The Wonderful Hour 4th July 2025

Written by Jason Of Shrine

Category: The Wonderful Hour

The Sky, Salt, and Cinematic Magic: A Celebration of Wonder with Tommy Boyd

Every single day, without fail, we pass by something extraordinary and fail to notice it. The sky. Tommy Boyd opens this episode with a reminder that wonder does not always require travel, money, or even effort. It is above us constantly, shifting, glowing, darkening, and filling with stars, moons, and clouds of every size and shape. And yet, we barely glance up. Tommy urges us to take ownership of it, even briefly, to pause and marvel at the vast theatre above our heads. The sky, he insists, is ours, and it is wonderful.

From there, the conversation flows into another simple but vital element: salt. Once the world’s great preservative, the reason whole communities could survive winters, it remains the ingredient that makes nearly everything taste better. We have become wary of it in modern times, but Tommy reminds us that salt is life-giving, creative, and still the heart of flavour. Whether it is rock, sea, pink, or even the mysterious kosher, salt remains truly wonderful.

Cinema Adventures

Tommy then turns to cinemas. For all the competition of streaming services and home viewing, nothing can match the communal, sensory experience of the big screen. The adverts, the trailers, the booming sound, and the scale of the screen itself elevate a film into something shared and memorable. Even the kiosk snacks, however questionable, become part of the ritual. Going to the flicks, Tommy argues, is about more than watching a story; it is about belonging to the moment. Cinemas are wonderful, and long may they thrive.

Builders Tea and Honest Golfers

Fresh from a family holiday, Tommy confesses that few things restore the soul like coming home to a mug of builders tea. Strong, dark, and warming, the kind you could almost stand a spoon up in, it is both comfort and ritual. He notes how even the late Queen measured her tea by that very strength. Builders tea, as ordinary as it seems, is absolutely wonderful.

Golfers also come under the spotlight. Not for their swing or their club memberships, but for their honesty. Tommy admires the way golfers declare their own mistakes, even when nobody is watching. A ball that shifts an inch in the wind still prompts self-reporting and a penalty. If life carried the same level of integrity, he muses, the world might be a more wonderful place.

The Comedy of Sean Lock

The show also pays tribute to the late comedian Sean Lock, whose sharp wit and surreal humour lit up panel shows and left even fellow professionals helpless with laughter. Tommy recalls his unforgettable delivery and playful anarchy, noting how rare it is to encounter someone who could twist the ordinary into brilliance so effortlessly. For Boyd, Lock remains one of the funniest men to ever hold a microphone, and his work still resonates as something truly wonderful.

Watches, Keys, and Growing Up

From comedy to craftsmanship, Tommy shares his affection for wristwatches. Beyond telling the time, watches symbolise milestones, style, and sometimes even love. He recalls buying a Rolex Submariner after years of longing, a watch tied not to status but to personal story. Watches, whether worn daily or kept as keepsakes, are wonderful.

There is also the ritual of coming home, putting the key in the door, and calling out. The familiar exchange of “hello” between family members, or the small disappointment when no one answers back, is presented as another tiny piece of everyday wonder. Likewise, Tommy reflects on the first time a child is allowed to stay up as late as the grown-ups, marking the unofficial threshold into adulthood. These fleeting milestones, he insists, are just as precious as any grand achievement.

The Warmth of Small Talk

The brief exchanges with supermarket cashiers earn their place on Tommy’s list too. A compliment about hair colour or tattoos, a few seconds of recognition, can brighten an otherwise monotonous day. For those who live alone, it might even be the only conversation they have. These tiny sparks of connection, Boyd argues, remind us that kindness in the everyday is wonderful.

Why Listen to The Wonderful Hour?

As ever, the magic of The Wonderful Hour lies in its blend of humour, reflection, and humanity. Tommy Boyd takes the ordinary — a bag of crisps, a cup of tea, the night sky — and reframes them as treasures. Listeners are invited not just to nod along but to share their own contributions. It is an hour that reminds us that life’s value is found in its overlooked details.

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 skies and salt to cinemas, comedians, and cups of tea, Tommy Boyd once again proves that wonder is not rare. It is everywhere. Sometimes it is as vast as the universe above us, sometimes as small as a chat at the checkout. All we need to do is notice it.

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Created on July 4, 2025