13 times 91Èȱ¬ Radio 2 had us in stitches in 2016
Scripted comedy is all very well, but nothing quite beats the spontaneous and sometimes unexpected hilarity of live radio. You can try to create the conditions for a good giggle, by pairing up two razor-sharp presenters who delight in getting a rise out of each other (such as ), or inviting a range of witty and talented guests and sticking them all in a studio together (such as on ). You can gently coax presenters out of their comfort zones, or you can appeal to the listenership to share their weird and wonderful stories.
But sometimes the biggest laughs are the ones that come completely out of the blue, prompted by something as simple as a presenter tripping over their words or stumbling across an accidental innuendo. This round-up of Radio 2's funniest moments of the year features all of the above, and more. Enjoy.
1. Simon Mayo's massage misunderstanding
There is nothing more infectious than a fit of the giggles, and they're impossible to suppress once you’ve started. Simon Mayo and his team had a spot of bother getting through a confession from a listener, concerning a moment of misunderstanding in a Turkish massage parlour. Simon manfully struggles through an innuendo-laden encounter until he reaches the sentence: “First he buffed and washed my husband thoroughly." After that, chaos ensues.
A confession breaks Simon...
Simon and the team lose it in the middle of a confession
2. Eminem in an airing cupboard
It’s important to be gracious and welcoming to your guests, especially when they are world famous rap stars with a habit of mouthing off in song about people who have annoyed them. That said, Jonathan Ross’s offer to show around his house did take an unexpected turn, quite literally.
Eminem & Jonathan in an airing cupboard...
Jonathan explains how a tour of his house went wrong...
3. A sting in the tale for Vassos
Gwyneth Paltrow is often noted for her unorthodox dietary habits and beauty treatments. This news report, read by Chris Evans, concerning a new procedure that involves being stung by bees in the name of vanity, proved to be too much for Vassos Alexander.
What's the new Hollywood beauty treatment giving Vassos the giggles?
Gwyneth Paltrow has a new beauty fad which Chris, Vassos and Lynn find rather funny...
4. Jonah Hill makes a shock discovery
This is a simply glorious moment, one that thoroughly justifies the decision of the Chris Evans Show team to have all their guests on at the same time. As Chris reads out a text from his wife, jokingly upbraiding him for spending his anniversary with his ex-wife (studio guest Billie Piper) the realisation suddenly dawns on Jonah Hill that his host and fellow guest were once an item. "Are you serious?" asks the dumbfounded Hollywood star, to much hilarity in the studio.
Billie Piper and Chris may have just blown Jonah Hill's mind live on air...
Chris and Billie Piper reveal to Jonah Hill that they were once married.
5. Jeremy Vine gets electrocuted for research
Always game for a challenge, this clip shows what happened when Jeremy Vine strapped on a device aimed at curbing excessive spending habits using electric shock conditioning. If you see someone freaking out at the till in the upcoming January sales, you'll know what's just happened.
Watch the moment Jeremy Vine gets electrocuted by a wristband designed to stop you overspending
Watch Jeremy Vine being electrocuted by a wristband designed to stop you overspending
6. Spilling broccoli on the Queen
During his appearance on Michael Ball's show, TV supervet Noel Fitzpatrick revealed, from hard-won experience, a list of things not to do when meeting the Queen. Amazingly, the worst of them isn't the bit where Noel attempts to “reverse-knight her with a bionic limb”.
"I spilt broccolli on the Queen..."
Noel Fitzpatrick tells us everything you DON'T do when you meet the Queen!
7. Maria's dodgy new specs
It’s always a risk to debut a new look in front of a lethally sharp wit such as that belonging to Graham Norton, even if your makeover consists of something as comparatively trivial as a new pair of spectacles, as Maria McErlane found out back in June. Comparisons to a certain myopic cartoon character abound, followed by some health and safety concerns and a lot of giggling.
You Look Like Mr Magoo
Graham delights in tacking the mickey out of Maria's new glasses
8. Shappi Khorsandi on Morris dancing
Steve Wright went to the Edinburgh Festival in August to talk to various comedians, and got into a hilarious and illuminating discussion with Shappi Khorsandi about national identity, the correct pronunciation of Aga and the beneficial effects of Morris dancing. She’s particularly sharp on the origins of the humble cuppa too.
Edinburgh Festival 2016: Shappi Khorsandi - ‘The only thing English about tea is the milk you put in to make it whiter!’
Shappi Khorsandi talks about her Edinburgh Festival show From Morris Dancing to Morrisey.
9. Tom Hiddleston channels Toad of Toad Hall
Actor Tom Hiddleston is renowned for playing such prestigious roles as Henry V, Coriolanus and Loki from The Avengers. But it all started for him as Toad of Toad Hall from Wind in the Willows. Will he do the song? Yes, he does the song.
Tom Hiddleston Remembers His First Play
Tom Hiddleston sang a little song about a motor car from "The Wind In The Willows".
10. Vanessa’s Christmas party cringe
Vanessa Feltz was the lucky recipient of this spectacularly embarrassing story, in which the act of putting on a jacket in a posh restaurant led to scenes of unthinkable destruction. It’s enough to bring new and terrifying meaning to the phrase “I’ll get my coat”.
‘Would you like a doggy bag for those broken statues sir?’ – A restaurant nightmare to end them all
Simon from Farnham bit off more than he could chew at a work do in a restaurant.
11. Michael Fassbender's surprise visit
Chris Evans’s breakfast show is clearly the place for sudden celebrity revelations, and this time it’s the host’s turn to be surprised as Michael Fassbender reveals they’ve actually met before. Although, to be fair, the actor was an unknown at this point, making an impromptu early morning visit to Evans’ house in the company of Johnny Vegas...
That awkward moment when you can't remember meeting Michael Fassbender...
Michael Fassbender recalls meeting Chris Evans for the first time.
12. Tim Vine does Jeremy Vine
Getting Tim Vine onto any radio show is always a safe bet for hilarity, as he always has an exceptional barrage of one-liners ready to go at the drop of a hat. But did you know he can also do a very good impression of his brother Jeremy? You do now. Plus keep listening for a slew of classic daft Vine gags.
Tim Vine: "I bought some Armageddon cheese - it said on the package 'eat before end'!"
The comedian chats about his new DVD 'Tim Timinee Tim Timinee Tim Tim to you'.
13. Elaine Paige's infectious giggle
Finally we return full circle, to the wonderful moment that every presenter dreads but every listener cherishes - an accidental innuendo leading to an uncontrollable fit of giggles. If you've never heard Elaine Paige laugh before, it's quite a sound, and completely infectious. We challenge you to keep a straight face for more than a couple of seconds.
Elaine loses the plot!!
Hear EP have a fit of the giggles when she gets the title of a show wrong!