1998 in British radio

• 21 January – Capital FM mid morning presenter Steve Penk attracts national attention after making a prank call to 10 Downing Street in which he pretends to be William Hague and speaks to Prime Minister Tony Blair.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/49473.stm |title=Surprise call for PM |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=21 January 1998 |accessdate=10 December 2012}}

• 16 February – The PopMaster quiz segment of the Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2 is first broadcast.{{cite news|first=John|last=Aizlewood|title=Ken Bruce and the creators of BBC Radio 2’s PopMaster: ‘There’s no such thing as a difficult question’|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/radio/popmaster-2021-champions-league-ken-bruce-bbc-radio-2-interview-how-to-win-1360433|work=i|date=2021-12-20|accessdate=2021-12-22}}

• March – Andy Parfitt replaces Matthew Bannister as controller of Radio 1.Bannister's time as controller of Radio 1 is documented in Simon Garfield's book The Nation's Favourite.
• March – Isle of Wight Radio switches from AM to FM broadcasting. In addition to its main transmitter at Chillerton Down, the station uses three relay transmitters to cover the full island.

• 1 April – By way of an April Fool's stunt, Kix 96 breakfast show presenter Nic Tuff calls South African president Nelson Mandela pretending to be British prime minister Tony Blair.
• 4 April – BBC Radio 3's weekday breakfast programme On Air begins broadcasting at the weekend.{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_three/1998-04-04|title=Schedule – BBC Programme Index|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|accessdate=Oct 7, 2023}}
• 6 April – Extensive schedule changes are made to BBC Radio 4. These include an earlier start to the day – 5:30{{nbsp}}am instead of 6{{nbsp}}am – and an earlier, 6{{nbsp}}am, start to Today. Many long standing programmes are axed as part of the shake-up{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/66112.stm|title=BBC News | UK | New image for BBC Radio 4|website=news.bbc.co.uk|accessdate=Oct 7, 2023}} and arts magazine Kaleidoscope is replaced by Front Row.
• 12 April – A Sunday evening episode of The Archers is introduced.
• 13 April – After nearly 30 years on air, Dance Band Days is broadcast on BBC Radio 2 for the final time.
• April – After just seven months on air, East Midlands station Radio 106 is rebranded as Century 106 and relaunched with a new team of presenters.{{cite web | url = http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/rau/radio-stations/analogue/AL200-1.htm | title = Radio Authority Century 106 file | accessdate = 2010-05-17}}

• No events.

• 1 June – Capital Gold replaces South Coast Radio. 1998 also sees Capital Gold rolled out in Birmingham and Kent, replacing Xtra AM and Invicta Supergold respectively.
• June – Emap purchases London station Melody 105.4 FM.

• 9 July – The BBC unveils a new range of digital car stereos that will go on sale in August.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/129755.stm |title=BBC unveils digital radio |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |date=9 July 1998 |accessdate=3 May 2019}}

• August – Virgin Radio launches a new Saturday afternoon football show called Rock 'n' Roll Football.{{sfn|Evans|2010}}

• September – Kevin Greening leaves the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, leaving Zoë Ball as sole presenter. She continues to host the show until March 2000.

• 2 October – John Dunn presents his final drivetime show on Radio 2 after 22 years.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/31db1d603d974c6187a3d25443639376 |title=John Dunn – BBC Radio 2 – 2 October 1998 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2018-01-14}}
• 4 October – On Radio 2, David Jacobs presents Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century, a 13-part documentary about the life and career of Frank Sinatra.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d00f9b140b8444d18e474ba92a28911f |title=Frank Sinatra: the Voice of the Century – BBC Radio 2 – 4 October 1998 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2018-01-14}} The series concludes on 27 December.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7aa373c52b7d469cbf5e059c93f42f02 |title=Frank Sinatra: theVoice of the Century – BBC Radio 2 – 27 December 1998 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2018-01-14}}
• 5 October
• A major overhaul of the BBC Radio 2 schedule sees many new faces joining the network, including the singer Katrina Leskanich and former Radio 1 presenter Lynn Parsons, who present overnight shows on weekdays and weekends respectively. Johnnie Walker also joins Radio 2 as a regular presenter hosting the afternoon drivetime show (Monday to Thursday). Sally Boazman becomes the station's first official traffic presenter.
• One hour of Virgin Radio's breakfast show starts simulcasting on Sky One. When a track is played on the radio, viewers see the song's video.{{cite news | title = A bumper breakfast, with ulcers | first = Hester | last = Lacey | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/a-bumper-breakfast-with-ulcers-1176033.html | work = The Independent | location = London | date = 4 October 1998 | accessdate =29 May 2011}}
• 9 October – Des Lynam joins Radio 2 to present a weekly drivetime programme on Fridays.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f424abfd05554c6abba3af6370ab618b |title=Des Lynam – BBC Radio 2 – 9 October 1998 – BBC Genome |publisher=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2018-01-14}}
• 12 October – Chris Moyles is promoted from the Early Breakfast show to present the Radio 1 Early Drive show, between 4{{nbsp}}pm and 5:45{{nbsp}}pm on weekdays (later being extended to 3{{snd}}5:45{{nbsp}}pm). He replaces Dave Pearce, and is replaced on Early Breakfast by Scott Mills.
• 15 October – Launch of In Our Time, a weekly series of historical, scientific, literary or philosophical discussions between Melvyn Bragg and three academics on BBC Radio 4. It will pass its 1000th edition in 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/player|title=BBC Radio 4 – In Our Time – Episodes (Available now).}}

• 12 November – TalkCo Holdings, whose chairman and chief executive is former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie, purchases Talk Radio.{{cite web|url=http://www.talksport.co.uk/about|title=About|accessdate=18 January 2007|publisher=talkSPORT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820090030/http://www.talksport.co.uk/about/|archive-date=20 August 2010|url-status=dead}}
• 19 November – Mellow 1557 closes and relaunches on FM as Dream 100.{{cite web | url = http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/ILR_EA_map.pdf | title = Launch dates and frequencies | accessdate = 2010-01-18 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100816005038/http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/ILR_EA_map.pdf | archivedate = 2010-08-16 }}

• December – Melody Radio is renamed Magic 105.4 FM following the purchase of Melody Radio by Emap.

• BBC Local Radio stations start carrying BBC Radio 5 Live instead of the BBC World Service when they are not on air. Consequently, the station is heard regularly on FM for the first time, albeit only during overnight hours.

• 17 January – KMFM Thanet
• 1 March – Huddersfield FM
• 7 March
• Isle of Wight Radio
• Isles FM (Outer Hebrides, Scotland)
• 23 March – Star Radio (Cambridge and Ely)
• 27 March – 107 Crash FM
• 10 April – Arrow FM
• 18 May
• Kestral FM
• Active FM
• 25 May – Silk FM{{cite web|last=Collins |first=Steve |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/05/cheshires-silk-radio-celebrates-25-years-on-air-with-dab-launch/ |title=Cheshire’s Silk Radio celebrates 25 years on-air with DAB launch |publisher=Radio Today |date=25 May 2023 |accessdate=25 May 2023}}
• 6 June – Centre FM
• 14 June – Wave 105
• 15 August – QuayWest Radio
• 1 September – Wire FM
• 7 September – CAT FM
• 8 September – Century 105
• 5 October – Kingdom FM (Fife, Scotland){{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/10/kingdomfm-goes-doughnuts-to-celebrate-25th-birthday/ |title=Kingdom FM goes dough…nuts to celebrate 25th birthday |publisher=Radio Today |date=7 October 2023 |accessdate=7 October 2023}}
• 7 October – Peak FM
• 18 October – Chelmer FM
• 1 November – Fosseway Radio
• 28 November – RNA Arbroath
• 29 November – The Falcon (Gloucestershire)
• 11 December – Champion FM (North Wales)
• 13 December – Rutland Radio

• January – Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1 (1998–2022)
• 4 March – World of Pub on BBC Radio 4 (1998–1999)
• April – Bussmann and Quantick Kingsize on BBC Radio 4 (April–May)
• 9 April – Material World (1998–2013)
• 11 April – The Archive Hour on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present)
• 19 April – Broadcasting House on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present)
• 20 May – The Alan Davies Show on BBC Radio 4 (1998)
• 2 July – Puzzle Panel on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2005)
• 17 July – Like They've Never Been Gone on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2002)
• 31 July – The Write Stuff on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2014)
• 13 August – The Very World of Milton Jones on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2001)
• ? August – Dan and Nick: The Wildebeest Years on BBC Radio 4 (1998)
• 22 September – The 99p Challenge on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2004)
• 26 September – The Now Show on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2024)
• 4 October – Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century on BBC Radio 2 (1998)
• 5 October – Drivetime with Johnnie Walker on BBC Radio 2 (1998–2006)
• 9 October – Des Lynam on BBC Radio 2 (1998–1999)
• 15 October – In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present)

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

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

• Farming Today (1960–Present)
• In Touch (1961–Present)
• 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)

• PM (1970–Present)
• Start the Week (1970–Present)
• You and Yours (1970–Present)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–Present)
• Good Morning Scotland (1973–Present)
• Newsbeat (1973–Present)
• The News Huddlines (1975–2001)
• File on 4 (1977–Present)
• Money Box (1977–Present)
• The News Quiz (1977–Present)
• Feedback (1979–Present)
• The Food Programme (1979–Present)
• Science in Action (1979–Present)

• In Business (1983–Present)
• Sounds of the 60s (1983–Present)
• Loose Ends (1986–Present)

• The Moral Maze (1990–Present)
• Essential Selection (1991–Present)
• No Commitments (1992–2007)
• The Pepsi Chart (1993–2002)
• Wake Up to Wogan (1993–2009)
• Essential Mix (1993–Present)
• Up All Night (1994–Present)
• Wake Up to Money (1994–Present)
• Julie Enfield Investigates (1994–1999)
• Private Passions (1995–Present)
• Chambers (1996–1999)
• Parkinson's Sunday Supplement (1996–2007)
• The David Jacobs Collection (1996–2013)
• Blue Jam (1997–1999)
• Westway (1997–2005)

• 3 April
• The Afternoon Shift (1995–1998)
• Breakaway (1979–1998)
• Kaleidoscope (1973–1998)
• Week Ending (1970–1998)
• 27 December – Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century (1998)

• 31 May – Xtra AM (1989–1998){{cite news|url= https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-60930126|title= XTRA-am waves goodbye after 9 years|publisher= Trinity Mirror|newspaper= Birmingham Evening Mail|format= Subscription required|date= 30 May 1998|accessdate= 17 April 2012}}
• Unknown – South Coast Radio (1991–1998)
• Late 1998 – European Klassik Rock (1997–1998)

• 2 January – Frank Muir, comedy writer (born 1920)
• 11 April – Francis Durbridge, scriptwriter (born 1912)
• 22 June – Benny Green, jazz saxophonist and radio presenter (born 1927)
• 18 July – Betty Marsden, comedy actress (born 1919)
• 4 August – Charles Maxwell, radio producer (born 1910)
• 2 October
• Ken Platt, Lancashire comedian (born 1921)
• Raymond Raikes, radio drama producer (born 1910)
• 20 October – Frank Gillard, broadcaster and executive (born 1909)

• 1998 in British music
• 1998 in British television
• 1998 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1998

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book

| last = Evans

| first = Chris

| author-link = Chris Evans (presenter)

| title = Memoirs of a Fruitcake

| publisher = HarperCollins

| year = 2010

| isbn = 978-0-00-734568-7

}}

Radio

British Radio, 1998 In

Category:Years in British radio