What happened in the UK in 1990?
1990 was an action-packed year in the UK, with events that changed the face of the country. Break down the year into the top political, sports and entertainment news; This is what happened …
In the first place, it was the year the literal breakthrough was made in the canal tunnel; construction workers drilling the last chunk of rock that separated the project’s halves in the UK and France. Television footage showed workers celebrating as they met face to face in the middle of the tunnel before walking to stamp their passports in the opposite country (the first time anyone has walked between the two countries since the Ice Age!).
Politically, the ruling Conservative party endured a far from ideal year. The demonstrations against the poll tax they had previously implemented led to the worst riots seen in London in a century; with more than 100 people injured and almost 350 arrested. Margaret Thatcher, his oldest figure, took the blame for this, among other things, and resigned as Prime Minister, to be replaced by John Major.
As for sports, 1990 is best remembered for the ’90 Italy soccer world cup. Entering the tournament surrounded by controversy, and having already announced that he would be leaving after it, Bobby Robson led England to the semi-finals of the competition, where they lost on penalties to eventual West German World Cup champions. However, perhaps the biggest winners were the ‘Three Tenors’ (specifically Pavarotti) who became big world stars as a result of their singing performances throughout the tournament.
Other stars who arrived in 1990, this time from the United States, arrived in the form of the yellow-skinned ‘Simpsons’. By the end of the year, everyone was familiar with Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa, and Maggie, and the catchphrase “Eat My Shorts.” Also came from the United States ‘Baywatch’ by David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. As first responders in Los Angeles, they ran without much clothing and saved some lives; everyone was happy and the show was a great success.
The biggest movie of 1990 was Home Alone, which starred the boy (Macaulay Culkin) who woke up to find that his Christmas wish had come true and that his family had disappeared. That year also came “Pretty Woman,” starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, which involved a love story between a working girl and a wealthy, high-flying businessman.
Musically, ‘Hanging Tough’ by boy band ‘New Kids on the Block’ was the first of 17 singles to top the charts all year; the best-selling was the recording of ‘Unchained Melody’ by ‘The Righteous Brothers’ (featured in the movie ‘Ghost’). Madonna achieved her seventh number one single with ‘Vogue’ and went on to top the album chart for 9 weeks (selling 3.6 million copies) with her greatest hits release ‘The Immaculate Collection’. number one fell to Cliff Richard and his single ‘Savior’s Day’, making him the only person to have a number one in the 1950s, ’60s,’ 70s, ’80s and’ 90s.