“Why Are We Being Nostalgic About Yesterday?”
The morning kicked off with Scott in an unusually buoyant mood and quickly swerved into full-blown confusion about why everyone online is suddenly obsessed with 2016. Tina’s late-night WhatsApp voice note asking “Can someone please explain what this 2016 thing is on my Instagram, please?” set the tone, and from there the team collectively fell down the rabbit hole.
Scott admitted to scrolling his own 2016 photos and questioning “What are you wearing?” while Tina calmly confirmed that yes, they were all at the Brits that year — even though it “feels like about five or six years ago”, not ten. Lockdown time distortion was blamed, alongside HD cameras, shingles, skinny jeans, and Scott’s brief era of using a paint sprayer without enough prep.
The Scott Mills Bridge: A Decade Old and Still Standing
Among the 2016 milestones: Adele and Coldplay at Glastonbury, Zara Larsson releasing Lush Life, and the opening of the Scott Mills Bridge at Fleet Services on the M3. Scott reflected that it was meant to be a legacy “after I’d gone” — before casually adding “and I’m still here, uh, still alive.” Tina confirmed the plaque is still there, Scott’s name still intact, and the bridge very much still bridging.
The conversation drifted further back to 1996, 1986, hospital radio chart copying, and handwritten playlists, before Scott gently requested that we all stop talking about 2016 entirely and never mention it again.
Fashion Corner (Brief, Traumatic)
Just when it couldn’t get worse: skinny jeans are officially coming back in 2026. Scott had only just escaped into wide-leg territory and donated the rest to charity. Regret was immediate.
This opened the floodgates to jean taxonomy confusion: slim, skinny, wide, super-skinny… and carrot. Listener clarification confirmed carrot jeans are “wider at the top, tapering at the ankle”, while barrel jeans were also briefly introduced before Scott declared this the last time fashion would ever be discussed on the show.
Rod Stewart, Karaoke, and a Pub in Falkirk
A brief but glorious detour saw Scott wonder aloud what it would be like to go on a night out with Rod Stewart, after hearing Rod had ended up in a pub in Falkirk on karaoke night. Scott confidently recreated the song Rod allegedly sang, despite admitting he didn’t actually know which song it was. No eyewitnesses came forward. The conclusion: they were probably all still asleep.
The Easiest Quiz: Sass, Semantics and Survival
Chris from Scarborough arrived on The Easiest Quiz with not one but two jobs — printer cartridges by day, driving instructor by night — and immediately chose chaos. From arguing that cows can be white, to insisting you can’t call your dad’s brother an uncle if your dad doesn’t have one, Chris challenged the quiz at every turn.
Somehow, against all odds and several strongly worded debates, he survived deep into the game, delighting listeners with answers that were technically incorrect, logically fascinating, and extremely confident. He eventually bowed out on 26 points, just two shy of Streak of the Week, leaving behind a trail of shaken quiz rules, supportive texts, and admiration for his commitment to arguing his case.
Pause for Thought: Haunted Houses and Hidden Delights
Ramona Ali delivered a Pause for Thought about fear, uncertainty, and the temptation to want spoilers for life itself. Her story of being talked into a haunted house by her nieces — screaming before even leaving the foyer — became a metaphor for January, the unknown year ahead, and the importance of not knowing what’s coming.
Quoting the poet Hafiz, she reflected on how “behind the veil is concealed many a delight”, before firmly stating that she will never, ever be persuaded into a haunted house again.
Nicole and Natalie Appleton: Screams, Tears and “Something Brand New”
Before a single word of interview, Scott insisted on a full emotional reset. “So ladies, before we even say hello… lean right back and have a scream. Let it all out… and now breathe in through the nose. Out through the mouth.” Nicole and Natalie admitted it was needed, with one of them saying, “That felt good, actually,” explaining they’d been watching their phones light up with messages and that “it’s become quite emotional because they’re so fabulous.”
The conversation quickly slipped into shared history, with Scott reminding them they were among his first ever interviews, prompting a moment of delighted disbelief. When the subject of fashion came up, Scott pointed out that cargo pants are everywhere again and joked they should be owed royalties. Nicole replied, “I get told that people wear them because of us. That’s about it,” before adding, “I think it’s for comfort reasons. You know, it’s really comfortable to wear a baggy trouser.” Natalie agreed, with Scott insisting, “You were the first people we saw in them.”
Talk turned to what’s coming next, including Piano Room Month with Vernon Kay. Both sisters were audibly emotional about it, calling the experience “so much fun” and “just exquisite,” with Natalie saying, “Every artist just sounds at the absolute best they can.” When Scott mentioned friends congratulating them, they both reacted instantly, “Don’t make us cry again!” before adding, “They’re wonderful friends, by the way. Thanks, guys. Love you all.”
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: the first play of their new music in 23 years. Scott introduced it as “the first play anywhere,” revealing the title Falling Into You. Asked how long they’d kept it quiet, Nicole said, “Maybe just maybe a year.” After the song played, Scott checked in gently: “Are you all right?” Natalie replied, “I’m okay,” with Nicole adding, “Yeah, we got through it,” as emotion clearly hung in the studio.
Listener messages poured in, and the sisters reacted with repeated gratitude. “Just thank you all so much. We really, really appreciate that,” they said, before reflecting on how it all began again. Nicole explained, “My son, Gene, said out of the blue… ‘Mom, why don’t you and Auntie Nat just do something again?’” She added, “It was very just as simple as that,” before laughing, “It was Gene’s idea. It was Gene’s fault.”
COMMENTS