Turning Points and Lasting Legacies: What Happened in 1985 in the UK

In 2025, we mark the 40th anniversary of 1985, a year that left a lasting impact on the United Kingdom. Interested in what happened in 1985 in the UK? From cultural milestones to ground breaking technological shifts, let’s journey back in time to explore the defining moments that shaped this remarkable year.

If you were born in 1985 you would be celebrating your 40th Birthday this year, likewise if you married in 1985 you will be celebrating your 40th Wedding Anniversary this year.

Join us as we uncover the forgotten gems of 1985 and reflect on their impact on our lives today. So sit back, relax, and get ready to reminisce about the year that brought us countless memories and set the stage for the future.

Major Events of the Year 1985 in the UK

Miners’ Strike Ends: The year saw the conclusion of the year-long miners’ strike, one of the most divisive industrial actions in British history. It was a turning point in UK industrial relations which had long-term implications on communities, unions and society as a whole.

Live Aid Concert: On July 13, the UK hosted the iconic Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium and another in Philadelphia, an unprecedented global effort to combat famine in Ethiopia. One of the most memorable cultural moments of the decade. Organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, it brought together global music stars, including Queen, David Bowie, and U2, and raised millions of pounds for famine relief in Ethiopia. It underscored the UK’s growing role in international humanitarian efforts.

Bradford City FC disaster. A fire consumes the grandstand during the final Third Division League match of the season. The fire kills 56 people and injures hundreds more.

Maths Protégé Ruth Lawrence achieves a maths degree at Oxford at the age of 13 having never been taught in formal education. she became the youngest British person to gain a first-class degree, and the youngest to graduate from the University of Oxford in modern times. She has remained in Academia for the rest of her career so far.

Handsworth Riots, a suburb of Birmingham erupted for a second time, this being the most serious in September this year. At least 4 people died, many injured with about 45 shops looted and razed to the ground.

Broadwater Farm Riots, Tottenham followed Handsworth in October with Guns being used for the first time against the police. This riot however resulted in the death of P.C. Keith Blakelock by being hacked to death with machetes and knives. Riots also occurred in Brixton, Peckham and Toxteth in this year.

HMS Ark Royal is commissioned by HRH The Queen Mother.

The Anglo-Irish agreement was signed on 15th November 1985 being the first step that eventually brought lasting peace to Northern Ireland.

Massive Merger: Department store chains British Home Stores (BHS) and Habitat announce they will merge.

Global Events That Happened In 1985

Internationally, 1985 was a pivotal year. Mikhail Gorbachev came to power as the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in March, signifying a shift in the Cold War dynamic. In the United States, Ronald Reagan began his second term as President. The year also saw the French intelligence service’s sabotage of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand’s Auckland Harbour, bringing environmental activism and international tensions into the spotlight. Meanwhile, the ongoing Iran-Iraq War continued to dominate Middle Eastern geopolitics.

• Cold War Tensions: The Geneva Summit marked a thaw in US-Soviet relations as President Reagan met with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
• Mexico City Earthquake: A devastating earthquake in September claimed thousands of lives and left a lasting impact on the region.
• Discovery of the Titanic Wreck: Dr. Robert Ballard and his team discovered the long-lost wreckage of the RMS Titanic.
• Famine in Ethiopia: The Ethiopian famine continued, spurring global efforts such as Band Aid and Live Aid.
• South Africa repeals mixed race marriage ban.
• Prince Charles and Princess Diana met with the Pope John Paul II in the Vatican City.
• Heysel Stadium Disaster: A tragic event in Brussels at the European Cup final resulted in the deaths of 39 people, leading to an indefinite ban on English football clubs in European competitions (Lifted in 1990.) This disaster changed the face of European football, leading to stricter stadium safety standards across Europe.
• Achille Lauro hijacking, the Italian registered Ocean Liner with 97 passengers and 450 crew is hijacked by 4 people from the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF.) A 69-year-old Jewish American man in a wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer, was murdered by the hijackers and thrown overboard.

UK Music of 1985

Chart-Topping Hits: Tracks like “Take On Me” by A-ha and “Careless Whisper” by George Michael dominated the airwaves.

Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”: Recorded in late 1984, it continued to resonate with the public in early 1985.

Emerging Stars: Bands like The Smiths and Tears for Fears cemented their legacy, while Queen’s electrifying Live Aid performance is still celebrated as one of the greatest live acts of all time.

Global Influence: In May 1985 eight of the top 10 singles in the USA were by acts of British origin, this reflected across other nations also.

Singles of the year

Both Jennifer Rush and Paul Hardcastle occupied the top 40 number one spot for the longest time during this year, both were there for 5 weeks.

We offer a 1985 time to remember CDcard ideal for those celebrating their Birthday or anniversary in this year.

Music Albums of the Year 1985

The album charts were dominated this year by compilation albums with both the “Hit” and “Now” brands occupying the top of the album charts for 17 weeks. Dire Straits, Phil Collins and Madonna sold the most albums this year.

• Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms, the first album to sell over 1 million copies in the new CD format.
• Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair
• Alison Moyet – Alf
• Eurythmics – Be Yourself Tonight
• Paul Young – The Secret of Association

Top UK Movies of 1985

• Back to the Future: Although American, this film became a hit in UK theatres, inspiring a generation.
• Bond is Back: The 14th James Bond film, A View to a Kill, is released, marking the 7th and final appearance by Roger Moore as the fictitious secret agent. Moore had played the role 1st in 1973.
• A Room with a View: This British romantic drama gained critical acclaim and showcased British talent.
• Brazil: Terry Gilliam’s dystopian masterpiece found a cult following with its satirical view of bureaucracy.

These are some of the blockbusters from the year, check IMDB’s best films of 1985 for a comprehensive list.

Science & Technology of 1985 in the UK

• First Commercial Mobile Phone Call in the UK: Vodafone’s mobile network introduced a new era of communication.
• Sir Clive Sinclair launches the Sinclair C5, it was a personal electric vehicle which you sat in. Perhaps ahead of its time as it also ceases production in the same year having sold only 17,000 units.
• UK’s 1st heart-lung transplant is carried out at the Harefield Hospital in Middlesex. The patient is three-year-old Jamie Gavin
• Advances in Computing: Personal computers like the BBC Micro continued gaining popularity in schools and homes.
• Halley’s Comet Returns: The comet’s appearance sparked widespread public interest in astronomy.
• Transformers was the top toy for Christmas 1985

Sports of 1985

• European Football Ban: The Heysel tragedy led to England’s clubs being banned from European tournaments.
• England qualifies for next summer’s World Cup in Mexico with a 1–1 draw against Romania at Wembley, thanks to a goal from Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle.
• Snooker Glory: Dennis Taylor’s dramatic victory over Steve Davis in the World Snooker Championship captured the nation’s attention.
• Wimbledon: Boris Becker became the youngest male Wimbledon champion at just 17 years old.
• Boxing: Mark Kaylor clinches the middleweight boxing title by defeating Errol Christie, following a fiery pre-fight brawl caught on camera at the weigh-in.

UK Television of the Year 1985

• EastEnders Debuts: The BBC launched its iconic soap opera in February this year, which quickly became a staple of British television, it reflected British working-class life and became a national institution.
• Blockbuster TV: Shows like “Only Fools and Horses” and “Doctor Who” remained household favourites.
• With only four terrestrial channels: UK viewers had a more shared television experience than today, and certain moments, episodes, and Christmas specials became nationwide talking points.
• Highest ever TV audience: The World Snooker Championship Final between Dennis Taylor (the eventual winner) and Steve Davis draws BBC2’s highest ever rating of 18.5 million viewers. The final goes on past midnight and this broadcast remains a record for a post-midnight audience in the UK.
• Live Aid: The iconic Live Aid concerts rock Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, broadcast worldwide. BBC2 airs the Wembley show live from midday, with BBC1 covering Philadelphia later that evening.
• The crime fighting duo Dempsey and Makepeace made their debut on ITV.
•  Miami Vice, makes its UK debut on BBC1
• Play School is shown in the afternoon for the final time on BBC1
• The popular American animated series Transformers makes its UK debut on ITV’s TV-am morning programme.
• Max Headroom makes its UK debut on Channel 4, with the sci-fi television movie Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future.
• Michael Praed appears for the final time as Robin Hood in the ITV series Robin of Sherwood, after being dramatically killed off in the second season’s finale.
• A regional news bulletin is broadcast after the Nine O’Clock News for the first time.
• Children’s BBC is launched on BBC1 with Phillip Schofield presenting from “The Broom Cupboard”.
• After 20 years on the air, ITV’s Saturday afternoon sports programme World of Sport is broadcast for the last time.
• The dating game show Blind Date on ITV, presented by Cilla Black is first broadcast.
• The sitcom Girls on Top makes its debut on ITV, starring Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Ruby Wax.
• The 1000th episode of Emmerdale Farm airs and is celebrated with a special lunch attended by Princess Michael of Kent.
• Final episode of Are You Being Served? is broadcast

Interesting Facts and Figures about 1985

Population: The UK population was approximately 56 million.

Government: The Conservatives were in power with Margaret Thatcher as the Prime Minister.

Weather: The year included one of the coldest winters of the 20th century.

Fashion Trends: Neon colours, shoulder pads, and leg warmers dominated the fashion scene.

Best Video Games of 1985

Symbol of 1985 Chinese Zodiac

1985 was the Year of the Ox

Births, Deaths, and Marriages in 1985

Births

A total of 656,417 births were recorded in the UK in 1985

Some notable people born were:

• Wayne Rooney, English footballer.
• Lewis Hamilton, Formula One racing driver.
• Keira Knightley, actress.
• Beth Tweddle, gymnast.
• Leona Lewis, singer.
• Mark Cavendish, road racing cyclist.
• Joe Wicks, fitness coach & television presenter.
• Harry Judd, pop rock drummer (McFly.)

Deaths

• Actor Sir Michael Redgrave dies aged 77 of Parkinson’s disease in a nursing home at Denham.
• Rock Hudson, American actor;
• Philip Larkin, British poet.
• Ray Ellington, singer, drummer and bandleader (born 1916)
• Doctor Richard Beeching, railway executive (born 1913)
• Arthur Negus, broadcaster and antiques specialist (born 1903)
• Noele Gordon, actress, played Meg Mortimer in Crossroads (born 1919)
• Jock Stein, footballer and manager of Scotland (born 1922)
• Laura Ashley, designer (born 1925)

Marriages in the Year 1985

A total of 346,389 marriages took place in the UK in 1985

Some notable people were married this year:

• Simon Le Bon (Music Artist, Duran Duran) marries Yasmin Parvaneh (Supermodel.) They are still married.
• Madonna (Music Artist) marries Sean Penn (Actor.) They divorce in 1989.
• Joan Collins (Actress/Author) marries her 4th husband, Peter Holm (Pop Singer & Playboy!) They divorce in 1987.
• OJ Simpson marries his 2nd Wife Nicole Brown who was murdered in 1994.
• Martin Scorsese (Film Director) marries Barbara De Fina (Film Producer.)They divorce in 1991.
• Billy Joel (Music Artist) marries Christie Brinkley (Supermodel) sadly they divorce in 1994.
• Bruce Springsteen (Music Artist) marries Julianne Phillips (Actress) they divorce in 1989.
• Robin Gibb (Music Artist, Bee Gees) marries Dwina Murphy (Author/Artist.)
• Sylvester Stallone (Actor) marries Bridgette Nielsen (Actress.) They divorce in 1987.
• Nick Ross (TV personality) marries Sarah Caplin (TV Producer.)
• Ronnie Kray (Gangster) marries Elaine Mildener at Broadmoor Hospital Chapel. They divorce in 1989.
• Mary Decker (US Athlete) marries Richard Slaney (British Athlete/Strongman)

Anniversaries in 1985

• 40th anniversary of the 1st nuclear bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Commemorated by an event at the Peace Park in the city.
• 250th anniversary of No. 10 Downing Street becoming the Prime Minister’s official residence.
• 40th anniversary celebrations of VE Day
• 30 years of ITV 
• 25th anniversary of the first episode of Coronation Street.
• 5th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon is commemorated.

UK Fashion of the year 1985

The year 1985 in the UK was a vibrant time for fashion, reflecting a diverse array of cultural influences, estimated to be worth £1 billion to the UK’s balance of trade many fashion fads were sold globally.

Trends that drove the fashion included global pop culture, music videos, and celebrity endorsements. Power Dressing was a continued trend, influenced by the popular shows such as Dallas and Dynasty. These prime-time soaps, centred around wealthy, influential families and their intense power struggles, presented fashion as an extension of status, ambition, and authority. Female leads like Alexis Carrington (played by Joan Collins in “Dynasty”) and Sue Ellen Ewing (played by Linda Gray in “Dallas”) regularly appeared onscreen adorned in sharp-shouldered jackets, tailored suits, and luxurious fabrics.

Power Dressing: Influenced by the working woman, power suits with oversized blazers became the rage.

Casual Styles: Denim jackets, acid-wash jeans, and slogan tees were essential for the youth.

Hairstyles: Big hair was in, with perms and teased locks ruling the streets.

UK Cost of Living in the year 1985

Economically, the UK was emerging from the early 1980s recession, leading to a period of growth and stability. The UK economy under Margaret Thatcher’s government was experiencing a phase of restructuring with a move away from traditional industries like mining and manufacturing towards services and finance. Inflation is running at 6.1%.

Cost of Living Today

Fast forward to today, the UK faces different economic challenges. While average incomes have risen, so have the costs of essential goods and services. Housing, in particular, has seen a dramatic increase in costs, outpacing the growth in wages for many.

Comparison Table: Consumer Products Then and Now

Chart Data sourced from the Office of National Statistics(ONS) and UK Land registry

Reflecting on 1985:

The year was dominated by social events both good and bad, these events shaped the UK and the world for the next decade and possibly more.

Pros and Cons of 1985’s Developments

Pros of 1985’s Developments:

• Growing technological advancements paved the way for modern conveniences.
• Unifying events like Live Aid highlighted global solidarity.

Cons of 1985’s Developments:

• Socio-economic divides and industrial unrest left a lasting impact.
• Tragic events like the Heysel disaster exposed weaknesses in safety protocols.

Gift Ideas for 1985

What would have been on the wish lists in 1985?

• Walkman: A must-have for music lovers.
• Cabbage Patch Kids: Popular among children.
• Rubik’s Cube: Still a favorite puzzle game.
• Video Cassettes: A perfect gift for movie enthusiasts.

Reminisce the year 1985 with these gift ideas:

Sources:

• British Newspaper Archive
• ONS
• On this Day
• Wikipedia
• The Time of Your Life DVD 1985
• British Pathé
• Brides.com