Look Back To 1986: What Happened That Year

The Hand of God, Chernobyl and Neighbours arriving on daytime television.

Here's 1986 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.

In the charts in 1986

• 'Don't Leave Me This Way' by the Communards was the year's best-selling single.
• Wham! split up in June with a farewell concert at Wembley.
• Jackie Wilson's 'Reet Petite', reissued after a claymation video, was the Christmas number one.

In the news in 1986

• The Chernobyl nuclear accident occurred on 26 April; rainfall carried fallout to parts of Britain.
• The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch on 28 January.
• Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in July.

On screen in 1986

• Neighbours began on BBC One and became a daytime and teatime fixture.
• Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee were the films of the year.
• Casualty began on BBC One in September.

In sport in 1986

• Diego Maradona scored both the Hand of God and the goal of the century against England in the World Cup quarter-final on 22 June.
• Liverpool won the league and FA Cup double.
• The Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh and hit by a boycott.

Everyday life in 1986

• Halley's Comet returned and was largely invisible from a cloudy Britain.
• The Big Bang deregulated the London stock market in October.
• Fax machines began appearing in ordinary offices.

If you were born in 1986

• Anyone born in 1986 is the same age as Neighbours on British television and Casualty.
• They arrived in the summer of Maradona's two goals against England.
• Anyone born in 1986 turns 30 in 2016, 40 in 2026, 50 in 2036, 60 in 2046 and 70 in 2056.
• For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
• For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
• Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
• Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 1989
• Look back to 1988
• Look back to 1987
• Look back to 1985
• Look back to 1984
• Look back to 1983
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• 1980s party playlist
• 80s kids' TV shows
• 80s quiz questions
• Toys of the 80s and 90s
• Computers and consoles we grew up with
• Saturday morning TV
• Cassette tapes and taping the charts
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors by era
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Milestone birthday cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the Christmas number one in 1986?

'Reet Petite' by Jackie Wilson - a 1957 recording that returned to number one after a claymation video was made for it.

When was the Hand of God goal?

22 June 1986, in the World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England in Mexico City.

How old is someone born in 1986?

Subtract 1986 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2026, 50 in 2036, 60 in 2046 and 70 in 2056.

Do you sell anything to do with this year?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page itself is free to read and free to copy.