Lauren Layfield sits in for Katie Thiselton on Going Home Joining Emil Franchi on Monday 2nd February  It will be good to hear these two presenting together again!

It seems to be these days that each show team inc production has been told to have 2 weeks off around Christmas and most have gone for before Christmas 1 of which has to be limbo week for weekday presenters 

As it's been a year since the major daytime schedule changes on 2, I thought I'd start a new review topic for everyone's thoughts on Scott, Trevor and Spoony now that their shows are well bedded in.  For me: Scott - you could tell from his afternoon show that he was missing someone to bounce off and in specifically Ellie but definitely also Tina he's got that. He sounds tonnes better on breakfast and has really come into his own on 2. Plus he's developed a strong format with the quiz and elder vs millennial standing out.  Trevor - It's a more music heavy and less personality based show (though he injects it brilliantly where he needs to) but it really suits him and his features are very strong. He's got good banter with Richie and Bobbie and I think people are enjoying the variety of music on that show as well.  Spoony - Fits in to late nights absolutely seamlessly, his format is full of very good quality entertaining features and Spoony's really getting his personality across loads. 

Shaun is also in for Liza Tarbuck tonight, 7th and 14th February. Josh Widdicombe sits in next week.

W/C 16 Feb Shaun Keaveny in for Jo Whiley Angellica Bell in for DJ Spoony

“If I’m the First Voice You’re Hearing Today, Hi” Scott opened Tuesday gently, welcoming anyone drifting in after Owain, setting up a packed morning and casually dropping in that “depending on what generation you are, you will know today’s guest,” before listing almost every possible Michaela Strachan reference point in one breath. He also noted, slightly surprised, that radio DJs “don’t get letters anymore,” before immediately contradicting himself by announcing “hundreds — not in the post, but virtually by email,” ready for the mailbag later. The Owl Thing (No One Knows Why) The show quickly latched onto what became the uncontested theme of the morning: owl impressions. Scott admitted he didn’t understand where it had come from, saying it was “either the Beckhams or owls” on social media, but that didn’t stop him going all in. Voice notes poured in from everywhere, with Scott inviting “owls all over the land — Manchester, Cardiff, Belfast, Norwich, Edinburgh, Aberdeen,” and opening the door to celebrity owls too. Tina and Ellie were swiftly dragged in. Tina delivered a composed “twit-two,” while Ellie went rogue with “ee-bye-hoo.” Scott was delighted and faintly alarmed, noting he’d “never seen so many voice notes come in this early in the morning,” before declaring the UK “a nation of owls” and accepting that “we just need a bit of a laugh, don’t we?” Wedgie-Gate and Newsreader Trauma Somehow, the word “wedgie” became a talking point, after Scott revealed he hadn’t expected to hear it said repeatedly in a news bulletin. He admitted, incredulous, that he’d never said it “on the radio. Full stop,” before imagining the internal struggle of having to read it aloud on air. Tina confirmed she’d never said it either, and Scott gleefully replayed the moment, admitting he could hear the panic in the delivery. It was one of those moments that existed purely to make Scott laugh — and therefore stayed alive far longer than necessary. Pause for Thought That Properly Landed The mood shifted with Pause for Thought from Krish Kandiah, who spoke about mornings shared with his son reading How to Train Your Dragon, and how a Shared Lives placement had quietly changed their family dynamic. Scott listened closely, later reflecting that it wasn’t too late — “here we are on the 20th of January, nearly February” — to finally start reading properly himself. The chat rolled naturally into Tina’s goal of reading 52 books in a year, which Scott described as “an impressive amount of books,” before admitting he hoped they were “all short ones.” Michaela Strachan: Five Paragraphs, No Notes Michaela Strachan joined just after eight, with Scott admitting he felt like he already knew her because he’d been watching her for years. Michaela returned the love, saying she listens to Radio 2 “all the time when I’m in my car,” instantly establishing mutual fandom. They talked Winterwatch returning that night, Michaela explaining the aim was to help people “feel relaxed, feel comfortable, really embrace the outdoors,” while learning about British wildlife. Broadcasting from Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland, she revealed they’d adjusted their start time to avoid clashing with The Traitors, joking that “you don’t want to mess with that.” Michaela ran through the wildlife lineup — badgers, pine martens, red squirrels, otters — calling it “an absolute mammal fest,” while Scott helpfully clarified she meant mammals, not “middle-aged men in Lycra.” The pair also teased a Traitors-inspired feature called “nature’s traitors,” with Michaela proudly explaining her assigned angler fish, complete with prop, because “regulars of the Watches love our props.” She gamely reacted to the owl impressions too, praising a Cilla Black owl as “inspired,” before Scott promised to play her the new Bruno Mars track and ominously hinted they’d be revisiting “something from the past” after. Take That Trauma, Reopened Later, Scott unveiled the trailer for the new Take That documentary, admitting he’d already watched it and found it “incredible,” packed with unseen footage and drama. He described watching it with his son, who wasn’t around for the original era but was now fully obsessed, wanting to “watch another one” immediately. Scott reminded listeners of the emotional impact of the original split, vividly recalling the press conference and the now-legendary Take That helpline, which he confirmed “was real and is featured in the show.” He asked, gently but pointedly, whether anyone listening had actually called it at the time, fully aware of what he was about to unleash. The post 20 January 2026: A Nation of Owls, Wedgie News and Michaela Strachan first appeared on Unofficial Mills.View the full article

Here's one I put up a few years back. This show will be 25 years old this coming Thursday (22nd January 2026). Frightening, it sounds like just a few years ago listening back.