Scott and Ellie’s shared birthday
Scott and Ellie celebrated their birthdays on the same day, alongside Lady Gaga and a number of listeners. The programme opened with birthday messages and Jeff Goldblum-style affirmations: “You’re smart enough. You’re good enough and, gosh darn it, people like you.”
Tina hosted an early Birthday Game for Scott and Ellie rather than waiting until after 9am. Both were given former number-one songs and had to decide whether to stick or spin.
One of the selections was Mr Oizo’s Flat Beat from 1999. The game became part of the studio celebration rather than a standard listener call.
The Easiest Quiz: Drew takes on Phil
Drew, preparing for a holiday in Italy, became the final contestant of the week. Phil’s score of 30 remained the target, while Ruth had reached 21 the previous day.
Drew said he wanted the egg cup badly because he already owned one branded egg cup and could use a second. He progressed through questions about Liam Gallagher, tools in a shed and the time of Pause for Thought.
The quiz challenged his answer that Pause for Thought aired at 7.20. Drew insisted he listened every day, and Scott argued that the question had been unusually difficult for the Easiest Quiz.
Although Drew did not beat 30, he persuaded Scott to play Leona Lewis. Phil therefore won the weekly egg cup, while Scott told Drew he was the “real winner” because he had secured the song for everybody.
Sam Ryder co-hosts
Sam Ryder joined at 8am and discovered that Scott was already live while he was still looking at his phone. Scott said the risk was small because he had never heard Sam swear.
They discussed Radio 2’s new studios, including the disappearance of Elton John’s piano and the less varnished, more modern surroundings. Sam joked that the instrument might have “slipped away in the night”.
Scott told Sam he could think of few people outside his husband, dog and immediate family with whom he would rather spend his birthday. Sam replied by presenting the hour as a party he had planned himself.
Sofas arrived in the studio, along with birthday cookies baked by Sam’s partner Lois. Scott questioned why four seats were needed when only one Sam Ryder had been booked.
Sam stayed as co-host across the hour rather than appearing for a single interview. He introduced music, joined links, reacted to the news and prepared surprises without telling Scott who else might arrive.
Sam’s mystery birthday surprise
Sam announced that he had organised a mystery guest or guests for the birthday show. Scott compared the experience with his usual Wednesday Mystery Guest feature, except that this time Sam was responsible for every booking.
The uncertainty gave the second half of the hour the feel of a surprise party, with Scott becoming visibly nervous about who was waiting outside.
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years began in 1988 and moved through songs connected with Scott and Ellie’s birthdays and the era in which they grew up.
28 March 2025: Vernon Kay
The handover completed the birthday edition after Sam’s co-hosting hour. Scott thanked listeners for the messages and looked back on a programme shaped around surprises rather than a conventional Big Guest Friday interview.
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