2003

MMIII


 * UK Prime Minister: Tony Blair (second term, Iraq War)


 * FA Cup Winners: Arsenal (beat Southampton 1-0), Millenium Stadium, 17 May


 * Christmas Number One: Michael Andrews and Gary Jules - Mad World


 * Eurovision Song Contest: Riga, Latvia, 24 May
 * Contest Winner: Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can (Turkey)
 * UK Eurovision Entry:  Jemini - Cry Baby (26th - last with 0 points)


 * Blue Peter Team: Konnie Huq, Simon Thomas, Matt Baker, Liz Barker


 * Doctor Who: -


 * Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ: Sara Cox, until 19 December.


 * Big Christmas Day Film On BBC1: afternoon - Stuart Little

Main events

 * Feb.: Anti-Iraq War demonstrations, London congestion charge introduced
 * March: British troops enter Iraq
 * Apr.: British take Basra, Saddam Hussein toppled
 * May: Champions League final at Old Trafford
 * June:  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix book published
 * July: Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich buys Chelsea FC, David Kelly found dead
 * August: highest ever UK recorded temperature of 38.5°C (until July 2019)
 * Oct.: final Concorde commercial flight
 * Nov.: Brookside ends (after 21 years), George W. Bush on state visit to UK, England rugby world champions
 * Dec.: first UK toll motorway (M6), Mick Jagger receives knighthood

Main events

 * BBC Three launched (09 Feb.), BBC Choice shuts down (08 Feb.)

New shows

 * BBC: Little Britain,


 * ITV: Fortysomething

Shows ending

 * Tomorrow's World, Crossroads, Wish You Were Here...?, Only Fools and Horses (final Christmas Special), Blind Date (revived 2017), Smack the Pony, Pop Idol (second and final season), The Office

Main events

 * Mark Goodier presents chart on Classic FM, Jeremy Vine takes over Radio 2 lunchtime show, Wes Butters takes over BBC R1 Official Charts show, Radio 1 holds One Big Weekend in May and September, Sara Cox presents final breakfast show (19 Dec.) (replaced by Chris Moyles in 2004

Music
UK Top 40 debuts: Evanescence,


 * Biggest selling singles: Black Eyed Peas - Where Is the Love?, Gareth Gates with The Kumars - Spirit in the Sky, R. Kelly - Ignition, t.A.T.u.- All The Things She Said (full list)


 * Biggest selling albums:  Dido - Life for Rent, Justin Timberlake - Justified (2002), Christina Aguilera - Stripped (2002), The Darkness - Permission to Land (full list)


 * Compilation albums: Now 56, 55, 54, Love Actually (OST), Clubland III: The Sound of the Summer


 * Debut albums: Amy Winehouse - Frank, Katie Melua - Call off the Search, Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love,


 * Eponymous debuts - Album


 * Alternative/independent: Artist - Title

Films
UK release
 * The Matrix Reloaded, 21 Grams (prem.), Daredevil,

Births

 * Greta Thunberg (03 Jan.), Olivia Rodrigo (20 February), Louise Windsor-Mountbatten (elder child of Prince Edward and Sophie) (08 Nov.) (list)

Birthdays

 * 20: Lee Ryan, Cheryl Cole, Amy Winehouse,
 * 30: Peter Andre, Fran Healey, Kate Beckinsale, Scott Mills, Ryan Giggs
 * 40: Andrew Ridgeley, Seal, Julian Lennon, George Michael, Mark Kermode, Jarvis Cocker,
 * 50: Tony Blair, Mike Oldfield, Alfred Molina, Keith Allen, Andy Partridge, Griff Rhys Jones, Jim Davidson, Midge Ure
 * 60: Freddie Starr, Tony Blackburn, John Major, Michael Palin, Cilla Black, Colin Baker, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Wright, Keith Richards
 * 70: David Bellamy, Bobby Robson, Michael Caine, Joan Collins
 * 80: Dora Bryan, Patrick Moore, Eric Sykes, Richard Attenborough, Nicholas Parsons

Deaths

 * Maurice Gibb (12 Jan.), Adam Faith (08 Mar.), Thora Hird (15 Mar.), Bob Hope (27 July), Robert Palmer (26 Sep.), Alan Bates (27 Dec.), Bob Monkhouse (29 Dec.) (list)