27 January 2023: Friday feeling, a £62,000 Mr Blobby and Michelle’s Birthday Game

Anita Rani takes over

Anita Rani sat in for Scott and asked listeners what had given them the Friday feeling.

She had begun her own day at five in the morning unable to find her house keys. Discovering them counted as her first piece of good luck.

Listeners were travelling to the Strictly Come Dancing tour, going to the pub, preparing for cinema trips and leaving for holidays.

Matt and Tom were driving to Heathrow before flying to Miami for a cruise, while a group of 20 men were travelling to Austria for a skiing trip.

Anita had both danced on and hosted the Strictly tour and promised those attending that they would have an excellent night.

Anita discussed a Mr Blobby costume that had attracted a winning eBay bid of £62,101.

The listing had begun at £39.

The seller said the costume had spent years in storage after being made for an overseas version of Noel’s House Party that was cancelled.

It had never been used in a television studio and required some repair, including glue in several places.

Anita encouraged listeners to investigate their attics in case they were unknowingly storing something similarly valuable.

Michelle turned 45 and celebrated by taking the day off, visiting the hairdresser and going out for dinner.

She was planning to learn paddleboarding with her partner before a holiday on the south coast, despite not being able to swim.

Michelle shared her birthday with Mozart, Frank Skinner, Alan Cumming and Mark Owen.

Her first Birthday Game spin was Shakin’ Stevens. Michelle decided to move on because she did not remember the song particularly well.

The second was Ariana Grande’s 7 Rings, number one in 2019. Anita demonstrated some dance moves, but Michelle rejected it.

Her compulsory final selection was Enrique Iglesias’s Hero.

The song brought back strong memories, and Michelle regarded it as the best of the three.

Anita asked her to send the programme a photograph of her new haircut and reminded her that a balloon bearing Scott’s face would be sent in the post.

Anita replayed highlights from the week.

Trevor Nelson had correctly identified the story about Rich stealing his toast in Dublin during the first Never Have I Trevor.

She also revisited the Music Police solving Carrie’s earworm as La Bouche’s Be My Lover.

Anita warned listeners never to steal her toast and recommended catching up with both features on BBC Sounds.

Anita presented the Friday Wonder Years from 1996 onwards.

The sequence began with Gina G’s Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit before moving to Kula Shaker’s Hush for 1997.

Listeners continued sharing their weekend plans as the music moved through successive years.

The available transcript ends during The Wonder Years and does not contain the final handover to Sara Cox.