1970

1970

MCMLXX


 * UK Prime Minister: Harold Wilson until 19 June, then Edward Heath
 * FA Cup Winners: Chelsea (beat Leeds Utd. 2-1 in replay on 11 April ended 2-2)
 * Christmas Number One: Dave Edmunds - I Hear You Knocking.
 * Eurovision Song Contest: Amsterdam, 21 March 1970
 * UK Eurovision Entry: Mary Hopkin - Knock Knock, Who's There? (position: 2nd)
 * Contest Winner: Dana - All Kinds of Everything (Eire)
 * Blue Peter Team: Val, John and Pete
 * Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee
 * Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ: Tony Blackburn
 * Big Christmas Day Film On BBC1: Charade

Main events

 * Everton win the Football League First Division title
 * British Leyland launches the Range Rover
 * UK General Election 18 June
 * Dockers go on strike, state of emergency declared
 * Mexico 70 World Cup

TV
(channel and first broadcast date in brackets)

New shows

 * The Six Wives of Henry VIII (BBC2, 01 January)
 * It's Cliff Richard! (BBC1, 03 January 1970)
 * Holiday 70 (BBC1, 04 January)
 * A Question of Sport (BBC1, 05 January 1970)
 * The Goodies (BBC2, 08 November 1970),
 * UFO (ATV Midlands, 16 September 1970),
 * Play For Today (BBC1, 15 October 1970 - superseded The Wednesday Play).

full list
 * Timeslip (ITV, 28 September 1970)
 * The Lovers (ITV, 27 October 1970)

Shows ending
full list
 * The Wednesday Play
 * Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (ITV, 28 March 1970)

Other TV events

 * Dr Who - new season begins with a new Doctor in John Pertwee (BBC1 Colour, 03 January 1970)
 * The Nine O'Clock News begins (brought forward from 8.50 pm). (BBC1, 14 September 1970 - until 13 October 2000)
 * Coronation Street - 1,000th episode and 10th anniversary year.
 * Steptoe & Son returns after going off air in 1965. (BBC1, 06 March 1970)

Radio
New shows (see also here)
 * Start The Week, Thought for the Day, PM (BBC R4, 06 April)
 * John Peel's Sunday Show (BBC R1, 04 January), You and Yours,

Music

 * Biggest selling singles: Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime, Freda Payne - Band of Gold, Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky, England World Cup Squad - Back Home, Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star (full list)
 * Biggest selling albums: Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Beatles - Let It Be, Paul McCartney - McCartney (full list)


 * Debut albums: Paul McCartney - McCartney, Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath, Diana Ross - Diana Ross, John Lennon/Yoko Ono - Plastic Ono Band, Kraftwerk - Kraftwerk, The New Seekers - The New Seekers,
 * Other events: End of The Beatles formally announced by Paul McCartney on 10 April; Isle of Wight Festival.

Births
full list
 * Simon Pegg (14 Feb., Rachel Weisz (07 March), Louis Theroux (20 May), John Simm (10 July), Jason Orange (10 July), Gareth Southgate 03 September, Zoe Ball (23 November), Jamie Theakston (21 December).

Birthdays

 * 20:
 * 30:
 * 40:
 * 50:
 * 60:
 * 70: Arthur Askey

Deaths

 * Jimi Hendrix (27), E. M. Forster (b.1879)