This is a list of events in British radio during 1979.
Events
January
27 January – BBC Radio 2's last closedown at 02:02. Sarah Kennedy is at the Newsdesk after Brian Matthew finishes "Round Midnight". From 02:00 to 05:00 the following night, listeners hear "You and the Night and the Music". Radio 2 has the longest period of continuous broadcasting of any national radio station in the UK. 29 January – BBC Radio 1 begins its delayed weeknight mid-evening programme with Andy Peebles joining to host the new programme. It had originally been scheduled to launch on 13 November 1978 but was delayed as a result of trade union disputes.
February
No events
March
No events
April
1 April – The first edition of Feedback is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
May
No events
June
No events
July
No events
August
No events
September
2 September – Tony Blackburn replaces Simon Bates as host of Radio 1's Top 40 show.
October
5 October – The Scottish Gaelic service launches, broadcasting to north west Scotland from Stornoway.
November
November – A weekday mid-morning programme launches on BBC Radio Cymru, thereby extending its broadcasting hours to 65 hours each week. Previously, apart from extended news bulletins at lunchtime and early evening, and some off-peak opt-outs, the station had only been on air at breakfast time.
December
16 December – After a decade on air, United Biscuits closes down its internal radio station United Biscuits Network due to it being seen as no longer necessary to operate a radio station due to the rollout of independent commercial stations.
Station debuts
11 September – BBC Radio Foyle
Closing this year
16 December – United Biscuits Network (1970–1979)
Programme debuts
1 April – Feedback on BBC Radio 4 (1979–Present) 7 July – Science in Action on BBC World Service (1979–Present) 29 September – Breakaway on BBC Radio 4 (1979–1998) 30 September – The Food Programme on BBC Radio 4 (1979–Present)
Continuing radio programmes
1940s
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)
1950s
The Archers (1950–Present) The Today Programme (1957–Present) Sing Something Simple (1959–2001) Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)
1960s
Farming Today (1960–Present) In Touch (1961–Present) 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)
1970s
PM (1970–Present) Start the Week (1970–Present) Week Ending (1970–1998) You and Yours (1970–Present) I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–Present) Good Morning Scotland (1973–Present) Kaleidoscope (1973–1998) Newsbeat (1973–Present) The News Huddlines (1975–2001) The Burkiss Way (1976–1980) File on 4 (1977–Present) Money Box (1977–Present) The News Quiz (1977–Present)
Ending this year
11 November – Hello Cheeky (BBC Radio 2) (1973–1979) The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket (BBC Radio 4) (1977–1979)
Births
8 March – Zena McNally, singer and radio presenter
9 March – Adele Roberts, disc jockey
4 May – Wes Butters, radio presenter
8 September – Miles Jupp, comedy performer
Unknown
Anna Foster, BBC radio presenter
Lucy Horobin, Heart radio presenter
Deaths
23 February – Albert Modley, comedy entertainer, 77
9 September – Ronnie Taylor, broadcast comedy scriptwriter and producer, 58
27 September – Gracie Fields, singer and actress, BBC and Radio Luxembourg broadcaster, 81 8 November – Sydney Tafler, actor, 63 30 November – Joyce Grenfell, actress, comedian and singer, 69 December – Peter Eton, broadcast producer, 62