Sara Cox left her BBC Radio 2 listeners in tears with a fan’s inspiring message to her first celebrity guest, Tom Hanks.
The presenter took up the helm as Scott Mills’ replacement on the breakfast show on Monday morning after Mills was sacked in March.
Hollywood legend Hanks joined Mills in the studio and was left visibly emotional when Cox read out a fan message to her about how his cult animated film Toy Story has positively impacted her kids.
“So Drew has emailed: ‘My little boys, Logan and Liam didn't speak at all for the first five years. Toy Story has been really important to them for their vocal and social development,’” Cox read.
“Woody [Hanks’ character] was one of Logan's first words. When aged five, Mummy starts to play some Randy Newman, he started to sing You've Got A Friend In Me and I lost it.
“I was in bits, in absolute floods. Hundreds of viewings, over three years later, and neither of us are bored of any of these remarkable movies.’”
Looking moved, Hanks paused to consider the sentiment before saying: “Drew. Oh my.”
He remarked: “Look at the power of cinema and look at what Drew's kids learned from three very well mapped-out stories of characters who, believe it or not, even though they're toys, they're still just like us.”
Cox then asked if the Forrest Gump star would give a shout-out to Logan and Liam in his best Woody impression.
The actor jumped into action, saying: “Alright, are you ready?”
Transforming into the iconic cartoon toy, he exclaimed: “Oh my gosh, it's Logan and Liam, hey guys! Welcome to Andy's room! We have a special spot for visitors like you!
“You know, normally? When you walk in? We would all lay around like this, ‘Ugh, we're just toys’ [mimes being lifeless].
“But because you're here, we want to play with you! Here, you sit here, Liam you sit here, Logan you sit here, I'll be here, Jessie will be here.”
As Cox burst out laughing, he went on: “Buzz? Buzz... why don't you go back and make an entrance a little bit later?
“Okay guys, stand by! Liam and Logan are gonna play with us now! Let's all begin... alright, guys, we're all yours! Starting... now!”
Fans flooded the comments of the moment, shared on BBC Radio 2’s Instagram, with their appreciation for Hanks and Drew’s touching message.
“Oh my word. What a legend and what a show,” one wrote.
“This has me sobbing! What a sweet message and Tom Hanks is such a good sport. Wonderful man,” another added.
“Oh that was so emotional. I would love to have seen Liam and Logan’s faces,” a third listener commented.
Cox launched her first ever breakfast show to much fanfare on Monday morning after being announced as Mills’ successor.
Mills was fired after it emerged he was investigated over alleged serious sexual offences against a boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
In a humorous nod at her role, Cox played songs like Lizzo’s hit About Damn Time and CeCe Peniston’s hit Finally, but drew the line at Ella Fitzgerald’s At Last, saying it was “too self-indulgent”.
She thanked Gary Davies who who was “parachuted in” to fill the slot after Mills was taken off air.
She said: “For the past few months, a legend has been doing breakfast, and we can’t not say thank you to him this morning.“He was parachuted in. He did a proper shift. The one, the only, you love him, Mr Gary Davies.”
Cox had fronted teatime show, 4pm to 7pm, on the station since 2018.
Mills was sacked by the BBC, shortly before it emerged police had launched an investigation into him in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a boy under 16.
He allegedly stayed in contact with the boy for years until around 2006. The investigation was dropped due to lack of evidence.
The BBC confirmed it knew about the police investigation into Mills in 2017, but said it “acted decisively” after receiving “new information” in the weeks before his sacking.
In April, Mills released a statement through his lawyers saying he had been the subject of “rumour and speculation” since his sacking.
He added that he had “co-operated fully” with the police investigation into the allegations. Mills is reportedly planning to sue the BBC for “unfair dismissal” over his sacking.
