1986

**1986**

**MCMLXXXVI**

* FA Cup Winners: Liverpool FC (beat Everton 3-1, 10 May. First all-Merseyside FA Cup)
* Christmas Number One: Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
* Eurovision Song Contest: Bergen (N), 03 May
	+ UK Eurovision Entry: Ryder - Running in the Night (position 7th)[1]
	+ Contest Winner: Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie (Belgium) [2]

* Blue Peter Team: Janet Ellis, Simon Groom (until 23 June), Mark Curry (from 23 June), Peter Duncan (until 27 November), Caron Keating (from 13 November)
* Doctor Who: Colin Baker (S23, *The Trial of a Time Lord,* from 06 September to 06 December)
* Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ: Mike Read (until 18 April), then Mike Smith (from 05 May)
* Big Christmas Day Film on BBC1: aft.: *Annie, The Musical*, eve. *Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage. EastEnders* episode achieves highest audience of all time for a British television drama.

## Main events

* Feb.: Heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures, Wapping print-workers dispute, Single European Act signed
* March: Today tabloid launches, engagement of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson announced,
* April: Oxford Utd. win Football League Cup,
* May: Liverpool FC win First Division title and FA Cup.
* June: Argentina win World Cup. England's Gary Lineker gets Golden Boot, moves to FC Barcelona for record £2.75 million.
* July: Ian Rush signs to Juventus for new record £3.2 million, Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson married,
* September: GCSE exams to replace 'O' Levels, Nissan car factory opened in Sunderland
* October: *The Independent* daily first issued, HM the Queen & Prince Philip visit China, largest shopping complex in Europe "MetroCentre" opened on Tyneside, London M25 Orbital opened
* November: Alex Ferguson replaces Ron Atkinson at Manchester Utd, anti-AIDS campaign launched.
* December: 'Mad cow disease' diagnosed in British cattle; UK unemployment falls for the fifth month in succession

TV
--

(channel and first broadcast date in brackets)

### New shows

* BBC One: *Neighbours* (27 October),
* ITV: *Catchphrase* (12 January)

*full list*

### Shows ending

*full list*

## Radio

* Mike Smith takes over the Breakfast Show on R1 (05 May)

## Music

* Biggest selling singles: The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way, Nick Berry - Every Loser Wins, Boris Gardiner - I Want o Wake Up With You, Cliff Richard & The Young Ones - Living Doll (*full list*)
* Biggest selling albums: Madonna - *True Blue*, Dire Straits - *Brothers in Arms* (1985), VV AA - *NOW 8* (rel. 24 Nov.) (*full list*)
	+ Compilation albums: *NOW 7 / NOW 8,* Wham! - *The Final*, The Police - *Every Breath You Take: The Singles,* Kate Bush - *The Whole Story*, Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music - *Street Life: 20 Great Hits*,
* Debut albums: Simply Red - *Picture Book,* The Housemartins - *London 0 Hull 4,* Pet Shop Boys *- Please, It's Immaterial* - Life's Hard and Then You Die (*full list*)
	+ Eponymous debut albums - *Communards*,
* Alternative/independent: Artist - Title
* See also: 1986 albums, 1986 singles

## Films

*UK release*

* *Cobra, Karate Kid II, Sid and Nancy,*

## Births

* Alex Turner (06 January), Charlotte Church (21 February), Robert Pattinson (13 May), Ellie Goulding (30 December)

## Birthdays

* **20**: Samantha Fox, Helena Bonham Carter,
* **30**: Bernard Sumner, Paul Young, John Lydon, Peter Hook, Sue Barker, Sebastian Coe, Ray Wilkins,
* **40**: Elisabeth Sladen, David Gilmour, Sue Townsend, Joanna Lumley, Maureen Lipman, George Best, Noddy Holder, Barry Gibb, Felicity Kendall, Lesley Judd, Janet Street Porter, Marianne Faithfull
* **50**: Roy Hudd, Ken Loach, Ted Rogers, Bill Wyman, Tommy Steele, James Burke
* **60**: George Martin, Warren Mitchell, Kenneth Williams, Queen Elizabeth II, David Attenborough, Jimmy Savile,
* **70**:

## Deaths

* Phil Lynott (04 January, 36), Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (29 April), Cary Grant (29 November), Harold Macmillan (29 December, 92).