1997 in British radio

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This is a list of events in British radio during 1997.

Events

• January - Chris Evans leaves the Radio 1 breakfast show after being sacked.
• January - Tracks by the boy band East 17 are removed from the playlists of at least eleven radio stations following recent comments from their lead singer Brian Harvey about his use of the drug ecstasy. In an interview with Independent Radio News he had claimed to have taken twelve tablets in one evening and then driven, prompting condemnation in the House of Commons from Prime Minister John Major. Harvey was sacked from the band on 17 January, despite making a full apology for the comments.
• 30 January - Speaking on BBC Radio 1 in defence of Brian Harvey, musician Noel Gallagher claims that drugs are "like getting up and having a cup of tea in the morning".
• 17 February - Mark and Lard become the Radio 1 breakfast show's new presenters.
• 30 June - The British Forces Broadcasting Service ends its transmission to Hong Kong ahead of the colony's handover of Sovereignty to China.
• 28 July – Chris Moyles becomes the new host of the Early Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1, a show he hosted for 13 months. This began his career at Radio 1 which would last 15 years, make him a household name, and culminate with him becoming the longest standing host of The Radio 1 Breakfast Show, doing it for 8 1/2 years before his departure in September 2012.
• 31 August – Regular programming is interrupted to provide ongoing news coverage of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 broadcast a joint programme presented by Peter Allen and James Naughtie providing coverage of events.
• 13 October - Mark and Lard are replaced as Radio 1 breakfast presenters by Zoë Ball and Kevin Greening. Mark and Lard are moved to an afternoon presenting slot. On the same day Chris Evans begins presenting a rival breakfast show on Virgin Radio
• 9 December - Chris Evans's media production company, Ginger Media Group buys Virgin Radio from Richard Branson for £85m. Branson had planned to sell the station to Capital Radio, but Evans, who had not wanted to work for the station, launched a rival bid.

Station debuts

• 12 February - Magic 1161
• 1 September - Xfm London, Medway FM (now KMFM Medway)
• 21 September - CTFM (now KMFM Canterbury)
• 23 September - 106 Century FM
• 29 September - Neptune Radio (now KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country)
• 7 October - 107.7 The Wolf
• Unknown - XFM

Deaths

• 26 June - Charlie Chester, 83, stand-up comedian and TV and radio presenter