The Summer of 1998 | France ’98, The Ladettes, the Birth of Google & the Death of Cool Britannia

We go back to the summer of 1998 and start where so many UK memories start: France 98, England vs Argentina, and the David Beckham backlash that somehow became bigger than the match itself. From there, things spiral into a perfect little time capsule of late-90s Britain, right down to the unhinged tabloid “Beckham dartboard” that turned national frustration into something nastier.

We also dig through what was on telly and what was starting to take over: Graeme Norton’s early rise, South Park’s UK debut on Channel 4, Soccer Saturday becoming a weekend fixture, SMTV Live pulling everyone in, and Telly Addicts quietly bowing out. Add in a sweep of the summer 1998 music charts (Boyzone, B*Witched, Three Lions 98, and Billie) and a detour through the films of 1998, including a proper Truman Show “what happens next?” debate, and you get a portrait of a year that feels oddly in-between.

If you like UK pop culture history, 90s telly, and honest nostalgia that remembers the rough edges as well as the bangers, hit subscribe, share it with a mate, and leave us a review. What single thing from summer 1998 do you still remember most clearly