Justin Timberlake still has it
Scott had been next door to Radio 1 for Justin Timberlake’s Live Lounge performance the previous night, watching with Sara Cox and a few Radio 2 colleagues. The verdict was emphatic: after wondering whether Timberlake still possessed the full pop-star magic, Scott decided that he absolutely did.
The set mixed newer material with the older songs the audience wanted, but Scott and Chris were also fascinated by one particularly energetic backing dancer. They remembered clips of him attracting his own online following and decided he deserved almost as much attention as the star at the front of the stage.
Scott’s night had also included a pub encounter that he only gradually remembered on air. He thought he might have promised somebody from Made in Chelsea a guest spot on Radio 1’s Surgery, despite having no authority to hand out jobs. It was exactly the sort of generous commitment that seemed perfectly sensible during a night out and rather less clear the next afternoon.
Meet Hernandez
Chris then introduced a new anonymous friend. He was adamant that “Hernandez” was a real mate and, unlike Fernando, definitely not Chris under another name. Hernandez had recently split from his girlfriend after a relationship serious enough for her to leave possessions at his flat, but not serious enough to involve a shared home or mortgage.
Now came the awkward administrative stage. They had been apart for a couple of weeks and were going to meet on neutral ground so he could give her belongings back. She had named a few things she wanted, but Hernandez was unsure how far he should go beyond that list.
Chris had already rejected some of his friend’s proposed additions and thought Radio 1 listeners were the perfect jury. Hernandez initially wanted nothing to do with broadcasting the problem because identification could make the breakup even more uncomfortable, so the show disguised his voice and kept his identity hidden.
The discussion became a practical breakup guide: what clearly belonged to the ex, what was too personal to include without being asked, and whether a well-intentioned extra item could accidentally look pointed or cruel. The neutral-location handover was already awkward enough without the contents of the bag creating a second argument.
Can you beat Stupid Street?
Radio 1’s Track of the Day was John Newman’s “Cheating”, so Scott again turned the artist briefing into a memory contest. Caller Lucy was given 15 quick facts, including that Newman was from North Yorkshire, began writing music at 14, was 22, had sung on Rudimental’s “Feel the Love” and would have fixed cars if music had not worked out.
Lucy retained an impressive 12. Joanna on “Stupid Street” managed six, meaning the listener comfortably won and the new record got its Radio 1 spotlight at the same time.
Huw Stephens misses his own game
Huw Stephens eventually appeared for Real or No Real, only to discover that Scott had already arranged to play because Huw had not answered his phone earlier. Scott invited him to join anyway, creating a slightly sulky three-way version of the feature.
The genuine facts included Rihanna having been an army cadet in Barbados with Shontelle as a drill sergeant, and Beyoncé being allergic to perfume despite endorsing fragrances. A story about Justin Bieber tap-dancing to school was false, as was Shane Richie’s supposed habit of padding tiny shoes with chicken fillets.
Scott won comfortably while Huw complained that he had not been mentally prepared. It was an appropriately scrappy end to a show that had begun with Scott half-remembering promises from the night before and ended with somebody arriving late to the feature normally built around him.
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