1993

News

  • British newspapers carry reports that The Princess of Wales wants a divorce from The Prince of Wales, despite the announcement of their separation (issued the previous month) stating that there were no plans for a divorce.
  • A MORI poll shows that 80% of Britons are dissatisfied with the way that John Major is running the country, and nearly 50% believe that the economy will get worse during this year.
  • The Queen announces that Buckingham Palace will open to the public for the first time.
  • Unemployment now stands at less than 2,900,000 after the fourth successive monthly fall.
  • Princess Diana sues the Daily Mirror over photographs that were taken of her at a gym.
  • 3 December – Diana, Princess of Wales, announces her withdrawal from public life.

Entertainment

  • Carlton Television, Meridian, Westcountry and GMTV begin broadcasting. Teletext Ltd. launches a new Teletext service on ITV and Channel 4, replacing the 14-year-old ORACLE teletext service.
  • The first episode of the children’s series The Animals of Farthing Wood begins on BBC One.
  • QVC launches the first television shopping channel in the UK.
  • TV entertainer Roy Castle, 61, announces that he is suffering from a recurrence of the lung cancer which he was believed to have overcome one year ago.

Music

  • Take That got their first #1 in July, with “Pray”. Debuting in 1991 with the #38 hit “Promises”, they would go on to score another seven number 1s before splitting in 1996. “Pray” was followed by Freddie Mercury scoring a posthumous number 1 with a remixed version of “Living on My Own”, the original version of which made number 50 in 1985, making it the first remix of a previously charted single to reach number 1.
  • The biggest selling single of the year came from Meat Loaf, who hit #1 for seven weeks from October with “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”. It came from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, also the biggest selling of the year.
  • 19 February – Elton John is forced to end a concert in Melbourne, Australia a half hour early when a swarm of grasshoppers invades the stage.
  • 16 April – Paul McCartney headlines a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, USA to celebrate “Earth Day”. Other performers included Ringo Starr, Steve Miller and Don Henley.
  • 28 August – Bruce Dickinson plays his final show with Iron Maiden after announcing his departure from the band earlier in the year. He would re-join the band in 1999.
  • Rick Astley retires from the music industry at age 27 after selling 40 million records in a five-year period.

Number #1 Hits of 1993

ArtistTitle
2 UnlimitedNo Limit
ShaggyOh Carolina
The BluebellsYoung At Heart
George Michael & Queen with Lisa StansfieldFive Live (EP)
Ace Of BaseAll That She Wants
UB40(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You
GabrielleDreams
Take ThatPray
Freddie MercuryLiving On My Own
Culture BeatMr. Vain
Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh PrinceBoom! Shake The Room
Take That Feat. LuluRelight My Fire
Meat LoafI’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)
Mr. BlobbyMr. Blobby
Take ThatBabe

Sport

  • A false start forces the Grand National to be cancelled.
  • Graham Taylor resigns as manager of the England football team after three years in charge.
  • Manchester United become the first champions of the new FA Premier League after their last remaining title contenders, Aston Villa, lose 1–0 at home to Oldham Athletic. It is the first time in 26 years that Manchester United have been champions of the top division of English football.

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