11 September 2025: A very Downton morning

“😬 Nothing worse than being serenaded one-on-one… my cringe glands were flaring up.” – Scott Mills
“💍 I rewrote Cole Porter for my wedding speech — nailed it.” – Listener Mary in York
“🙋‍♀️ Every relationship needs one checker-upper and one chancer — that’s teamwork.” – Graeme Daniels, Pause for Thought

A very Downton morning

Scott promised — and delivered — a full Downton Abbey takeover. By 8am, Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), Mr Carson (Jim Carter), and Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) were all in the studio, teasing the final Downton film. Scott joked about Lady Mary’s “most unladylike” behaviour, while the cast gamely played along with speculation about staircase banister slides and jam-tart theft.

Fans were urged to “set another alarm” so as not to miss it — and the orange Radio 2 sofa was wheeled in to fit everyone.

Cringe weddings and karaoke brides

A viral Vegas clip kicked off a full-blown wedding chat: a bride dragging her Elvis impersonator down the aisle while belting out Mariah Carey. “Cringe warning,” Scott laughed, “your glands will flare up.”

Listeners joined in:

• Mary from York confessed she’d swapped her wedding speech for a rewritten Cole Porter song.

• One husband admitted his wife grabbed the mic at the end of their reception and wouldn’t stop singing.

• Scott’s co-host Stefan revealed he once sang Damien Rice’s Blower’s Daughter at his sister’s wedding — cue much mockery.

Good Morning Minute – chutney, nerves, and new adventures

As ever, the 60-second sprint around the UK painted a picture of real life:

• Honey, 10, in Tunbridge Wells, nervously sitting the 11+.

• Jane in Suffolk proudly reported “16 jars of chutney – the house smells of vinegar!”

• Karl in Swansea cooked birthday waffles for his daughter Bessie, turning 7.

• Polly from Warrington was doing the emotional last shop before her son leaves for uni.

Scott invited more “flying the nest” stories to be shared over the coming weeks.

Pause for Thought – the checker-upper vs the chancer

Graeme Daniels gave a brilliantly relatable reflection on relationships: “Every couple has one checker-upper and one chancer.” From toothbrush policing to pedestrian crossings, he argued that the balance of caution and risk is what makes teamwork work. “Checker-uppers keep us safe, chancers keep us moving.”

Quiz time – Tess takes on the egg cup

Tess from Bushey, still recovering from Radio 2 in the Park, braved the easiest quiz on the radio. She scored 7, stumbling on the question “what might you buy at a car boot sale?” Scott said it was a trick one: “too much choice blinds you!” Tess laughed that even her hair still hurt from the festival.

Today’s quirks and extras

• Heating chat divided the nation: are you a “checker-upper” or do you sneak it on early?

• Listener Claire in Clitheroe stepped in to do the Blame Me shout at 8am, delivering what Scott called “understated but classy”.

• The team speculated wildly about Jo Whiley’s “mystery guest” later tonight — guesses ranged from Cher Lloyd to the Cheeky Girls.