1971 in British radio

This is a list of events in British radio during 1971.

• 3 January – The Open University begins broadcasts on the BBC.

• 1 February – Radio-only and combined radio & television licences are abolished.

• No events.

• No events.

• Michael Freedland presents the first edition of magazine programme You Don’t Have to be Jewish on BBC Radio London.

• No events.

• 2 January – BBC Radio Newcastle
• 26 January – BBC Radio Blackburn
• 25 February – BBC Radio Humberside
• 29 April – BBC Radio Derby

• 15 February – Lines from My Grandfather's Forehead, BBC Radio 4 (1971–1972)
• 28 February (pilot), 5 December (series) – Parsley Sidings, BBC Radio 2 (1971–1973)
• May – You Don't Have to Be Jewish, BBC Radio London (1971–1995)

• Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
• Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
• Down Your Way (1946–1992)
• Letter from America (1946–2004)
• Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
• A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)

• The Archers (1950–Present)
• The Today Programme (1957–Present)
• The Navy Lark (1959–1977)
• Sing Something Simple (1959–2001)
• Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)

• Farming Today (1960–Present)
• In Touch (1961–Present)
• The Men from the Ministry (1962–1977)
• I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (1964–1973)
• Petticoat Line (1965–1979)
• The World at One (1965–Present)
• The Official Chart (1967–Present)
• Just a Minute (1967–Present)
• The Living World (1968–Present)
• The Organist Entertains (1969–2018)

• PM (1970–Present)
• Start the Week (1970–Present)
• Week Ending (1970–1998)
• You and Yours (1970–Present)

• 5 January
  • Joanna Gosling, journalist and newsreader
  • Jayne Middlemiss, radio and television presenter
• 18 January – Leona Graham, broadcaster and voiceover artist^[1]
• 29 January – Clare Balding, BBC Sports presenter, journalist and jockey
• 10 May – Simon Jack, financial journalist
• 23 May – Claudia Hammond, radio presenter
• 27 May – Petroc Trelawny, classical music presenter
• 1 June – Nihal Arthanayake, broadcaster
• 17 August – Bridget Christie, stand-up comedian
• 7 October – Aasmah Mir, Scottish-born radio presenter
• Katie Breathwick, radio presenter

• 28 May – Ralph Wightman, writer and broadcaster on countryside matters (born 1901)
• 16 June – John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, Scottish broadcasting executive (born 1889)

• 1971 in British music
• 1971 in British television
• 1971 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1971