#PassThePasty: How a Cornish pasty gripped the nation
- Published
"We went away and thought, what's the stupidest thing we can do?"
If you've listened to the new Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James at any point over the past week, you're probably aware what that statement from Greg relates to.
And it boils down to this: a Cornish pasty has been travelling pass-the-parcel style from the South West of England all the way up to Aberdeenshire.
It's been labelled #PassThePasty and is loosely Michael Owen's fault, Greg explains.
"He confessed that he'd never had a cup of tea in his life before. And then we started talking about things that everyone has done that you haven't."
As a result, people across Britain have been doing a relay race with a Cornish pasty in a plastic box, desperately trying to get it to a listener called Sarah who has never had one before.
Until now.
THE PASTY HAS MADE IT 🎉🎉#PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/xg4tBnXkRV
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 6, 2018
The pasty finally reached Sarah after 19 stops and four days travelling across the British Isles with Radio 1 listeners.
"I have no words," she said to the sound of bagpipes as she took her first ever bite of a Cornish pasty.
"This is brilliant."
SARAH LOVES THE PASTY 🎉🎉🏴🏴🥟🥟#PassThePasty made it all the way from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire! pic.twitter.com/F308XPxhMt
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 6, 2018
The pasty, which was baked in the award-winning Chough Bakery in Padstow, Cornwall, began its journey on Monday.
"The pasty will be hitchhiking its way to Sarah with the help of as many people as possible," Greg said when he announced the challenge.
"If you can help, we want you. We want you to do a leg of the journey. If you're going that way, take the pasty with you."
It needed to make it to Newmachar in Aberdeenshire, 674 miles away.
.@gregjames is sending a pasty from Cornwall to listener Sarah in Aberdeenshire, who has never had a pasty before! And we want the help of YOU our wonderful listeners. If you’re near the pasty and can help it on its journey, then please get in touch to help us out #PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/xNERzIR1yW
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 3, 2018
People got in touch through social media and text, offering their help to take the pasty up to Sarah.
It visited Burnley's Premier League football ground...
The pasty has been delivered to Turf Moor #PassThePasty @gregjames @BBCR1 pic.twitter.com/ay3F48qCUw
— Mitch Terry (@mitch_terry) September 5, 2018
Went on Britain's biggest professional bike race.
Good morning Pasty fans!@jonmould91 from the @TourofBritain was in charge of @gregjames’ pasty last night and is looking for someone to take it off his hands before the race starts 🚴🏼♂️🥟#PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/yO9sUDxVEc
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 4, 2018
It's been skiing.
It’s not everyday skiing at the @SnowDomeTam gets put on hold so that a pasty can have a go on the slopes 😅🏂
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 4, 2018
Who wants to help us on the next leg of the journey? #PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/uA5me2MAFR
Spent time on a world famous train.
The pasty has arrived and is en route via #FlyingScotsman! @BBCR1 @gregjames #PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/4ruAKoqh4M
— East Lancs Railway (@eastlancsrly) September 5, 2018
At one point it even went on a rollercoaster.
Listener Sean has given Oscar the pasty and told him to “guard it with your life”
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 3, 2018
So Oscar decided to take it to a theme park and onto a roller coaster 😅🧐 @gregjames look away now!#PassThePasty pic.twitter.com/UZ01seKLPe
And now the pasty is known by some of the world's most famous faces.
Louis Tomlinson proved that he knows everything there is to know about the pasty - from who baked it (Danny), to whether it will be past its best (nothing but the best will pass Sarah's lips.)
🤔 Where will the pasty stay at night? 😴
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) September 4, 2018
How are you stopping people from eating it on its epic journey? 😱@Louis_Tomlinson's here to answer all the questions you have about #PassThePasty 😋 pic.twitter.com/zCTMTIQYA4
No wonder some people are jealous.
When the pasty will see more of the UK in 4 days than you have in 24 years #passthepastie @BBCR1 @gregjames
— Georgia Horne (@_georgiahorne) September 4, 2018
Greg says that #PassThePasty is exactly the type of thing he wants his breakfast show to be known for.
"The new show is all about making sure we do the silliest thing possible and making sure it's always about the listeners and that we do something that involves them," he says.
It's only a few weeks into the new show, but Greg says his team have been having "the most extraordinary time".
"The reaction from the listeners has been overwhelming at times. It's been great and I just want to make sure that we don't take that for granted and make sure we push on - because we've only just begun really."
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