1964 in British radio

This is a list of events from British radio in 1964.

January

 * 5 January – Alan Freeman returns as host of Pick of the Pops.
 * 26 January – York Hospital Radio goes on air with its first programme.

February

 * No events

March

 * 27 March – Children's Hour (renamed For the Young) is broadcast for the last time, on the BBC Home Service.
 * 28 March – Radio Caroline, a "pirate" radio station set up by Ronan O'Rahilly broadcasting from MV Caroline anchored in international waters off Felixstowe, debuts as Europe's first all-day English-language pop music station.

April

 * 3 April – The radio comedy series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again makes its debut, on the BBC Home Service.

May

 * 12 May – "Pirate" radio station Radio Atlanta begins broadcasting from MV Mi Amigo anchored off Frinton; in July its operations are merged with Radio Caroline.
 * 27 May – Screaming Lord Sutch begins broadcasting from "pirate" station Radio Sutch on Shivering Sands Army Fort offshore in the Thames Estuary; he soon sells the operation to his manager Reginald Calvert who renames it Radio City.

June

 * 29 June – Launch of Manx Radio, the Isle of Man's national radio station.

July

 * 6 July – MV Caroline takes up a new anchorage on Bahama Bank off the Isle of Man and begins broadcasting as Radio Caroline North.

August

 * 13 August – The world premiere of Mahler's Tenth Symphony, the unfinished work completed by Deryck Cooke, is given at the BBC Proms, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Berthold Goldschmidt.
 * 31 August – Farming Today moves from Network Three to the BBC Home Service.

September

 * 3 September – Priaulx Rainier's Cello Concerto is given its première at The Proms by Jacqueline du Pré and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Norman Del Mar.
 * 19 September – The programme for the Last Night of the Proms includes Alan Rawsthorne's Piano Concerto no 1, played by Malcolm Binns.

October

 * 6 October – The variety programme Workers' Playtime is aired for the last time, on the Light Programme.

November

 * No events

December

 * 1 December – Radio Caroline publicity officer David Block contacts the BBC to request a copy of the Queen's Christmas Message with the intention of broadcasting it on Christmas Day, but is turned down because Radio Caroline is not an authorised broadcaster.
 * 23 December – The "pirate" station Wonderful Radio London goes on air broadcasting from MV Galaxy anchored off Frinton with a Fab 40 playlist of popular records.

Station debuts

 * 26 January – York Hospital Radio (1964–Present)
 * 28 March – Radio Caroline (1964–Present)
 * 29 June – Manx Radio (1964–Present)
 * 23 December – Wonderful Radio London (1964–1967)

Programme debuts

 * 17 March – Many a Slip on the BBC Home Service (1964–1979)
 * 3 April – I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again on the BBC Home Service (1964–1973)
 * 10 April – How's Your Father on the BBC Light Programme (series run 10 April–5 June)
 * 26 July – Play it Cool on the BBC Light Programme (1964)

1940s

 * Music While You Work (1940–1967)
 * Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
 * Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
 * Family Favourites (1945–1980)
 * Down Your Way (1946–1992)
 * Have A Go (1946–1967)
 * Housewives' Choice (1946–1967)
 * Letter from America (1946–2004)
 * Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
 * Twenty Questions (1947–1976)
 * Any Questions? (1948–Present)
 * The Dales (1948–1969)
 * Billy Cotton Band Show (1949–1968)
 * A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)

1950s

 * The Archers (1950–Present)
 * Listen with Mother (1950–1982)
 * From Our Own Correspondent (1955–Present)
 * Pick of the Pops (1955–Present)
 * The Clitheroe Kid (1957–1972)
 * My Word! (1957–1988)
 * Test Match Special (1957–Present)
 * The Today Programme (1957–Present)
 * The Navy Lark (1959–1977)
 * Sing Something Simple (1959–2001)
 * Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)

1960s

 * Farming Today (1960–Present)
 * Easy Beat (1960–1967)
 * In Touch (1961–Present)
 * The Men from the Ministry (1962–1977)

Births

 * 11 January – Tony Livesey, journalist and radio presenter
 * 24 February – Andy Crane, television and radio presenter
 * 1 April – Jez Nelson, jazz presenter and media producer
 * 16 May
 * Rebecca Front, comic actress and scriptwriter
 * Milton Jones, comedian
 * 23 June – Jane Garvey, radio presenter
 * 27 June – Lynn Parsons, radio and television presenter
 * 5 August – Rory Morrison, radio newsreader and continuity announcer (died 2013)
 * 19 September – Patrick Marber, comedy performer and writer
 * 27 September – Gilles Peterson, disc jockey
 * 21 November – Liza Tarbuck, actress and radio and television presenter
 * 28 November – Sian Williams, journalist and current affairs presenter
 * Unknown – Peter Kerry, writer of drama for radio and television

Deaths

 * 28 September – Sir George Dyson, radio's "voice of music" (born 1883)
 * 10 December – Charles Samuel Franklin, radio pioneer (born 1879)