2005 in British radio

This is a list of events in British radio during 2005.

Events

• 6 February - Les Ross returns to BBC Radio WM to present a weekly Sunday morning show. He had last worked at the station in the early 1970s.
• 23 May - As BBC staff stage a one-day strike over announced job cuts, Terry Wogan crosses the picket line to present his show.^[1] Reportedly, he gave them a smile and wished them all well. He explained on air that the reason for doing so was that he was contracted to host Wake up to Wogan and hence was not directly employed by the BBC, and so could not legally strike with their employees.
• 7 June - London's 102.2 Jazz FM is relaunched as 102.2 Smooth FM.
• 23 July - Les Ross takes over the Saturday breakfast show on BBC WM.
• 29 August - 106 Century FM is rebranded as Heart 106.
• 25 November - The UK's first Islamic radio station, Islam Radio, is established in Bradford, West Yorkshire.^[2]
• Unknown – After being acquired by the CN Group, Kix 96 and its other sister stations in the south Midlands are rebranded as Touch FM.

Station debuts

• 21 February - Chill
• 7 June - 102.2 Smooth Radio
• 3 October - KMFM Ashford
• 1 November - Aston FM
• 25 November - Islam Radio

Closing this year

Deaths

• 6 March - Tommy Vance, 63, British disc jockey^[4]

References