James Earl Jones visits and Patrick says goodbye
Scott welcomed James Earl Jones, introducing him as the voice behind Darth Vader and Mufasa as well as a towering stage and screen career. Jones was warm but modest about the quality listeners instantly recognised, calling it an instrument rather than a special gift, and explained that a teacher helped him recover his voice after he developed a stammer as a child.
They revisited Star Wars, The Lion King and Coming to America, with Jones recalling why he had initially regarded Darth Vader’s voice as a special effect rather than something for which he needed a credit. He also discussed appearing in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the West End, and happily joined in with Scott and Beccy’s increasingly questionable West Country versions of Vader lines.
Patrick made his final appearance as the original Oh! What’s Occurring? contestant, coming into the studio after becoming an unlikely fan favourite. His farewell brought a close to the remarkably successful run that had turned a listener on the phone into one of the show’s recurring characters.
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