Ore doing Weekend Early Breakfast on the 4th January in for Swarzy.

Mark is now doing breakfast on the week starting 5th January, with Sara on teatime as normal.

Scott opened Christmas Eve fully aware of the magnitude of the morning, leaning into the “one more sleep” energy with theatrical flair, festive verse and absolute commitment. From the first moments, this was treated as a proper Radio 2 Christmas Eve — big music, full team, and the sense that everything that happens today counts. The show immediately settled into shared Christmas panic and excitement. Missing ingredients, early-morning shop queues, pyjama sightings in supermarkets and last-minute missions all became part of the collective picture. Tina phoned in from the delivery van, apologising for not being in the studio while doing exactly what Tina does best — grafting through peak parcel season. Scott repeatedly framed the morning as company for whatever Christmas Eve looked like: travelling, wrapping, cooking, working or stressing quietly in the kitchen. The message was consistent — you weren’t doing it alone. Just-In-Case Christmas, Roasting Tins and Peak Panic Ellie’s “just in case” roasting tin purchase became an early focal point, immediately interrogated by Scott despite Ellie not hosting Christmas. The logic — “plans change” — was accepted but also absolutely not accepted, which only made it funnier. Listener messages flooded in with their own just-in-case habits, including backup dinners, duplicate puddings and contingency gravy plans. One listener explained how post-pandemic Christmases had rewired their brain permanently, making backups feel essential rather than excessive. Claire Runacres revealed she had been ready since November, complete with four-hour bone marrow gravy preparation, prompting Scott to marvel at the wildly different approaches to Christmas across the team. The contrast between granules and bone marrow was treated as cultural anthropology. The Good Morning Minute (Extended Edition) Christmas Eve’s Good Morning Minute expanded well beyond a minute and into chaos. Scott attempted to read names, jobs and locations while repeatedly losing his place, restarting, apologising and laughing at himself. Messages came in from practice nurses, posties, carers, chefs, market traders, hospital workers, people travelling long distances and families juggling food prep and shifts. By the end, Scott openly acknowledged the mess — and that somehow made it feel even more Christmas Eve. Listeners responded warmly, with many saying the shambolic delivery somehow matched the day perfectly. Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue and Full Christmas Music Lock-In By Christmas Eve, Scott made it clear there was no longer any debate about Christmas music. Mariah Carey’s presence was treated as inevitable and celebratory, while Kylie Minogue’s XMAS was confirmed as the Christmas Number One, which Scott described as a proper honour. Taylor Swift’s Christmas Tree Farm also featured, with Scott referencing recent documentaries and Christmas viewing habits, weaving music and festive pop culture together as part of the shared experience. Any remaining resistance to Christmas music was politely ignored. Kate Bottley: Pause for Thought and Christmas Non-Negotiables Kate Bottley joined Scott in the studio, sparkling — literally — and immediately settling into warm, familiar conversation. Their chat began with Christmas plans and who would be around the table, before moving naturally into Kate’s Pause for Thought. Kate spoke about Christmas “non-negotiables” — the foods, traditions and rituals people feel strongly about — from cauliflower cheese to bread sauce to Yorkshire puddings. She then gently reframed the idea, reminding listeners that the real non-negotiable of Christmas is love. She reflected on the first Christmas, its lack of control or perfection, and how making room for others — literally and emotionally — is central to the season. Her message landed softly but clearly: whatever Christmas looks like, you are loved, and that is not up for negotiation. Scott responded personally, thanking Kate and acknowledging how often she supports him behind the scenes. It was a moment of warmth rather than stillness — fitting for Christmas Eve. Remember Monday Take Over Remember Monday were firmly established as the show’s Christmas Eve house band, arriving with crackers, chocolates, Christmas pudding shoes and full festive energy. Their presence threaded through the entire morning. They spoke about Eurovision, shared memories from earlier in the year and confirmed that Christmas Eve together is a long-standing tradition — involving singing, bottles and eventually heading out in Camberley, where “true nightclub” awaits. They performed multiple live tracks across the show, including Santa Baby, their single More Than Ever Now, and later All I Want for Christmas Is You. Each performance was treated as a gift rather than a segment, with Scott repeatedly expressing disbelief at how effortlessly they switch between chat and harmony. Listener messages poured in praising the performances, with several saying Remember Monday had helped them through difficult years. Scottport Returns One of the most joyful callbacks of the year arrived when Scott and Kate reconnected with Stockport station — temporarily Scottport once again. Lisa and Lee joined from the station, confirming everything was running (mostly) on time. A festive tannoy announcement was delivered wishing the people of Scottport a Merry Christmas, complete with a slightly elusive bing-bong sound that became its own mini-drama. Messages were passed on to family members, including birthday wishes and recovery messages, turning the station into a community noticeboard. Scott delighted in the moment, once again marvelling that an idea based purely on his name had become a real-world thing. Unsung Heroes of Christmas Eve Throughout the morning, Scott gave space to people working through Christmas: cabin crew racing Santa home from New York, supermarket delivery drivers navigating carnage, engineers keeping mobile networks running, military personnel, care home staff and emergency workers. Scott repeatedly reminded listeners to be kind to anyone working that day, emphasising that Christmas would still happen even if everything wasn’t perfect. Smart speakers were gifted to several callers as a thank-you. The tone stayed practical, warm and grounding — Christmas without sentimentality. The Final Easiest Quiz of the Year Danny from Dawlish returned for the final Easiest Quiz of the year, with some confusion over whether Scott had mumbled a question previously. A 50-50 peace treaty was agreed. Danny made strong progress, including correctly naming Christingle (after saying it out loud), but fell foul of the classic Christmas debate: do elves deliver presents or just make them? Scott ruled that elves make, reindeer deliver — meaning Danny landed on 10 points. Improvement acknowledged, dignity intact, Christmas preserved. The post 24 December 2025: Remember Monday, Kate Bottley, and Scottport first appeared on Unofficial Mills.View the full article

Joel Dommett on Saturday 24th January  Michelle Visage in for Elaine Paige on Sunday 25th January  W/C 26th January  Spoony in for Trevor Nelson  Melvin Odoom on The Good Groove in for Spoony.

Hariett Jaxxon sits in for Charlie Tee on Saturday 24th January

Not sure if this is the right spot for it, but starting in the new year I'm hoping to start uploading and sharing my own collection of old Radio 1 shows, mainly covering the years 2007-2012, but with some extra stuff from 2005/06 and 2013-15.  From looking around online there's some shows I have editions of (such as the Sunday Surgery or Switch with Annie & Nick) that have never had any full editions resurface online (compared to the likes of Moyles and Mills). I've also recently digitised a collection of 15 cassettes, dating from Jan 2000 to Jan 2002 (almost entirely old Moyles afternoon shows) which I'll be uploading as well. 

Scott fully embraced the “day before the day before Christmas” energy from the off, repeatedly reminding everyone where they were in the festive calendar and inviting anyone still working to make themselves known. Schools were done, inboxes were quiet, and the show leaned hard into shared Christmas brain, festive logistics and the sense that normal rules no longer applied. Almost immediately, the show latched onto one of those very Scott Mills debates that refuses to die: how you open Christmas presents. A viral clip from Sheila explaining her horror at discovering some families open everything at once sparked instant outrage. Scott was adamant that presents are opened one by one, with everyone watching, and anything else was “not Christmas”. Ellie backed him, Claire joined in, and listener messages came in thick and fast defending every possible method — including opening one present a day, which Scott treated as deeply unsettling. This debate threaded its way back into the show repeatedly, becoming shorthand for “we are now fully in Christmas chaos mode”. Tin Whistles, Secret Santa and the Point of No Return The tin whistle saga escalated again — because of course it did. Ellie revealed she’d been given a tin whistle book for Secret Santa, immediately prompting Scott to confirm that this meant the tin whistle era was far from over. Ellie also confirmed the actual instrument was back in the studio, which Scott treated as both a threat and a promise. Secret Santa fallout continued, with Emilio’s gift situation becoming a running mystery. Scott repeatedly returned to the idea that Secret Santa should never involve everyone opening presents at once, reinforcing his belief that gift-giving is entirely about watching reactions. Listener messages took the tin whistle chaos to new heights, including one from someone who’d ordered 32 tin whistles for their workplace. Scott issued an on-air apology “to the entire office”, while Ellie laughed and attempted — unsuccessfully — to shut the idea down. By the end of the segment, it was clear the tin whistle had gone from Christmas party moment to full show lore. The Good Morning Minute: Christmas Heroes The Good Morning Minute focused on people working right through Christmas. Messages came in from ambulance crews, nurses, care home staff, delivery drivers, pharmacists, butchers, bus drivers, supermarket workers and panto technicians. Scott read out names, jobs and locations, regularly reacting mid-message, while Ellie jumped in to clarify places or shout-outs. The tone stayed warm and appreciative without becoming heavy, with Scott repeatedly thanking listeners for keeping things running while everyone else switched off. The sheer range of jobs mentioned became part of the point, reinforcing how many people are still going while the rest of the country slows down. Mariah Carey and Peak Christmas Music Mariah Carey’s presence loomed large over the entire show. Scott treated her seasonal dominance as an unquestioned law of nature, returning to her repeatedly as both reference point and inevitability. At this stage, Mariah was less an artist and more a condition. Scott acknowledged listener messages about the saturation of Christmas music, but brushed aside any resistance, pointing out that by Christmas Eve Eve the decision has already been made. Ellie backed this up, with Scott making it clear that Mariah Carey is not optional at this point in December. Songs were framed as moments rather than just tracks, with Scott leaning into the shared understanding that hearing Mariah now triggers a specific emotional and seasonal response. Listener messages reflected everything from delight to resignation, all of which Scott treated as valid — but irrelevant. Elmo Appears Elmo’s appearance landed squarely in the sweet spot between festive and surreal. Scott introduced Elmo without over-explaining anything, immediately interacting as if this was an entirely normal Breakfast Show development. Elmo spoke about Christmas, kindness and festive feelings, with Scott gently guiding the conversation while allowing the inherent absurdity to breathe. Ellie reacted in real time, laughing and leaning into the moment rather than grounding it. Listener messages came in quickly, many expressing disbelief, joy or confusion, which Scott read out with relish. Elmo responded warmly, reinforcing the Christmas themes of kindness and togetherness without tipping the segment into parody. Emilio’s Cheesy Christmas Film Quiz Emilio brought a Christmas film quiz to the table, focusing on deliberately cheesy festive movies. Scott approached the quiz with enthusiasm and mild scepticism, frequently interrupting to question plots, titles and logic. Ellie joined in, with answers prompting side discussions about whether anyone actually chooses these films or whether they simply happen to people at Christmas. Listener messages added further suggestions and corrections, expanding the list of films far beyond the original quiz. The quiz became less about right answers and more about collective recognition of Christmas film madness. The Handover with Gary Davies As the show wrapped, Scott handed over to Gary Davies, immediately checking in on Gary’s Christmas Eve Eve setup. Conversation turned to wrapping presents, with Scott asking whether Gary was a sit-down or stand-up wrapper, and whether ironing boards were involved. Gary revealed his preferred method, prompting Scott to share his own, including references to wrapping while standing and his ongoing treadmill habits. The post 23 December 2025: Elmo, Emilio and Mariah Carey first appeared on Unofficial Mills.View the full article