1977 in British radio

Events

January

• 3 January – At 6.45am, BBC Radio Cymru launches, and becomes the first broadcasting outlet dedicated wholly to programmes in Welsh. The service is part-time and restricted to breakfast shows, extended news bulletins at breakfast, lunchtime & early evening and a number of off-peak opt-outs from a sustaining Radio 4 Wales English-language feed.

February

• 14 February – The Annan Committee makes its recommendations and its principle recommendation for radio is for the privatisation of BBC local radio; this is not implemented.

March

• No events.

April

• 30 April – The first edition of the Saturday morning magazine programme Sport on Four is broadcast on BBC Radio 4; it will run until 1998.

May

• 2 May – BBC Radio 4 launches a new breakfast programme Up to the Hour. Consequently, the Today programme is reduced from a continuous two-hour programme to two 25-minute slots. This arrangement lasts for just over a year before Today reverts to a continuous broadcast. This summer, Today starts to carry a daily horse racing tip, which will continue until 2024.

June

• No events.

July

• No events.

August

• 22 August – The BBC Radio comedy The Men from the Ministry airs its final episode after fifteen years on air.

September

• No events.

October

• 2 October – The first edition of personal financial advice magazine programme Money Box is broadcast on BBC Radio 4; it will still be running into the 2020s.
• 11 October – Bing Crosby makes his last ever recordings, three days before his death, at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios.

November

• 28 November – BBC Radio 1 launches a weekday afternoon programme presented by Tony Blackburn. Previously, the station has simulcasted BBC Radio 2's afternoon show. Tony is replaced on mid-mornings by Simon Bates. Consequently Radio 1 now has its own all-day schedule on weekdays although the station continues to simulcast Radio 2 each night from 7pm, apart from the weekday late night John Peel programme.

December

• No events.

Station debuts

• 3 January – BBC Radio Cymru
• 9 May – BBC Radio Orkney, BBC Radio Shetland

Programme debuts

• 2 May – Up to the Hour on BBC Radio 4 (1977–1978)
• 6 September – The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4 (1977–Present)
• 2 October – Money Box on BBC Radio 4 (1977–Present)
• 26 October – File on 4 on BBC Radio 4 (1977–Present)
• 5 November – Albert and Me on BBC Radio 2 (1977–1983)
• The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket on BBC Radio 4 (1977–1979)

Continuing radio programmes

1940s

• Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
• Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
• Down Your Way (1946–1992)
• Letter from America (1946–2004)
• Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
• A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)

1950s

• The Archers (1950–Present)
• The Today Programme (1957–Present)
• Sing Something Simple (1959–2001)
• Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)

1960s

• Farming Today (1960–Present)
• In Touch (1961–Present)
• Petticoat Line (1965–1979)
• The World at One (1965–Present)
• The Official Chart (1967–Present)
• Just a Minute (1967–Present)
• The Living World (1968–Present)
• The Organist Entertains (1969–2018)

1970s

• PM (1970–Present)
• Start the Week (1970–Present)
• Week Ending (1970–1998)
• You and Yours (1970–Present)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–Present)
• Good Morning Scotland (1973–Present)
• Hello Cheeky (1973–1979)
• Kaleidoscope (1973–1998)
• Newsbeat (1973–Present)
• The News Huddlines (1975–2001)
• The Burkiss Way (1976–1980)

Ending this year

• 16 July – The Navy Lark (1959–1977)
• 22 August – The Men from the Ministry (1962–1977)

Births

• 30 March – Hugo Rifkind, newspaper columnist and radio presenter
• 31 May – Joel Ross, radio and television presenter
• 22 August – Sarah Champion, radio and television presenter
• 28 September – John Finnemore, comedy writer-performer
• 25 October – Anita Rani, radio and television presenter

Deaths

• 5 September – Elsie Carlisle, "Radio Sweetheart Number One", singer (born 1896)
• 8 November – Ted Ray, comedian (born 1905)

References

References

1. Annan Committee. (1977). "Report of the Committee on the Future of Broadcasting". [[HMSO]].
2. "BBC Radio 4 FM – 30 April 1977".
3. Davies, Caroline. (2024-06-24). "BBC Radio 4 scraps daily horse-racing tips from Today programme". [[The Guardian]].
4. Barnes, Ken. (1980). "The Crosby Years". Saint Martins Press.
5. "Elsie Carlisle Biography". [[AllMusic]].