They've been the iconic duo of BBC Radio 1 [1] afternoons, but 25 Aug. marked Scott Mills and Chris Stark's final show at the station. And it was an emotional one. Mills called it his "dream job" as Stark told listeners his family were "so proud" of him.
As was to be expected, the 1 p.m.-3.30 p.m. time slot was complete with some of their most recognisable franchises, reflective montages, messages of support, and their favourite tunes. Some viewers even revealed they had taken half a day off to listen to the show.
Mills, who has been on the Radio 1 for 24 years, starting on the early breakfast show from 4 a.m.-7 a.m. After being moved to a weekend slot, and later weekday afternoons, "The Scott Mills Show" was originally cohosted by Mark Chapman (Chappers) until 2009. Stark officially joined the show in 2012, and they have remained firm friends throughout.
The creativity of the show has been loved by thousands of listeners over the years. "Innuendo Bingo", perhaps the most famous segment that involves celebrities trying to hold water in their mouths while listening to euphemism-laden clips from the radio, has seen the likes of Will Ferrell [2] and Tom Daly try the game. "Bamboleo Wednesday", encouraging listeners to dance like crazy to the song, and "Flirt Divert", in which a telephone number was given to listeners to dish out at the weekend to avoid unwanted advances and voicemails played on air, are just some of the other ridiculously random and hilarious franchises adopted by the show.
The announcement that the friends would be departing came on 1 July as Mills declared "you can't be on Radio 1 forever", and the pair divulged their job had been an "escape" for them throughout the years. Mills is leaving to replace DJ Steve Wright on Radio 2, whilst Stark is heading over to Capital FM to join the Breakfast Show with Roman Kemp.
It's safe to say our weekday afternoons won't be the same without them. They've got us through the good times, the bad times, and the ugly. And were a beacon of light during the pandemic lockdowns. Ahead, relive some of the cutest moments from their final Radio 1 show. All that remains for us to say is . . . Love you, Bye!
Christmas Comes Early
As is annual tradition, "The Scott Mills Show" officially declares it Christmas for the station every year. As it was the last show, Mills realised he wouldn't be around to officially announce the festive season so played the full Mariah Carey [3] anthem "All I Want For Christmas Is You".
"You can't hate me, it's the last show," Mills declared, as he encouraged listeners to get their tree up a there's only four months to go until the big day.
A Disney Love-In
In an adorable moment on the show, Stark's young daughter Erin joins her dad and "Uncle Scott" on air to play "Bangers" where she has to choose which of two songs she wants to hear. Mills choice was "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from "Encanto", while Stark's choice was "You're Welcome" from "Moana". Despite being a tough decision, Erin declared: "I'm sorry Daddy, it's Encanto."
She also told the hosts that she finds it stranger her daddy is on the radio, but is proud. "When he drives me to school sometimes, I hear him on the radio and I think how is he there but he's on the radio?" she said when describing pre-recorded segments. Cute!
34 Years at The Tap End
It was perhaps "24 Years at The Tap End" that really took Stark to superstardom. The hilarious diary entries, delivered in that dry sense of humour, were simply brilliant. The segment, named after Stark declared on-air that he only realised he had been sitting in the bath at the uncomfortable tap end at the age of 24, was back for the final show.
Declaring it "34 Years at The Tap End", Stark delivered his final diary entry about his experience hosting the show with Mills, pulling in some of the best moments, including interviewing Mila Kunis [5] and asking her for a Nandos. Unforgettable!
Final Sign-Offs
If Mills and Starks final sign-offs didn't have you bawling your eyes out, then we don't know what will. Saying their "thank yous" to friends, family, staff, and listeners, the pair both became emotional as they dished out their last words.
Stark chose to play The Street "Dry Your Eyes" as his last song, after saying how grateful and proud he is to have worked for Radio 1. "My voice is going all wavy, I can tell," he joked as he began to get emotional. Telling his best mate Mills "you're the best", it was an epic way to end his tenure.
Mills then took over — and so did the tears. "The whole point of this show is that if things are tough at school, at work or at home, if they're tough with your parents or in your relationship, or if you feel a bit lonely, we're your friends," he said. After thanking a list of people, he signed off: "If you ever feel like there's no one there or if you feel lost, or if you feel there's nothing good around you . . . I'll say one thing to you: turn on the radio." Cue Christina Aguilera [6]'s belting tune "Beautiful". No, we're not crying, you are.
The Final Song
A radio DJ's final song before leaving a show is a big deal, and Scott and Chris managed to agree on the perfect tune for the occasion: One Direction's "Night Changes".
Scott said he'd seen the song play over a video of a dog on Instagram while he was scrolling late at night, and it made him quite emotional. The 2014 hit from the band's fourth album was revealed as the album's second single in an interview with none other than Scott Mills. The song is reflective and talks about the passing of time, making it fitting for the emotional farewell.
As his final words, Scott said: "I think it just sums us up. And it might not be what you're expecting. Thank you so much for listening, and this is our last song. Love you, bye."