6 October – BBC Radio London launches. It is the fourth station to launch as part of the BBC's second wave of BBC Local Radio stations and the 12th local station to go on air.
1971
Michael Freedland presents the first edition of “You Don’t Have to be Jewish”.
1972
No events.
1973
8 October – The station faces commercial competition for the first time when the UK's first Independent Local Radio station, LBC, launches.
22 November – The first regular programme for the black community Black Londoners launches, presented by Alex Pascall.[1] The programme was initially launched as a trial run of six programmes before becoming a weekly fixture in the schedules.
1975
No events.
1976
12 September – The first edition of London Sounds Eastern is broadcast. and is the first Asian programme to be broadcast in English by the BBC. It replaces two 30-minute shows which had been broadcast in the Bengali, Hindi and Urdu languages. [2][3]
1977
May – Robbie Vincent moves from Late Night London to the lunchtime show, swapping with David Simmons who moves to the late evening show in August.
1978
8 May – Black Londoners launches as a daily programme, having previously been a weekly Friday night programme.
1979
17 August – After more than five years on air, Late Night London is broadcast for the final time. It is not replaced and from the 20th, weekday programming ends at 10pm. Consequently, BBC Radio 2's output from 10:00 pm to midnight is heard across London on VHF as Radio 2's VHF frequencies are handed over to BBC Radio 1 for the John Peel and Tommy Vance shows.
17 November – BBC Radio London makes major changes to its weekday programming. Home Run, which had been on air since the station's launch, is replaced by London News Desk and a new arts-based programme called Stop, Look, Listen, London Live moves from mid-morning to early afternoon and is replaced in mid-morning by The Robbie Vincent Telephone Programme with Rush Hour extended by an hour. The evening shows are dropped with weeknight programming ending at 8pm instead of 10pm with some of the displaced programmes moving to Sunday afternoons.
1980
No events.
1981
11 February – BBC Radio London begins broadcasting in stereo.
The station is relaunched. It adopts an easy listening format with music ranging from softer contemporary pop from artists such as The Carpenters to light classical music. Despite being unpopular with employed staff, who thought it very un-hip, and politicians who would question the need for a local radio station to sound like the two music-based BBC national networks, the relaunch led to improved audience figures and a string of awards and accolades.
Tony Blackburn joins the station to present the afternoon programme.
1982
No events.
1983
Robbie Vincent leaves. He had been at the station since its launch.
1984
The station is relaunched with the tagline The Heart and Soul of London, with more soul music being played during the day. Changes include Tony Blackburn taking over the mid-morning show, as Blackburn rejoins following his departure from BBC Radio 1.
7 October – At 7pm, Radio London stops broadcasting after 18 years on air.
Greater London Radio
1988
7 October – When Radio London ends, test transmissions for Greater London Radio (GLR) begin.
25 October – At 6.30am, BBC GLR launches. Put together by new Managing Editor Matthew Bannister and Programme Director Trevor Dann, the station is aimed at 25- to 45-year-olds and is on air daily from 6.30am until 10pm, followed by a regional show, keeping the station on air until midnight. Early promotions use the phrase "rock 'n' rolling news" with a music mix best described as Adult album alternative and travel news every 20 minutes. The new weekday line-up consists of Nick Abbot at breakfast, Emma Freud presenting the mid-morning show, Johnnie Walker at lunchtime, Tommy Vance hosting Drivetime and Dave Pearce hosting an evening club music show.
1989
January – Danny Baker joins the station as presenter of the weekend breakfast show.
Janice Long joins the station to present the breakfast show, hosting the programme until 1991. She replaces Nick Abbot.
GLR sets up a youth-based radio training facility at Vauxhall College, SW8, which was followed by a second course based at White City.
Chris Evans makes his on-air debut, having spent the previous year producing Danny Baker’s programme. He presented a Saturday afternoon show and a weeknight evening show called The Greenhouse.
Summer – Dave Pearce leaves the station to join new commercial music station Kiss 100.
Chris Evans moved to Saturday mornings to present Round at Chris's.
During 1991 the station is given three years to prove itself or face closure. The threat is lifted after the BBC deemed it sufficiently patronised to remain on-air.
Following a consultation exercise on local broadcasting in the South East, the BBC decided to rebrand GLR and substantially change the programming. A campaign to "Save GLR" is organised and a petition delivered to the BBC.[6][7] Although the campaign was unsuccessful in saving GLR, and the rebranding went ahead the next year, it demonstrated the existence of a loyal audience for its format.
London Live 94.9
2000
25 March – BBC London Live 94.9 replaces GLR. Promising even more speech and less music, the station launches with new on-air personalities and new shows, including a speech-heavy breakfast show and a mid-morning phone-in and debate. Only drivetime and the specialist shows would remain, albeit refreshed. Lisa I'Anson, Vanessa Feltz and Eddie Nestor join.
BBC London Live changes its name to BBC London 94.9 and the presenter line-up is changed. The change sees a new presenter line-up. Danny Baker joins to present a Saturday morning show, which is co-hosted with American comedian Amy Lamé. Jon Gaunt then hosted the mid-morning phone-in show. Vanessa Feltz replaces Lisa I'Anson in the afternoon slot with Eddie Nestor and Kath Melandri presenting drivetime. The changes also see Tony Blackburn return to present a Saturday classic soul music and chat show.
The station becomes the first BBC local station to begin live streaming on the internet.
2002
March – Danny Baker becomes the new presenter of the breakfast show.
25 November – A line-up change takes place. JoAnne Good moves to the afternoon show, replacing Danny Baker who leaves the station.[11] and Simon Lederman takes over the weeknight late show.
2013
2 January – Penny Smith replaces Gaby Roslin as co-presenter of the breakfast show. Other schedule changes see JoAnne Good move to the mid-afternoon programme with Simon Lederman taking over the weeknight late show and Nikki Bedi taking over the weekend late show.[12]
5 January – The BBC Local Radio stations begin a new Saturday evening show titled BBC Introducing. Hosted by a local presenter on each station, the programme's aim is to promote musicians from the area.[13]
7 January – The debut of the BBC's networked evening programme takes place, hosted by former Classic FM presenter Mark Forrest.[14] The show replaces all local programming, apart from local sport coverage.
2014
No events.
2015
5 July – Duncan Barkes joins to present "London's Late Night Radio Phone-in".[15]
BBC Radio London
2015
6 October – After 27 years, the name BBC Radio London returns to the airwaves.[16]
2016
4 January – Vanessa Feltz becomes the new breakfast show presenter.[17] She replaces Penny Smith who leaves the station to join Talk Radio, and Nikki Bedi moves to the weekday early show. Other changes see Robert Elms taking over the mid-morning show and Eddie Nestor hosting drivetime.
1 January – Tony Blackburn returns, and was rehired by the BBC.
8 October – In a speech marking the 50th anniversary of BBC local radio, The Director-General of the BBC, Tony Hall, announces that the national evening show will be axed, resulting in local programming returning to BBC Radio London weeknight evenings.[18]
2018
26 November – Following the decision to reinstate local programmes on weeknights, BBC Radio London launches The Scene, which is described as "a platform for London’s community arts, entertainment and cultural activities, featuring new talent and emerging artists, performers and creators." Six new presenters are recruited to host the show.[19]
23 March-5 July – BBC Radio London's overnight programming is heard across the UK following a decision by the BBC to broadcast a single UK-wide overnight show so that it can prioritise resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show is broadcast on all BBC Local Radio stations and on BBC Radio 5 Live.[20][21]
6 July –
BBC Radio 5 Live stops relaying overnight broadcasting from BBC Radio London on weeknights[22] but continues to simulcast BBC Radio London on Friday and Saturday overnights.
Jason Rosam takes over as the weekday presenter of the early breakfast show. The first hour of the two-hour programme is also broadcast on all of the other BBC Local Radio stations.
2021
13 September – BBC Radio London's daytime schedule is revamped. Eddie Nestor takes over the Mondays to Thursdays editions of the mid-morning show with Robert Elms presenting the show from Fridays to Sundays. Former GB Olympic athlete Jeanette Kwakye presents afternoons Monday – Thursday and JoAnne Good returns to the late show, presenting the programme four nights a week.[23]
2022
26 August – Vanessa Feltz presents her final show for BBC Radio London after more than two decades at the station.[24]
31 October – Salma El-Wardany succeeds Vanessa Feltz as presenter of the breakfast show from Mondays to Thursdays, with Riz Lateef presenting on Fridays.[25]
2023
17 December – Tony Blackburn presents his final Soul on Sunday show for BBC Radio London, having decided to leave the station after four decades.[26]
2024
5 January – Jason Rosam's early breakfast show is to end due to him leaving the BBC. He had presented the programme for three years.[27]