Chris faces his first Hollywood interview
Chris was due to leave immediately after the programme to interview a genuine Hollywood A-lister, but Scott refused to reveal the guest’s identity. The arrangement followed Chris’s disastrous attempts to recognise famous actors and his rehearsal interviews with Scott. He remained convinced that the supposed star might turn out to be somebody from Big Brother, the reality television pair Speidi or even an animal from a Hollywood film.
Scott insisted that the guest was a real person and a much bigger name than Chris expected. The uncertainty left Chris pacing, sweating and repeatedly trying to guess what awaited him. His preparation consisted of a sheet carrying a few desperate ideas, including football kick-ups, lunch and what the star might be doing at the weekend.
His smart clothes attracted almost as much attention as the assignment. Scott posted a photograph of the outfit, prompting comments about Chris’s shoes and the fact that he had bought himself a shirt and trousers for the occasion. Chris argued that he had simply made an effort for an important interview, although he was clearly becoming more nervous as the appointment approached.
Listeners are trusted with the secret
Scott decided that somebody else needed to know the star’s identity and invited listeners who could keep a secret to call. Kayla had concealed plans for her father’s surprise 40th birthday for two months, including arrangements for guests travelling from Africa, which was enough to earn Scott’s trust.
After hearing the name off air, Kayla told Chris that the person was extremely famous and that he needed very good questions. Asked how she would react if she were sitting with the guest, she said she would “pretty much go mental”. A second listener, James, was equally astonished and said he would sacrifice his arms and legs to be in Chris’s position. Neither listener revealed the answer online.
The praise did little to calm Chris. He wondered whether he might be meeting the dog from Beethoven or the star of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, despite Scott repeatedly confirming that the interviewee was human.
Newsround gets unusually affectionate
A Newsround presenter accidentally gave the audience a much more affectionate goodbye than intended. After directing viewers to the programme’s website for a new Doctor Who image, she finished the bulletin with “Bye-bye, love you.”
Scott and Chris recognised the familiar mistake of calling a teacher “Mum” at school, an error which could not be recovered once it had escaped. The sign-off sounded as though the presenter had momentarily forgotten that she was speaking to the nation rather than ending a family telephone call.
Dear Scott
The programme received an invitation from listeners in Malmö, who offered Scott a traditional Swedish dinner and some language lessons when he travelled to the city for Eurovision. They also supplied a Swedish equivalent of “Go on, pigs”, even if the translation was more about preserving the meaning than reproducing the words exactly.
Another listener described a woman pushing the limits of acceptable breakfast food on the number 13 bus. She had progressed from a drink and toast to producing a bowl, spoon, hot porridge and a jar of jam. Scott admitted that he had once eaten a complete Chinese meal on a train while hungover. He and Chris decided that elaborate food on public transport was permissible only if the passenger was prepared to share it.
A former Radio 1 interviewee also reported using Lawrence’s computerised Loving the Trolls voice to read hostile online comments about his PlayStation 4 appearance. The ridiculous delivery had stopped the criticism from hurting, suggesting that the programme’s method could work away from the show as well.
Matt Edmondson offers last-minute advice
Matt Edmondson joined the final countdown and confirmed that film junket interviews could be especially uncomfortable. A journalist might receive only six minutes with no time to build rapport, while the actor had already answered the same questions throughout the day. Matt remembered asking Christian Bale what audiences could expect from a Batman film and receiving the unhelpful answer “Nothing”.
Once Scott privately told Matt who Chris would meet, Matt abandoned his earlier amusement and said it was cruel not to reveal the name. He believed Chris needed every available minute to assemble questions. With about 15 minutes remaining, Scott finally agreed.
Real or No Real
Matt stayed for Real or No Real, beginning with the Great Beer Flood of London. Matt assumed that such an extraordinary disaster would have become far better known, but Chris trusted a vague memory and correctly declared it real. The 1814 flood released an enormous quantity of beer and killed several people.
Vending machines had not contained secret game-style codes for free drinks, while Mila Kunis really did prefer staying at home with games including World of Warcraft to attending some celebrity parties. Rav Wilding’s profile picture was not a meat cake sent by an admirer, despite the story seeming strangely suited to the exceptionally fit former Crimewatch presenter. Matt finished with 20 points and Scott with ten.
The mystery is revealed
With the programme nearly over, Scott finally told Chris that he was about to interview Mila Kunis. The reaction was immediate: Chris rushed away to shave, apply some fragrance and travel straight to the hotel. Scott confirmed that Chris would carry the microphone and conduct the interview alone.
The rest of the team expected a mess. Chris knew almost nothing about films, had received only a few minutes’ notice and was visibly overwhelmed by the name. The result would be played on Monday, leaving the programme with one question for the weekend: whether Chris could get through an A-list interview without forgetting both the guest and every question he had been taught to ask.
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