2004

2004

MMIV
 * UK Prime Minister: Tony Blair
 * FA Cup Winners: Manchester Utd. (beat Millwall 3-0, 22 May)
 * Christmas Number One: Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas?
 * Eurovision Song Contest: Istanbul, 12 May 2004
 * UK Eurovision Entry: James Fox - Hold Onto Our Love (position 16th)
 * Contest Winner: Ruslana - Wild Dances (Ukraine)


 * Blue Peter Team: Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Matt Baker, Liz Barker, Zoe Salmon (from 23 December)
 * Doctor Who: -
 * Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ: Chris Moyles (begins 05 January)
 * Big Christmas Day Film On BBC1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, followed by Christmas Day specials of EastEnders, The Vicar of Dibley, Absolutely Fabulous.

Main events

 * January: Higher Education Bill passes in parliament
 * May: Piers Morgan dismissed as editor of the Daily Mirror; Arsenal FC first team to win Premier League season unbeaten
 * June: José Mourinho joins Chelsea FC as manager; "Super Thursday" UK elections, UKIP gain ground in Europe; UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal;
 * August: 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens; floods in Boscastle, Cornwall
 * November: Children Act regulates official intervention in the interests of children: Millennium Centre opened in Cardiff
 * December: Earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean kills thousands.

TV
(channel and first broadcast date in brackets)

New shows

 * BBC 1: Strictly Come Dancing (15 May), Himalaya with Michael Palin (03 October)
 * BBC 2: Happy Birthday BBC Two (20 April), Match of the Day 2 (15 August)
 * BBC Three: The Mighty Boosh
 * ITV: Hell's Kitchen, The X Factor (04 September)
 * Five: Peppa Pig

full list

Shows ending

 * Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (second run since 2002), Changing Rooms (since 1996), Robot Wars (since 1998, returns 2016)

full list

Other TV events

 * ITV3 launches (01 November)
 * The Kumars moves from BBC2 to BBC1
 * Postman Pat and Pingu return



Radio

 * 100.4 Jazz FM is relaunched as 100.4 Smooth FM (March)
 * BBC Radio 4 airs the final Letter from America (on air since 1946), Alistair Cooke dies 30 March
 * Mark and Lard (Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley) present their final show on BBC Radio 1 (26 March)
 * Scott Mills takes over as presenter of the drivetime show on BBC Radio 1. (June)
 * Annie Mac debuts on BBC Radio 1 (29 July)
 * Janice Long's final The Dream Ticket on 6 Music (01 July), taken over by Jane Gazzo



Music

 * Biggest selling singles: Band Aid 20 - Do They know It's Christmas?, Eamon - F**k It (I Don't Want You Back), DJ Casper - Cha Cha Slide (full list)
 * Biggest selling albums: Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters (debut), Keane - Hopes and Fears (debut), Robbie Williams - Greatest Hits  (see chart)
 * Compilation albums: Kylie Minogue - Ultimate Kylie, Britney Spears - Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, Shania Twain - Greatest Hits, Blue - Best of Blue, Travis - Singles,  ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits.
 * Debut albums: The Killers - Hot Fuss, James Blunt - Back to Bedlam (full list)
 * Eponymous debuts - Scissor Sisters, Il Divo, Franz Ferdinand, 
 * Alternative/independent: Artist - Title

Films
UK release (full list)
 * Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Finding Neverland, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, King Arthur, The Phantom of the Opera, Alfie, Troy, Vera Drake, 

Births

 * Name Surname (day)

Birthdays

 * 20: Prince Harry
 * 30: Robbie Williams, James Blunt, Chris Moyles, Victoria Beckham,
 * 40: Christopher Eccleston, Prince Edward, Nigel Farage, Bonnie Langford, Clive Owen, Nicholas Cage, Matt Dillon, Courtney Love,
 * 50: Trevor Francis, Neil Tennant, Elvis Costello, Adam Ant, Annie Lennox
 * 60: Roger Daltrey, Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Anne Robinson,
 * 70: Richard Briers, Sylvia Syms, Tom Baker, John Noakes, Henry Cooper, Nanette Newman, Judie Dench, Maggie Smith
 * 80: Clement Freud, Kenneth Kendall,

Deaths

 * Sir Peter Ustinov (28 March, 82), Caron Keating (13 April 2004, 41), Brian Clough (20 September, 69), John Peel (25 October, 65), Fred Dibnah (06 November, 66), John Dunn (27 November, 70),