random retro-spective
Voted back in
The Conservatives are still
in charge of the country
with Margaret Thatcher at the helm, 1987
the retro hour: 1997
We've been through the archive and compiled everything we think you need to know about the year. To make it easier for you to find what you're looking for, everything is organised into categories.
the top stories
New Labour swept to power at the General Election. Tony Blair, aged 43,
became the country's youngest Prime Minister of the 20th century and achieved
the largest-ever Labour majority
A research team at The Roslin Institute in Edinburgh created a clone of
Dolly the sheep.
Formula One racing boss Frank Williams and two other members of the Williams
team went on trial in Italy over the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994.
Sailor Tony Bullimore, age 57, was rescued after spending four days and
nights inside an airlock in his upturned yacht, 1,400 miles from Australia.
Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death for the Oklahoma City bombing in
1995
150 years of British rule in Hong Kong came to an end
Louise Woodward was found guilty of second-degree murder after the death
of nine-month-old Matthew Eappen
on the chart
Prince Charles met the Spice Girls at a gala concert and he got more
than he bargained for, including a kiss from Mel B
Michael Hutchence, the lead singer with INXS, was found dead in his hotel
room in Sydney
At the Brit Awards, Gabrielle won Best British Female and George Michael
won Best Male
Noel Gallagher claimed that Oasis were bigger than God
Michael Jackson became a father for the first time
The Eurovision Song Contest was won by Britain's Katrina And The Waves
with Love Shine A Light
John Denver was killed in a plane crash and Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces
died
on the tv and at the cinema
Channel Five launched
The programme of the year was Teletubbies enjoyed by babies and students
alike
The biggest TV audience was for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Other popular shows in 1997 were A Touch Of Frost, EastEnders, Coronation
Street and Heartbeat.
Juliette Binoche won an Oscar for her role in The English Patient. The
film itself won a total of nine awards as well as a BAFTA.
Box office hits were Titanic, The Full Monty, Screan, Men in Black, Tomorrow
Never Dies, Spiceworld and Boogie Nights.
James Stewart, Brian Glover, Robert Mitchum and Jacques Cousteau died
sports achievements and milestones
Tiger Woods in his first year as a professional won the US Masters at
Augusta: the youngest ever winner
Chelsea won the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough, the Premiership
went to Manchester United.
Martina Hingis and Pete Sampras won Wimbledon
The Grand National was postponed following a bomb scare. The winner of
the rearranged race was Lord Gyllene.
Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear during their heavyweight
fight in Las Vegas
Pete Sampras and Martina Hingis won Wimbledon
Jacques Villeneuve was the Formula 1 World Champion
and finally
The comet Hale-Bopp was visible in the night sky in March and April.
It last came this close to the Earth some 4,000 years ago.
A report from the Met Office suggested that 1997 would be the world's
warmest year ever recorded
MI5 ran adverts in The Times and The Guardian for trainee spies
The world's first lesbian beauty contest took place in London
The Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their golden wedding anniversary
Virtual pet screen savers were launched