The Wonderful Hour 11th July 2025

Written by Jason Of Shrine

Category: The Wonderful Hour

Cabin Crews, Wheelie Bins, and Survivalists: A Tour Through Tommy Boyd’s Wonderful World

Every week, Tommy Boyd guides us through the overlooked treasures of daily life. Sometimes they are as vast as the sky, sometimes as tiny as a well-timed green light. In this edition, he explores everything from the welcoming smiles of cabin crew to the quiet solidarity of wheelie bins lined up on the pavement, all the way to the eccentricities of would-be survivalists. The result is a show that is equal parts funny, thought provoking, and gently moving.

The Origin of the Wonderful Hour

Before diving into this week’s wonders, Tommy takes a step back to explain where the whole idea came from. In his Brighton radio days, he created a surreal late-night show that ended with Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World. Listeners remembered those programmes so fondly that the word “wonderful” took on a special resonance. It became a thread that ran through much of Tommy’s broadcasting, and eventually evolved into what we now know as The Wonderful Hour. It is not about self-help or counselling, but simply about celebrating what is good, however small.

Cabin Crew Hellos

One of Tommy’s favourite wonders is the welcome you receive from cabin crew at the door of a plane. Smart, smiling, and genuinely warm, their greeting transforms a queue of anxious passengers into a journey about to begin. It is a small ritual, but it signals adventure. Tommy likens it to his Butlins days, when redcoats had to greet every guest with a smile, whether they felt like it or not. Done sincerely, a simple hello can lift the whole experience, and that is why cabin crews are wonderful.

Last Through the Lights

Few feelings rival the joy of being the last car through the lights just before they change to amber. It is trivial, fleeting, and yet it feels like winning. Tommy describes it as though fortune itself has tapped you on the shoulder. You drive on with a secret grin, knowing the poor driver behind you is stuck for three and a half minutes with Lionel Richie on the radio. It is silly, yes, but it is also undeniably wonderful.

Wheelie Bin Camaraderie

From traffic lights to rubbish collection. Wheelie bins, Tommy argues, are far more wonderful than we give them credit for. Unlike the old metal bins that clattered through dawn collections, wheelie bins are quiet, practical, and strangely unifying. On collection day, every household has their bins lined up in formation, like neighbours standing at attention. Even mistakes — putting out the wrong coloured bin — create little moments of community. There is humour in it, solidarity in it, and a reminder that even refuse can carry wonder.

Survivalists Among Us

Another curiosity under the spotlight this week is the figure of the survivalist. Whether it is someone converting a van into a stealth camper or practising how to light fires without matches, these characters fascinate Tommy. In Britain they are more eccentric than militant, but they still reflect that old instinct to be ready when the world turns upside down. They are often mocked, sometimes admired, but always intriguing. Even their quirks, Boyd suggests, make life a little more colourful and wonderful.

Finding a Loose Dog

In one of the most touching stories, Tommy recalls finding a Jack Russell wandering the street with its lead still on. Unsure whether it was safe to approach, he eventually brought it home, only for the grateful owners to be reunited later. That fleeting time, when he thought he had a dog of his own, felt like a small miracle. The joy of rescuing — or simply safeguarding — a pet is a reminder of the bonds between strangers, and it is quietly wonderful.

Celebrity Chefs

Tommy rounds things off with an ode to celebrity chefs. Not just the ones who inspire with their recipes, but the ones who entertain us with their personalities. From Keith Floyd’s chaotic brilliance, to Nigel Slater’s gentleness, to Gordon Ramsay’s fiery outbursts, they are as much storytellers as cooks. Even when chefs misjudge the tone — Marcus Wareing once made a wildflower salad in a time of austerity — the irritation itself becomes entertaining. Whether they make us laugh, smile, or roll our eyes, celebrity chefs are, in their own way, wonderful.

Why Listen to The Wonderful Hour?

The Wonderful Hour is not about grand theories or self-help mantras. It is about noticing what makes life brighter: a cheerful greeting, a chance moment in traffic, the line of bins on a street, the loyalty of a dog, or even the eccentricities of a survivalist. Tommy Boyd stitches these fragments together with warmth, wit, and an open invitation for listeners to share their own wonders.

How to Get Involved and Listen

The Wonderful Hour thrives on contributions. Tommy invites you to share your own wonderful moment: a quirky habit, a heartfelt memory, a story that made you smile. You can submit directly at https://tommyboydshrine.co.uk/wonderful and the best will be read on air.

Listening is easy. Stream directly on Libsyn, or find the podcast on Podbean, Podcast Player, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms. Search for The Wonderful Hour Tommy Boyd.

Subscribe, leave a review, and share your favourite moments with friends. Spread the wonder on social media with #WonderfulHour and help the community grow.

Conclusion

From cabin crews to wheelie bins, survivalists to chefs, Tommy Boyd once again reminds us that wonder hides in plain sight. It does not need to be manufactured or magnified. It is already there, waiting to be noticed. All it takes is an hour with Tommy to see it.

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Created on July 11, 2025