Snow disruption
Heavy snow affected large parts of northern England, Northern Ireland and the Midlands.
Bobby provided regular updates on impassable roads, closed routes and vehicles becoming stranded.
Listeners contrasted the disruption with much milder weather in Cornwall.
The Music Police: Marianne
Marianne had lived with the same unidentified earworm for more than 20 years.
Her clue included a repeated “hey, yeah, yeah” refrain and a remembered line about a picture in her mind.
The force submitted possibilities including the Freemasons’ Love on My Mind.
The strongest suggestion was the Brand New Heavies’ Spend Some Time.
Marianne recognised the track and agreed that the case had finally been solved.
The verdict would receive an unexpected correction the following day.
The Birthday Game: Angela
Angela from Dunster in Somerset turned 62.
She had been afraid of balloons since childhood parties, particularly the noise when they burst.
Angela was prepared to accept the programme’s balloon as long as she did not have to inflate it.
Her birthday plans involved meals with friends visiting from Macclesfield and Penarth and, weather permitting, a walk along the beach with her dog.
Angela liked synth-pop, disco and 1980s alternative music, naming Kraftwerk, Pet Shop Boys, Daft Punk, Shalamar, Cameo, the Smiths and Echo & the Bunnymen.
Her first spin was Wet Wet Wet’s Goodnight Girl. Angela rejected it.
The second was the Jam’s A Town Called Malice, inspired by Woking and later featured in Billy Elliot.
As a Paul Weller fan, Angela accepted it immediately.
Her unused third song was Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do.
Steps
Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lisa Scott-Lee, Lee Latchford-Evans and Ian “H” Watkins joined Scott together.
The group announced Here & Now, a new musical built around Steps songs.
They said the idea had been discussed for around 20 years because their records already contained stories and strong emotional narratives.
The show followed four friends embarking on their own summer of love and focused on friendship and relationships.
Steps were co-producing the musical and had been closely involved in developing the project.
From Birmingham to the West End?
Here & Now was due to premiere in Birmingham in November.
The group refused to confirm future destinations but admitted that a West End transfer was part of the dream.
They reflected on attending the premiere of Mamma Mia! 25 years earlier and imagined their own musical achieving a similarly long run.
The song list would span the group’s career, from their earliest hits to newer material.
Scott suggested Scared of the Dark was especially suited to the stage, while the band remained deliberately vague about whether it appeared.
Handover
Scott handed over after thanking all five members of Steps and promoting the Birmingham premiere.
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