This is a list of events in British radio during 2001.
Events
January
31 January – BBC Radio 2 begins broadcasting the eight-part series, Kirsty MacColl's Cuba, which was postponed as a mark of respect following her death in December 2000.[1]
February
16 February – Simon Mayo hosts his final show on BBC Radio 1 having been with the station since 1986.
4 May – Talksport secures rights to broadcast Premier League games for the first time after the Radio Authority granted the station permission to broadcast games involving Chelsea, Fulham, and Tottenham Hotspur on their London transmitters only.[2] Later, Talksport secures similar deals with Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City for their transmitters in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Lancashire following approval from the Radio Authority. The station also had the ability to split their transmitters in the West Midlands for games involving Aston Villa but this never came to fruition.
10 May – For the first time, BBC Radio 2 becomes the UK's most listened to radio station, overtaking BBC Radio 1.[3] It has held that position ever since.
June
28 June – Chris Evans is dismissed by Virgin Radio for repeatedly failing to arrive at work. Evans is replaced by Steve Penk, whom Evans criticises for his age – 39 versus Evans's 35 at this time.[4] Evans subsequently attempts to sue Virgin Radio, claiming that he was unfairly dismissed and denied share options worth £8.6 million[5] but in 2003 is found to have been fairly dismissed and not entitled to the share options.[6]
11 September – Following today's terrorist attacks on the United States, and the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York City live on television, most broadcasters abandon regular programming in order to provide up to date coverage of unfolding events.
1 October – BBC Radio 2 starts broadcasting a weekly album chart show. The one-hour programme is broadcast on Monday evenings and is presented by Simon Mayo.[7]
4 October – Premier Christian Radio receives an official warning from the Radio Authority for broadcasting "items that were offensive to people of other, non-Christian beliefs".[8]
16 October – Saga 105.7 FM, the first radio station dedicated to the over-50s, is launched in Birmingham.
October – BBC London Live changes its name to BBC London 94.9.
October – The Sky News Radio service is expanded to provide hourly news bulletins, audio and scripts for a number of clients in the commercial radio sector.
November
2 November – It is reported that police are to examine an edition of BBC Radio 2's Jimmy Young Show broadcast on 31 October to decide whether comments made on the programme by Abdul Haq, a spokesman for the extremist Muslim group al-Muhajiroun amount to incitement. Haq said he and other Muslims would "continue to struggle and strive until we see the flag of Islam flying over 10 Downing Street". The show has drawn over 200 complaints.[9][10]
24 November – On the tenth anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death, BBC Radio 2 airs The Mercury Tapes, a programme featuring recently discovered recordings made by David Wigg in which he talks to the Queen frontman about his life and music.[11]
25 November – After 42 years on air, Sing Something Simple broadcasts for the final time. The programme ends partly because of Cliff Adams's death on 22 October and partly because of Radio 2's repositioning to appeal to the former Radio 1 audience. A tribute to Cliff Adams is broadcast five weeks later.[12]
20 December – Enda Caldwell presents Atlantic 252's final programme before the station goes off air after twelve years. It continues with an automated output for a few weeks before finally ending in January 2002.
25 December – Classic FM broadcasts its Nation's Favourite Christmas Carol countdown for the first time.
December – The eight medium wave Magic stations in northern England begin networking 10am – 2pm and 7pm – 6am with the London station Magic 105.4 providing the programmes.