1949 in British radio

This is a list of events from British radio in 1949.

Events

January

9 January – The death today in London of comedian Tommy Handley is announced after the Sunday evening repeat of his popular series It's That Man Again by the Director General of the BBC, Sir William Haley, who insists on making the announcement himself; ITMA is immediately cancelled and succeeded by Ray's a Laugh with Ted Ray, while Take It from Here takes over its repeat slot.

February

2 February – Parody travelogue "Balham - Gateway to the South", written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, is first broadcast as a comedy sketch narrated by Peter Sellers in the second edition of Third Division on the BBC Third Programme.

March

26 March – The Boat Race 1949 is memorable for a blooper in which BBC commentator John Snagge, on a launch whose engine has failed, announces "I can't see who's in the lead, but it's either Oxford or Cambridge."
28 March – Astronomer Fred Hoyle coins the term Big Bang during a BBC Third Programme broadcast.

April to August

No events.

September

5 September – Wagnerian tenor Walter Widdop makes his last appearance at the BBC Proms, singing an aria from Lohengrin, only one day before his sudden death.

October to December

No events.

Undated

The BBC issues to its staff BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide, for writers & producers, setting out what are and are not permissible topics and language in entertainment programmes.

Debuts

26 January – Third Division on the BBC Third Programme
31 January – A Book at Bedtime
6 March – Billy Cotton Band Show
4 April – ''Ray's a Laugh''

Continuing radio programmes

1930s

''In Town Tonight''

1940s

Music While You Work Sunday Half Hour Desert Island Discs Family Favourites Down Your Way Have A Go Housewives' Choice Letter from America Woman's Hour Twenty Questions Any Questions? Mrs Dale's Diary

''Take It from Here''

Ending this year

6 January – ''It's That Man Again''

Births

7 February – Les Ross, né Meakin, midlands DJ
12 March – David Mellor, politician and radio presenter
2 April – Paul Gambaccini, American-born music presenter
11 April – David Stafford, writer and broadcaster
20 April – Paul Heiney, broadcaster
7 August – Matthew Parris, South African-born political writer and broadcaster, previously MP
2 September – Moira Stuart, broadcast presenter
25 November – Isabel Hilton, Scottish-born journalist and broadcaster
12 December – Bill Nighy, actor
Philip Dodd, creative arts academic and broadcaster

Deaths

9 January – Tommy Handley, comedian
10 June – Sir Frederick Ogilvie, broadcasting executive and university administrator
9 July – Peter Waring, comedian and fraudster, suicide