# 1964 in British radio

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

## Events
### 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 where it takes over the early-morning slot previously occupied by Farm Bulletin.

### 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)

## Continuing radio programmes
### 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)