“I spent the night being kicked in the head by my dog. Thanks, Ted, for that.” – Scott Mills
“She asked my name and date of birth, and up popped Topsy Turvy, 1988. I only wanted to print two sheets!” – Sarah, listener
“Tilly, it’s your time now. We’ll keep your bed warm.” – Stephen, proud dad sending daughter to uni
Midweek silliness (and soggy mornings)
Scott kicked off Wednesday confessing his bulldog Ted had claimed most of the bed space, leaving him sleep-deprived but in typically cheeky spirits. Faithfuls checked in from Glasgow to Hampshire, one admitting she let the cat drink from her husband’s water glass and left it for him. “It’s quite bad, Kerry,” Scott chuckled.
A big talking point came from listener Sarah, who discovered a library book from 1988 still on her record when she tried to print. The librarian demanded its return before letting her use the printer. Scott and the team were in stitches: “It’s been 37 years – they ain’t letting it go!” Listeners quickly joined in with tales of their own long-overdue books.
“We will not be ill” – vitamins, sniffles & mindset
Ellie tried to convince everyone that “sniffles are everywhere” and illness is inevitable, but Scott declared: “We will not be ill. It’s a mindset.” Faithfuls texted about popping vitamins and hoping for Tess Daly-style glow from TV adverts. It became a running joke, adding to the back-to-school autumn vibes.
Pause for Thought: finding a new normal
Deacon Sue brought a powerful Pause for Thought, marking the anniversary of losing both parents within weeks of each other. She spoke of grief, walking with her dogs in autumn, and the comforting line from Julian of Norwich: “All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”
Listeners were moved to tears. One wrote: “I lost my mum and dad within two weeks of each other last year – I completely resonate.” Another added: “My daughters are only 3 and 5 months old, but I’m blubbing at the thought of them leaving for uni one day.”
Quiz chaos: mountain climbing with… nothing
Tina from Tring faced the Easiest Quiz on the Radio. She started strong with “baubles” and “flour,” but froze on “What would you take to climb a mountain?” Blurting nothing useful, she scored just six points. “Honestly, that’s the worst I’ve ever done – but who cares? I got to speak to you again.” Scott reassured her, laughing at the blank moment that faithfuls said “ruined their morning” in the best way.
Uni goodbyes bring all the feels
With cars packed full of Ikea bags, parents across the UK are waving their children off to university. Scott invited stories, and Stephen from Kent delivered a tear-jerking tribute to his daughter Tilly, who’s heading off this weekend.
Through tears, he said:
“Tilly, you were pigeonholed as average at school, but we knew differently. We’ll miss your humour, the lifts you give to your sister, and your cleaning when we’re busy. But it’s your time now. We’ll keep your bed warm. Love, Mum, Dad, Imogen, and Boris the dog.”
Scott played Green Day’s “Time of Your Life”, sparking a flood of emotional texts from parents and listeners. Tissue-worthy radio.
Mariah’s “I’ve done enough” – now on a T-shirt
Scott revisited his viral moment with Mariah Carey, when she dismissed the idea of going to space with the now-iconic line “I think I’ve done enough.” To his delight (and mild horror), Mariah’s official merch store is now selling a “Done Enough” T-shirt with her in sunglasses. Scott sighed: “Punchy pricing for a Fruit of the Loom. And I won’t see a penny!”
The big guest: Ed Sheeran returns
Ed Sheeran’s arrival on the 8th floor was the big moment of Wednesday’s show, and from the start you could feel how much the listeners had been waiting for it. Scott teased the appearance throughout the morning with a mixture of nerves and excitement: “I’m sweating, my teeth don’t work, and Ed Sheeran is staring at me.” When Ed walked in, the tone shifted instantly — the easy banter between old friends who’ve crossed paths countless times made the interview feel warm, personal and unforced.
Ed spoke at length about his brand-new album, explaining how much of it was written during late nights at home while balancing touring life and fatherhood. He admitted he still finds release in writing sad songs — “I can’t shake that part of me, even when life is good, I find myself going back to the piano to get stuff out.” The album, he explained, blends his trademark acoustic ballads with more playful, genre-bending tracks.
The chat also turned to live shows. Having just spent time with Lewis Capaldi on tour, Ed shared how much he values seeing friends thrive on stage: “Lewis has been through a lot, but he’s smashing it. Being side stage watching him belt out ‘Someone You Loved’ — it reminds me why we all do this.” He spoke about the nerves that still come before big shows and joked that Radio 2 faithfuls are a tougher crowd than Glastonbury: “At least at Glasto they’ve had a pint first!”
Scott couldn’t resist steering the conversation into sillier territory, asking Ed about life on the road, pranks and downtime. Ed admitted he’s hopeless at switching off: “I’ve tried golf, I’ve tried box sets… I always end up back in the studio or playing guitar. That’s my way of relaxing.” He also confessed to binge-watching cooking shows at 2am and then immediately raiding the fridge — “I can’t watch Bake Off without ending up with cake.”
The interview wrapped with a live performance that reminded everyone why Sheeran is still one of the UK’s most loved artists. Just him, a guitar, and a room that fell silent apart from his voice. It was an intimate moment on national breakfast radio, a reminder that despite the fame, Ed still connects on the simplest of levels. Scott summed it up perfectly: “There are superstars, and then there’s Ed Sheeran. You always feel like you’re just having a chat with a mate who happens to sell out Wembley.”
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