. The series was created at the BBC Natural History Unit by Dilys Breese and Derek Jones, initially as a 52-week series, in 19 ...

'' (1968–Present) * ''

The Organist Entertains ''The Organist Entertains'' was a long-running music programme broadcast on BBC Radio 2. The 30 minute programme focused on the organ in its many guises, and played recordings and live broadcasts of theatre organs, pipe organs and electroni ...

'' (1969–2018)

1970s

* '' PM'' (1970–Present) * '' Start the Week'' (1970–Present) * '' Week Ending'' (1970–1998) * ''

You and Yours ''You and Yours'' is a British radio consumer affairs programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and produced by BBC News. History ''You and Yours'' began broadcasting in October 1970, when its first presenter was Joan York. In the 1980s it briefly ra ...

'' (1970–Present) * ''

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' is a BBC radio comedy panel game. Billed as "the antidote to panel games", it consists of two teams of two comedians being given "silly things to do" by a chairman. The show was launched in April 1972 as a parody ...

'' (1972–Present) * ''

Good Morning Scotland ''Good Morning Scotland'' ( gd, Madainn Mhath Alba) is a Scottish breakfast radio news programme. It is broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland weekdays from 06:00 to 09:00. Established in 1973, it is the longest-running radio show broadcast from Scotl ...

'' (1973–Present) * ''

Hello Cheeky ''Hello Cheeky'' is a comedy series starring Barry Cryer, John Junkin and Tim Brooke-Taylor, broadcast on BBC Radio 2 between 1973 and 1979, and also broadcast on television - on the ITV network - in 1976. The format was short comedy sketches, ...

'' (1973–1979) * '' Kaleidoscope'' (1973–1998) * ''

Newsbeat ''Newsbeat'' is the BBC's radio news programme broadcast on Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network. ''Newsbeat'' is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically you ...

'' (1973–Present)

Births

* January – Adam Rutherford, geneticist and science broadcaster * 31 March –

Jonny Saunders Jonny Saunders (born 31 March 1975) is a British former radio sports reporter, presenter and commentator. He worked for the BBC and featured on Radios 1, 2, 4, 5 live and 6 Music. He was the drivetime and later morning sports presenter on BB ...

, radio sports reporter, presenter and commentator * 1 April –

Suzy Klein Suzanne Rebecca Klein (born 1 April 1975) is a British writer and radio and television presenter, specialising in music and arts programmes. Since October 2021, she has held the post of Head of Arts and Classical Music TV for the BBC. Early ye ...

, arts broadcast presenter * 25 July –

Margaret Cabourn-Smith Margaret Alice Cabourn-Smith (born 1975) is an English comedy actress with appearances on ''Catastrophe'', ''The IT Crowd'', ''Psychoville,'' ''Peep Show'' and ''Fresh Meat''. Her TV work includes playing regular characters on '' Miranda'', ' ...

, comedy actress * 31 July – Stephanie Hirst, radio presenter * 23 September –

Chris Hawkins Christopher Charles Hawkins (born 23 September 1975) is a British radio presenter, DJ, and music pundit. Hawkins is a regular early morning presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music. He can also be heard presenting documentary programmes on BBC Radio ...

, radio presenter * 20 November – Jason Mohammad, radio and television presenter * 30 November – Richard Bacon, broadcast presenter * 15 December –

Ayesha Hazarika Ayesha Hazarika (born 15 December 1975) is a Scottish broadcaster, journalist and political commentator, and former political adviser to senior Labour Party politicians. Early life Hazarika was born in Coatbridge, Scotland, to parents of India ...

, Scottish broadcast journalist, political adviser and comedian *

Ros Atkins Roslyn Atkins (born 1974) is an English journalist and analysis editor for the BBC. He presents ''Outside Source'', ''Ros Atkins on the week'' and ''Ros Atkins on..'' on BBC World News and the BBC News Channel. He also presents on rotation '' ...

, broadcast journalist *

Catherine Shepherd Catherine Shepherd is an English comedic actress, writer and director. Career In the early 2000s Shepherd appeared in several BBC Radio 4 comedies, as Daisy in the sitcom ''Think the Unthinkable'' alongside Marcus Brigstocke and David Mitchell, ...

, comedy actress

Deaths

* 3 March –

Sandy MacPherson Roderick Hallowell "Sandy" MacPherson (3 March 1897 – 3 March 1975) was a Canadian-born theatre organist in Britain. As the second official BBC Theatre Organist, in succession to Reginald Foort, he achieved considerable broadcasting time dur ...

, theatre organist (born 1897) * 3 April –

Jacques Brown Jacques Brown (first name pronounced "Jakes") (23 August 1900 – 3 April 1975) was a British radio producer. He produced ''Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh'', ''The Goon Show'', ''Beyond Our Ken'' and others for BBC Radio. He was born Solomon Jacob Brow ...

, radio comedy producer (born 1900) * 10 November – William Hardcastle, radio news presenter (born 1918)

References

{{reflist

Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

British Radio, 1975 In Years in British radio

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Station debuts

Programme debuts

Continuing radio programmes

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

Births

Deaths

See also

References