2003 in history
Here are some light-hearted facts about 2003, designed to serve as a prep sheet for a radio feature on 2003.
I created this page because when I needed some notes to create a few talking points about 2003 in Ireland I couldn't find any suitable sources, so I thought I'd share what I did find. It applies to 2003 in Britain too.
You can also look at years other than 2003:
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2003
A summer heatwave hit the UK and a new record temperature was set: 38.5oC in Faversham, Kent. Roads melted and rails buckled. It was more mild in Ireland, with temperatures only slightly above average.
Concorde made its last commercial flight from New York to London.
Meg Ryan gave a notorious interview with Michael Parkinson where she gave one word answers to Parkinson.
London began charging its 'Congestion Charge', for cars entering the centre o the city during peak times.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California.
David Beckham's hairband became a new fashion accessory.
Madonna kissed Brittney Spears at the VMAs.
Text messaging was taken over and adults were asking whether this new 'teenage language' would replace normal speak.
Over 7000 athletes from 160 countries took part in the Special Olympics in Ireland. The event was opened by the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, in Croke Park.
2003 Launches
MySpace was launched.
Video chat service Skype was launched.
The iTunes store opened. There was still some suspicion about whether anyone would use it. They sold 10 million songs within four months.
The Spire of Dublin on O'Connell Street was officially completed. It is officially called the Monument of Light and followed years of research into finding something to mark the spot of the former Nelson's Pillar. Previous ideas had included an observation tower. The Spire was supposed to be self-cleaning, but still has to be cleaned.
The social website Second Life launched.
The first game in the Worms franchise was released.
Dating website Plenty of Fish was launched.
Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was published.
Popular game The Simpsons: Hit & Run was released.
London's Oyster Card was launched. It was one of the first travel cards of its kind.
2003 in Film
Finding Nemo was the biggest film of the year.
Other big films include Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Matrix Reloaded, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Bruce Almighty, Elf, Hulk and 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Love Actually, Holes and School of Rock were also released.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 11 Oscars winning every category it was in.
2003 in TV
Mythbusters, Peep Show and Little Britain were shown for the first time.
The Panel, NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) and Nip/Tuck were new on TV.
The final episode of Only Fools and Horses saw the Trotter brothers win a good inheritance.
In Coronation Street, Richard Hillman kidnapped his family and tried to drive them into the water, in one of the most memorable storylines.
Stephen Fry hosted the first series of QI.
The last episode of Brookside aired.
The Irish TV series Cabin Fever was due to run for eight weeks, but was cancelled when the ship being used for it sank near Donegal.
While these facts about 2003 have been checked against third-party sources (and have been used on air before!), they are provided in good faith to inspire your research and no guarantee is made about their accuracy or their uniqueness. You can use the facts however you wish: most people just take a couple of points they remember and talk around then.
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