1966 in British radio

This is a list of events from British radio in 1966.

January

 * 20 January – Radio Caroline ship MV Mi Amigo loses its anchor in a storm, drifts and runs aground on the beach at Frinton-on-Sea.

February

 * No events

March

 * No events

April

 * 17 April – The first regular stereo radio transmissions begin, from the Wrotham transmitter.

May

 * 3 May – Pirate radio stations Swinging Radio England and Britain Radio commence broadcasting on AM, with a combined potential 100,000 watts, from the same ship (MV Olga Patricia) anchored off the south coast of England in international waters.

June

 * 20 June – Radio City affair: Major Oliver Smedley and a team board Shivering Sands Army Fort off the Kent coast, home of Radio City (pirate radio station) (run by Reginald Calvert), to reposses a transmitter supplied but not paid for. The next day, Calvert visits Smedley's home in Saffron Walden over the issue and is shot dead in a struggle.

July

 * No events

August

 * No events

September

 * 27 September – Irish radio personality Terry Wogan makes his debut on the BBC, broadcasting on the Light Programme.

October

 * 27 October – Welsh writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas makes a notable tribute to the children of Aberfan following the Aberfan disaster of 21 October, broadcast across the UK on the BBC Home Service's Today morning programme.

November

 * No events

December

 * No events

Unknown

 * Britain's first student radio station, the University of Kent's UKC Radio is founded, initially as an audio feed through the radiator system. It airs until 2006.

Station debuts

 * 3 May
 * Swinging Radio England (1966)
 * Britain Radio (1966–1967)
 * 4 June – Radio 270 (1966–1967)
 * Autumn – UKC Radio (1966–Present)

Programme debuts

 * 7 January (pilot); 23 April (series run) – Listen to This Space on the BBC Home Service (1966–1967)
 * March –The Embassy Lark on the BBC Light Programme (1966–1968)

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)
 * I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (1964–1973)
 * Petticoat Line (1965–1979)
 * Round the Horne (1965–1968)
 * The World at One (1965–Present)

Births

 * 19 January – Henry Naylor, comedy writer, director and performer
 * 8 February – Sarah Montague, journalist and broadcast presenter
 * 11 March – Paddy O'Connell, broadcast presenter
 * 1 April – Chris Evans, disc jockey and television presenter
 * 12 July – Tamsin Greig, actress
 * 25 August – Tracy Ann Oberman, actress
 * 31 August – Alice Oswald, BBC Radio 4 poet in residence
 * 9 September – Nikki Bedi, née Moolgaoker, broadcast presenter
 * 15 September – Claire Sturgess, disc jockey and voiceover artist
 * 26 October – Judge Jules (Julius O'Riordan), dance music DJ and producer
 * 30 November – Andy Parsons, comedian
 * 31 December – Carlos (Carl Emms), disc jockey
 * Jamie Crick, radio music presenter (died 2023)
 * Daljit Nagra, BBC Radio 4 poet in residence
 * Alan Smith, radio news presenter

Deaths

 * 11 April – A. B. Campbell, naval officer and broadcaster (born 1881)
 * 2 June – Stephen King-Hall, naval officer, politician and broadcaster (born 1893)
 * 21 July – A. G. Street, broadcaster on country matters (born 1892)
 * 2 December – Giles Cooper, broadcast dramatist (born 1918)