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Star Cops and Sweet Fried Eggs

Greg James, self-confessed 'proud radio nerd', returns to the 91Èȱ¬ archives, using current stories and suggestions from listeners as a springboard into the 91Èȱ¬'s unmatched vaults.

Greg James, host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and self-confessed 'proud radio nerd', rummages through the 91Èȱ¬'s treasure house of archives, using current stories and listener suggestions as a springboard into the vaults of audio, video, documents and photographs.

This week, following the announcement of the European Space Agency’s first recruitment drive in over a decade, Greg travels to space in search of the first astronauts. He hears early assumptions about who would be suitable for space travel and, following a listener request, tracks down the 91Èȱ¬â€™s 1980s sci-fi drama Star Cops, featuring a prototype of the digital assistants we know today.

With Fleetwood Mac’s single Dreams recently featuring in the UK Top 40 singles chart thanks to a viral TikTok video, Greg pieces together the story of how the band’s two couples – Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, and John and Christine McVie – were tearing each other apart while recording their best-selling album Rumours.

While we’ve been at home, rats have been invading our empty office spaces: the British rat population boomed by 25% in 2020. Greg coaxes some early rat catchers and rat lovers out of their hiding places in the 91Èȱ¬ archives.

And following last week’s overwhelming response to I Remember, He Remembered – a 1970s Radio 4 programme which aimed to find out how far back living memory can go – Greg hears from listeners with second-hand memories of the sinking of the Titanic and the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Producer: Dan Hardoon

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sat 27 Feb 2021 10:30

Broadcast

  • Sat 27 Feb 2021 10:30

91Èȱ¬ producers branded Elton John 'dreary' in 1968

91Èȱ¬ producers branded Elton John 'dreary' in 1968

Amazing archive reveals how the 91Èȱ¬ misjudged the singer.