Category: News
Britney calls from Las Vegas
Britney Spears speaks from her Las Vegas base, where Elton John is staying nearby and a noisy party has appeared across from her room. She invites Scott back to her residency, which has gained several new songs since his previous visit, and introduces her ninth album Glory.
Britney describes the record as her best work and talks about the freedom to experiment, fail and try again with new writers and producers. Scott plays “Make Me...” and asks about rumours of colla [...]
The tactical salad
Scott remains concerned that Chris is eating almost every evening meal from the barbecue, still the only cooking equipment in his new house. Chris believes he has solved the nutritional problem by eating a “tactical salad” at lunchtime, allowing him to consume only meat at night.
Breakfast remains less organised and can include leftovers from the previous barbecue. Scott warns that the hot weather will end and a real kitchen will eventually be required, but Chris is determined [...]
Chris visits the Juggalos
Scott praises Chris's new documentary about the Gathering of the Juggalos, an extreme American festival created around Insane Clown Posse. Chris entered an environment of wrestling, unusual foam parties and very relaxed attitudes to clothing with a bearded festival guide called Mangina, who wore a floral bikini.
The experience was intense enough to require multiple warnings on BBC iPlayer, but Chris found an unexpectedly strong sense of family among the Juggalos. Strang [...]
Meatballs and light bulbs
Chris visits IKEA to buy furnishings for his nearly empty house. Tiredness and an argument mean he leaves with only light bulbs, although he still finds the energy to eat meatballs. Scott reduces the entire shopping trip to “meatballs and bulbs”.
The experience adds to the evidence that Chris is approaching home ownership in the wrong order. He already has a barbecue and dartboard, but the bed, sofa and other “people things” remain for another visit.
Ellie soundtracks B [...]
A-level results and sick voices
The Breakfast Show accompanies listeners collecting their A-level results. Chris remembers smashing his hand before his own exams and having to dictate some answers, leaving him unsure what grades would arrive. Scott and Chris read messages from successful students and direct worried listeners to the exam-results helpline.
Adele has cancelled a concert because of illness and posts a quiet, apologetic video demonstrating an excellent “sick voice”. Chris attempts to [...]
Armpits for Team GB
Scott wants a visible way to support Britain's Olympic athletes and notices that many competitors have shaved under their arms. He proposes that the whole country copy them, then offers to shave Chris during the programme.
Listeners explain their own hair-removal routines, including one man who has been completely smooth since 2006. Chris accepts the idea as part of his week of self-improvement, although the practical shaving session never becomes as organised as the patrioti [...]
An Olympian orders the whole menu
Real or No Real considers self-healing fabric made with proteins from squid tentacles. The claim sounds ridiculous but is genuine: pressing the torn material together can repair it. An Australian badminton player ordering six portions of fries, 40 nuggets, six burgers and six brownies after leaving the Olympics is also real.
Scott and Chris approve of the post-competition feast, particularly when they discover that the food in the Olympic village is free. It rem [...]
Scott catches Olympic fever
Scott and Chris begin a week covering the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. After watching gymnastics, table tennis and sailing over the weekend, Scott has finally become fully absorbed by the Rio Olympics. Golf is the only event he refuses to accept as Olympic entertainment.
The Irish rowers Gary and Paul O'Donovan become particular favourites. Their interviews repeatedly return to food, steak and the Olympic village, even after winning Ireland's first rowing medal. Scott and [...]
Unofficial Mills has launched a new '24 Years at the Tap End' so you can hear all of the episodes from Chris Stark's autobiography. [...]
Hollywood finally approves the film
After an extra day's wait, the Playground Insults film is cleared for broadcast. Listeners describe buying more mobile data and rewatching earlier editions while waiting. Scott insists the delay has increased the anticipation, although some callers remain suspicious until the game actually begins.
Will Smith and Margot Robbie sit face to face and are instructed to exchange childish insults until one of them laughs. Their friendship makes the task harder, becau [...]