One million hours begins
Radio 1 launched One Million Hours, its campaign asking listeners to pledge volunteering time rather than money during 2016. Olly Murs had already been ringing early volunteers after his Live Lounge, including leaving an unexpected message for Naomi to thank her for giving 16 hours to Catch22.
Chris immediately decided the show should try to complete the entire station target by itself. His plan was to descend on one town in the style of a television makeover programme, involve the whole community and finish the million hours before the weekend. He selected Corby because its population was about 60,000, meaning everybody would need to promise only 16.6 hours. Scott pointed out that the requirement would double if only half the town agreed, but still released him for Thursday and Friday.
Chris Ramsey plays Bingo
Chris Ramsey returned for Innuendo Bingo while touring his show All Growed Up. Before getting wet, he explained why filming a comedy DVD was so nerve-racking: two performances were recorded, and once the first had gone well he could relax into the second. He also admitted that being a comedian made ordinary encounters awkward, especially when strangers demanded that he say something funny while he was trying to eat.
Chris Stark had failed to bring spare trousers and assembled an outfit from a Christmas jumper and a onesie before eventually removing the bottoms and playing in his pants. Clips about pork beside balls, a highly realistic robotic cat and the usual collection of cookery and sports mishaps left both Chrises soaked. Ramsey’s lack of dry clothes meant the consequences continued long after the game.
Dog treats and imitation Wham
The first day of December opened the argument over adult advent calendars. A Radio 1 colleague had found one on a desk, eaten the first chocolate and only then discovered it contained dog treats. Chris tried one in the studio and initially considered it surprisingly pleasant before the aftertaste arrived.
Scott had also heard a painfully inaccurate cover of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” in a discount sports shop. A music-recognition app identified the recording, launching a search for the anonymous singers behind the non-original Christmas music endured by shop workers every year.
—
COMMENTS