“I’ve never seen this level of happiness radiating off you.” – Scott to Davina McCall
Big Guest Friday delivered three major names – Davina McCall, Clare Balding and Olly Alexander – but the surrounding chaos, laughter and classic Mills humour made it a show to savour.
A Friday warm-up, Coldplay balloon warnings & Tony Blackburn memes
Scott kicked off with a surprise Olly Murs warm-up, roping listeners (and poor Tina in the studio) into a pre-show routine complete with chants of “let’s go to the breakfast show!”. By mid-morning, people were promising to adopt it every Friday at work.
Then came the public service announcement only Scott could deliver: a warning for bald men heading to Coldplay’s final Wembley gig. The reason? Those giant Paradise balloons floating around the crowd. Apparently, more than one fan has mistaken a shiny head for a shiny balloon and accidentally slapped the wrong thing.
And the viral moment of the week? The Radio 2 presenter grid photo from Chelmsford, where Tony Blackburn hadn’t leaned through his curtain properly. The result: a tiny puppet-like body with huge arms. Listeners zoomed in, belly-laughed, and begged for it to be turned into an advent calendar.
Davina McCall: super early and super open
Davina couldn’t even wait for her 8am slot – she ran across London and turned up early, buzzing with energy. In typical Davina fashion she texted Scott, “I’ve rung the bell, no answer” – forgetting the BBC has no such bell. Cue lots of ribbing about her homing-pigeon instincts.
Once on air, Davina opened up about the toughest year of her life. She spoke frankly about recovering from surgery, naming her tumour “Geoffrey” so she had someone to be angry at, and how she’s now learning to live with the “new version” of herself. Her words about finally “thinking again” after years of mental fog were raw and moving, but balanced with her trademark humour.
Scott praised her resilience: “I’ve never, ever seen this level of happiness radiating off you.” The two hugged live on air, and Davina couldn’t resist joking about Scott’s infamous old habit of spitting water on her face at Radio 1. It was classic Davina – candid, uplifting, and endlessly loveable.
Clare Balding: the mucky pup and the national treasure
Hot on Davina’s heels came Clare Balding, who instantly bonded with Scott over being clumsy. “My friends call me Scott Spills Scott – I can’t keep a white T-shirt clean past 11am,” he laughed, as Clare admitted to spilling coffee down her trousers before arriving. The shared “mucky pup” energy set the tone for a relaxed and affectionate chat.
Clare spoke about her whirlwind schedule, from book launches to broadcasting, and reflected on the joy of being part of landmark sporting events. Scott called her a “national treasure” live on air, and the studio atmosphere felt like two old friends swapping stories rather than a formal interview.
What shone through was Clare’s warmth – she’s sharp, witty and generous with her praise, and the listeners loved hearing her in such a loose, comfortable setting.
Olly Alexander: chart star with Radio 2 charm
The final guest of the morning was Olly Alexander – chart-topper, BAFTA-nominated actor, and now firmly a Radio 2 favourite. He joined with infectious energy, riding high from both his music career and stage projects.
Olly teased what’s next for him, spoke about life on the road, and shared some behind-the-scenes stories that had Scott in stitches. His presence rounded off the guest trio perfectly: Davina brought openness, Clare brought warmth, and Olly brought pure pop-star sparkle.
Scott hyped him as “huge – I said huge and I mean huge”, and it felt every bit like a Radio 2 moment designed to send listeners into the weekend smiling.
Quiz chaos & Pause for Thought
The week’s quiz ended in farce when Kirsty – a keen triathlete and Race Across the World fan – blew the very first question by insisting spiders have six legs. Listeners immediately flooded in with sympathy, jokes, and even spider-maths (12 pet spiders = 96 legs, apparently). Scott eventually decided two egg cups should be awarded after a tie for lowest score of the week.
Matt Woodcock’s Pause for Thought provided a calmer moment. Fresh from gaining first-aid training, he reflected on the importance of staying calm in a crisis – and how spiritual “first aiders” in life help us steady ourselves when things feel chaotic.
The verdict
Forget the playlists – today was all about people. Scott thrives when he’s surrounded by big personalities, and Big Guest Friday gave him three of the very best. Davina’s honesty, Clare’s humour, Olly’s star power, and the running jokes about balloons, spiders and Tony Blackburn made this a Friday breakfast to remember.
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