2008 in history
Here are some light-hearted facts about 2008, designed to serve as a prep sheet for a radio feature on 2008.
I created this page because when I needed some notes to create a few talking points about 2008 in Ireland I couldn't find any suitable sources, so I thought I'd share what I did find. It applies to 2008 in Britain too.
You can also look at years other than 2008:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
2008
President George W. Bush had two shoes thrown at him during a press conference in Iraq.
This year was declared the International Year of the Potato by the UN.
'Sachsgate' occurred where Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross made prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs on their pre-recorded radio show. The event was hugely controversial and saw both presenters suspended from the BBC. It was notable because the newly-launched iPlayer meant that anybody could go back and hear the offensive segment, massively increasing the number of people who could be offended.
The M6, England's first motorway, was completed with the final section oepening over the border into Scotland. The first section had opened exactly 50 years earlier.
Woolworths announced that they were in major trouble, and began a closing down sale that saw shops stripped to the bone. [NB: The actual closures happened in January 2009.]
MFI closed all its stores. Seeing so many big brands in trouble was a big memory of the 'credit crunch'.
The Olympic Games were held in Beijing. Great Britain finished fourth with 19 gold medals, and prepared to host the next games. Usain Bolt set a new world record of 9.69 seconds, winning the 100m gold medal.
Joel Waul set the Guinness World Record with a 9400 lb rubber band ball comprised of 700,000 rubber bands. It was purchased by Ripley's Believe It or Not later that year.
England's Highways Agency started switching off street lights after 10pm to save money.
A Fathers 4 Justice campaigner climbed a sign above the M25 while dressed as Batman, causing a 15 mile tailback and much media outrage.
An earthquake with an epicentre in Lincolnshire was felt across most of Britain, with several buildings suffering substantial damage.
NASA announced that 'Across the Universe' by The Beatles would be the first song to be beamed into space. Paul McCartney said, "send my love to the aliens".
Barack Obama won the American presidential election, and was inaugurated the following year.
Brian Cowen replaced Bertie Ahern as an Taoiseach.
The Cheerios Childline concert with Enrique Iglesias was the first act at the new O2 Arena in Dublin.
2008 Launches
The Large Hadron Collider was started up for the first time, and there were fears that it could end the world.
Spotify was launched.
Google Street View started driving around - this is the earliest year you can take their photos back to. [NB: Most people didn't know about the service until it launched in March 2009.]
The first Tesla, the Roadster, was released.
Scientists in New Zealand created a tear-free onion.
2008 in Film
The Dark Knight was the biggest film of the year, released shortly after Heath Ledger died.
Other big films include Iron Man, WALL-E, Twilight, Quantum of Solace, Horton Hears a Who!, Sex and the City, Mamma Mia!, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and The Incredible Hulk.
Kung-Fu Panda was released across the world and was an especially big hit in China.
Harrison Ford returned as Indiana Jones aged 65.
Slumdog Millionaire and Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death was also released.
2008 in TV
Big TV shows of the year (not premiers): The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing On Ice.
Breaking Bad aired for the first time.
Snog Marry Avoid? and The Inbetweeners were shown for the first time.
Peter Kay created the parody programme, 'Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice'. The charity show was "won" by his character Geraldine McQueen, who released a winner's song and a Christmas song.
Ugly Betty and Hole in the Wall were shown for the first time.
Livin' with Lucy began on TV.
The Eurovision Song Contest saw Dustin The Turkey represent Ireland, but not progressing to the final.
While these facts about 2008 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.
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1985 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020