Scott kicked off Friday in full end-of-January mood, thanking Harvey Cook for the news and immediately rewinding the week to “four-year-old Asa, the maths genius,” before flagging another “little legend” in two-year-old Jude from Manchester, who has already completed “two world-breaking trick shots on a snooker table.” Scott marvelled at how “most kids can’t even tie their shoes” while Jude is lining up shots professionals struggle with.
Phil Collins opened proceedings, with Scott calling it “an absolute pleasure” after a listener texted, “God bless you, Scott Mills. Absolute pleasure. What a show opener.” Natasha Bedingfield followed, and Scott immediately clocked the tone shift, blurting out, “Hip, hip, hooray, it’s Friday,” before immediately deciding, “I didn’t enjoy it,” calling it “a bit Friday-y.”
Ellie and Harvey slid in seamlessly. Weekend plans came thick and fast: Ellie had “a little BNO on the cards,” Scott was doing “a sweat and a plunge” and helping his son move flat, and a full debate broke out over whether a spice rack is the ultimate housewarming gift. Scott also revealed he was off to see Jo Whiley in Brighton and was actively plotting to request “the least Jo Whiley song ever” just to wind her up.
That thread ran all morning. Scott openly admitted to having “long-running friendly beef” with Jo Whiley and began collecting requests to sabotage the indie flow. Suggestions flew in — Britney, B*Witched, Steps — with Scott promising he’d be “at the front holding up my phone” in “really big, bold text.”
Victoria Beckham goes rogue
The Jo Whiley plotting escalated when Victoria Beckham entered the chat. Scott admitted he’d been trying all week to get the song cleared, explaining, “we’ve got to ask Jeff,” before revealing, “Jeff’s gone quiet on the matter.” He justified going rogue by noting Radio 2 Piano Room Month was starting and Jeff was “super busy.”
Scott then calmly announced, “I’m putting my foot down. I’m signing that executive order. And here it is,” before playing Victoria Beckham’s “Not Such An Innocent Girl.” Ellie immediately clocked it: “I am slightly concerned that you’ve gone rogue,” while Scott defended himself by saying, “No one cares after a couple of blue WKDs, do they?”
Scott revealed he’d watched “an entire ITV documentary” hoping to uncover the Beckham feud and learned nothing, and floated the idea that Victoria could “be number one on the charts tonight,” calling it “actually newsworthy.” The whole thing ended with Scott promising to “redress the balance with Toto,” which he promptly did.
The Good Morning Minute
Scott powered through the Good Morning Minute after being “accused of dilly-dallying yesterday,” reading names, ages and places at speed. Highlights included a PTA quiz win that broke Dry January, couch-to-5K with “Dame Jo Whiley urging me on,” a dishwasher repairman with “no specified time,” birthday salmon for breakfast, snowy dog walks in the Swiss Alps and payday massages.
Scott wrapped it with, “I hope you got on today. If not, try Monday,” before dropping Mika and heading straight into Pause for Thought.
Pause for Thought
Graham Daniels joined Scott, immediately complimented for a “chunky knit and a half.” Asked if he’d had a cup of tea, Graham launched into a story about the best tea he’d ever had — “because I got it when I’d been arrested. Like properly, at a police station, handcuffs, the nine yards.”
Graham told the story of accompanying a friend to confess to a robbery, only to be mistakenly arrested himself. He described the fear, the confusion, and the moment the officers realised the mistake, leading to the handcuffs coming off and a “very strong cup of tea.”
He reflected on guilt, honesty, and faith, saying that when he’s honest, he’s “not met with accusation… I’m met with mercy,” comparing it to being “led into a quiet room” and realising “my handcuffs have gone.” Scott responded, “You’ve never been more grateful for a cup of tea in your life, have you?”
Sir Terry Wogan
Scott then paused the show to mark ten years since Sir Terry Wogan’s passing. He spoke about following in Terry’s footsteps, referencing “wake up to Wogan,” Janet and John, “deadly,” and “togs.” Scott pointed listeners to “Wogan in his own words” on BBC Sounds and previewed a BBC Four night of classic shows.
Eva Cassidy’s “Over the Rainbow” played in full. A listener texted saying they “got a bit teary,” which Scott acknowledged, calling Terry “warm, mischievous and funny.” It was handled gently, without rushing.
The Easiest Quiz on the Radio
Katie from Colchester played the final quiz of the week, explaining she and her kids play “in the bath,” “on the walk to school,” and “at breakfast.” The quiz itself spoke to her, offered bath sounds for comfort, and confirmed it “lifts weights,” carrying “the weight of the easiest quiz on the radio on their shoulders every single day.”
Katie answered confidently, including “space people” for astronauts and “hockey” for ice hockey, both of which sparked negotiations. Scott argued her case fiercely, saying, “effectively they are people that are in space,” and insisting ice hockey is “still hockey.”
She finished on 17 points, with Scott declaring it “a respectable score,” telling the quiz to “get better soon,” and Katie saying she’d be reusing questions “on the walk to school and in the bath.”
Big Guest Friday
Scott introduced Big Guest Friday by calling Alan Carr “the busiest man in this business,” alongside John Richardson “from Waterloo Road” and “peak 1990s” Denise Van Outen. Denise arrived late after being told “eight o’clock,” explaining she’d gone for coffee and was “putting my makeup on,” proudly declaring, “I went for the peach blush.”
Scott asked Denise for a Big Breakfast story she could tell on breakfast radio. She delivered one involving Lionel Blair turning up at the wrong show after telling a taxi driver to take him to Live TV, arriving “doing a pirouette in the splits.” “He wasn’t in the show,” she said. “We had him on for the whole show.”
Alan Carr then escalated things dramatically by claiming he and Lionel Blair once saved a man’s life on Blackpool Pier after “downing our rosé.” He described Lionel announcing himself mid-rescue and insisted, “It’s a true story. Check it out. We were on the news.”
Denise later addressed headlines about talking to her dogs, saying, “I do,” explaining she puts the news on for them and changes channel if needed. She also plugged her tour, calling it “an evening with,” featuring songs, stories, Strictly, Chicago, and a full slideshow of Big Breakfast photos.
John Richardson stayed woven throughout, reacting, agreeing and gently grounding the room while Scott delighted in the chaos, calling it “not disappointing” and letting the stories breathe.
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