2002

2002

MMII


 * UK Prime Minister: Tony Blair
 * FA Cup Winners: Arsenal (beat Chelsea 2-0) - also win The Double
 * Christmas Number One: Girls Aloud - Sound of the Underground
 * Eurovision Song Contest: Tallinn, Estonia
 * Contest Winner: Marie N - I Wanna (Latvia)
 * UK Eurovision Entry: Jessica Garlick - Come Back (position, joint 3rd with Estonia)


 * Blue Peter Team: Liz Barker, Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Matt Baker
 * Doctor Who: -
 * Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ: Sara Cox
 * Big Christmas Day Film On BBC1: afternoon Chicken Run, late night The Wedding Singer

Main events

 * Feb: Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah; Queen's sister Margaret dies
 * March: Queen Mother dies, aged 101
 * April: Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations begin
 * June: World Cup in S. Korea-Japan; Queen's "Party in the Palace"
 * November: UK firefighter dispute begins

New shows
(first broadcast date in brackets) full list
 * BBC 1:

Shows ending
full list

Radio

 * March: BBC 6 Music launched
 * October: The BBC Asian Network is broadcast nationally for the first time
 * November: Mark Goodier presents the Top 40 on BBC Radio 1 for the final time on the 50th anniversary of the chart
 * December: Sir Jimmy Young presents his final lunchtime programme on BBC Radio 2



Music

 * Biggest selling singles: Will Young - Evergreen/Anything Is Possible (also biggest selling of decade 2000s), Gareth Gates - Unchained Melody (second biggest selling of decade 2000s), Enrique Iglesias - Hero.
 * Biggest selling albums: Robbie Williams - Escapology, Pink - MISSUNDAZTOOD, Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head, (full chart)
 * Compilation albums: Elvis Presley - ELV1S, Westlife - Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Vol. 1, Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970–2002
 * Debut albums: Nora Jones - Come Away with Me, Will Young - From Now On, Damien Rice - O
 * Eponymous debuts - 30 Seconds to Mars
 * Alternative/independent: Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights

Films
UK release


 * The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Spider-Man, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Die Another Day, Minority, report, Ice Age



Births
full list
 * Milo Parker (01 October), Emma Raducanu (13 November)

Birthdays

 * 20: Prince William, Billie Piper,
 * 30: Mark Owen, Geri Halliwell, Liam Gallagher
 * 40: Nick Rhodes, Clare Grogan, Phillip Schofield,
 * 50: Alexei Sayle, Joe Strummer (dec. Dec.), Mel Smith, Jenny Agutter,
 * 60: Gareth Hunt, Michael York, Neil Kinnock, Desmond Lynam, Billy Connolly, Andy Summers, Paul McCartney, Alvin Stardust, Michael Crawford
 * 70: Des O'Connor, Elizabeth Taylor, Petula Clark,

Deaths
full list
 * Princess Margaret (09 February), Dudley Moore (27 March, 66), Queen Mother (30 March, 101), John Entwistle (27 June, 57), Lonnie Donegan (03 November, 71), Joe Strummer (22 December, 50)