ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Monday 30th March 2026
This is day 89 of the year with 276 remaining. This is week 14 and there are 270 days till Christmas.    
UK & World News
2002 Islamic terrorists crash two cars into a synagogue in Lyon, France.1987 An Alaska Airlines jet almost hits an eagle holding a fish. The bird drops it resulting in the only known mid-air jet collision with a fish.1981 US president Reagan is shot but not killed in Washington DC by John Hinckley who did it in the belief it would impress Jodie Foster.1979 MP and WW2 veteran Airey Neave who was first to escape Colditz is murdered in London by IRA terrorists using a bomb on his car.1967 Delta Air Lines 9877 an internal US training flight crashes due to instructor error during a simulated failure. All 6 people are killed.
   

Music & Entertainment
2026 The BBC fire Scott Mills who was presenting on Radio 2 due to 'personal conduct'.1997 After three months delay Channel 5 launches at 18:00 with a Spice Girls promo and immediatly fails to provide anything worth watching.1986 The BBC use a new BBC2 logo for the first time with the word 'TWO' rather than the number. It will continue to be used until 16/02/91.1984 The Blue Peter box and tree for the year 2000 buried outside TV Centre on 07/06/71 are moved to the garden.1980 The hit single 'Turning Japanese' by 'The Vapors' reaches a UK chart peak of number 3. It will be their only top 40 hit.1973 The influential video 'Television Delivers People' explaining viewers are the product is created by Richard Serra and Carlota Schoolman.
   

Birthdays
1979 Norah Jones, American singer who has had hit albums and the number 30 hit 'Sunrise'.1968 Celine Dion, Canadian singer who had hits including 'The Power of Love' and somehow won Eurovision in 1988.1964 Tracy Chapman, American singer and musician best known the hit song 'Fast Car'.1962 MC Hammer, American baggy trouser wearer during the cycle shorts fad of the early 90s who had the hit 'U Can't Touch This'.1950 Robbie Coltrane, British actor best known from The Comic Strip Presents and Harry Potter. Died 14th October 2022.1949 Sue Cook, British BBC TV presenter best known from Nationwide and Crimewatch.1949 Lene Lovich, American British singer who sung with Squeeze, Cerrone on Supernature and had the 1979 hit 'Lucky Number'.1948 Eddie Jordan, Irish racing team owner and TV personality best known from BBC and Channel 4 F1 coverage. Died 20th March 2025.1945 Eric Clapton, British musician known from hit group Derek and the Dominos and hits such as I Shot the Sheriff.1945 Johnnie Walker, British radio presenter best known from BBC radio. Not related to the whisky brand. Died 31st December 2024.1930 Stewart Morris, British BBC TV producer best known for The Rolf Harris Show and swearing on talkback. Died 10th January 2009.1930 Rolf Harris, Australian BBC presenter known for assaulting young girls and having a small didgeridoo. Died 10th May 2023.1853 Vincent van Gogh, Dutch artist who suffered from psychotic episodes and cut off his own ear. Died 29th July 1890.
   

Deaths
2020 Bill Withers, American singer best known for hits such as 'Ain't No Sunshine' and 'Lovely Day'. Born 4th July 1938.2008 Sean Levert, American singer best known as member of 'Levert' who had the 1987 hit 'Casanova'. Born 28th September 1968.2004 Timi Yuro, American singer best known for the 1961 US hit 'Hurt'. Born 4th August 1941.2002 Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, British celebrity known profesionally as 'The Queen Mother'. Born 4th August 1900.
   


Music and Memes

   


   

Scott Mills - Mongrels (2011) On this day in 2026 the BBC fire Scott Mills who was presenting on Radio 2 due to 'personal conduct'.
Channel 5 - 30/03/97 On this day in 1997 after a three month delay, the low budget TV broadcaster Channel 5 launches at 18:00 with a widely promoted Spice Girls promo song at peak time on an Easter Sunday, then immediatly fails to provide anything worth watching for the rest of the century. The channel launches using almost obsolite analogue technology just a year before the launch of digital television.
The Vapors - Turning Japanese (1980) On this day in 1980 the hit single 'Turning Japanese' by 'The Vapors' reaches a UK chart peak of number 3. It will be their only UK top 40 hit.
Stewart Morris - Good King Memorex (1979) On this day in 1930 Stewart Morris the British BBC TV producer best known for The Rolf Harris Show and swearing on talkback was born. He died on 10th January 2009.
Richard Serra - Television Delivers People (1973) On this day in 1973 the highly influential video 'Television Delivers People' explaining that viewers are the product and not the customer of television is created by artists Richard Serra and Carlota Schoolman. They will buy airtime on US TV stations to broadcast it.
MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This (1990) On this day in 1962 MC Hammer the American baggy trouser wearing musician who became famous during the cycle shorts fad of the early 90s was born. He's best known for the 1990 hit 'U Can't Touch This' which samples the 1981 Rick James hit Super Freak.
Lene Lovich - Lucky Number (1979) On this day in 1949 Lene Lovich the American British singer who sung with Squeeze, wrote and sung with Cerrone on the 1977 hit Supernature and had the 1979 solo hit 'Lucky Number' was born.
Eric Clapton - Lay Down Sally (1977) On this day in 1945 Eric Clapton the British musician known from hit group 'Derek and the Dominos' and for hits such as 'I Shot the Sheriff' was born.
The BBC's Stewart Morris - Adam Martyn (2025) On this day in 1930 Stewart Morris the British BBC TV producer best known for The Rolf Harris Show and swearing on talkback was born. He died on 10th January 2009.
Stewart Morris - Eurovision talkback (1977) On this day in 1930 Stewart Morris the British BBC TV producer best known for The Rolf Harris Show and swearing on talkback was born. He died on 10th January 2009.
Stewart Morris - Edinburgh Games talkback (1986) On this day in 1930 Stewart Morris the British BBC TV producer best known for The Rolf Harris Show and swearing on talkback was born. He died on 10th January 2009.
Rolf Harris - Churchill Insurance Advert (2009) On this day in 1930 Rolf Harris the Australian BBC presenter known for assaulting young girls and having a small didgeridoo was born. He died on 10th May 2023.