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Stirling Uni lecturer joins Greg James on Radio 1 for Taylor Swift-inspired duet

The pair performed wasp impressions to the tune of Swift's hit Anti-Hero.

Stirling University lecturer Becky Boulton and Radio 1 DJ Greg James. Image: Stirling University/Kim Cessford/DC Thomson
Stirling University lecturer Becky Boulton and Radio 1 DJ Greg James. Image: Stirling University/Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

A Stirling University lecturer has joined DJ Greg James to perform a duet on his Radio 1 show.

Rebecca Boulton, known as Becky, joined the presenter on his breakfast show on Thursday morning.

The pair performed wasp impressions to the tune of the Taylor Swift hit Anti-Hero.

It came after Becky, a wasp biologist, wrote a parody of the 2022 song from the perspective of the insect for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year.

Stirling wasp biologist performs song on Radio 1

She hopes to change the reputation of wasps and highlight why they are important

The song features lyrics like: “I have this thing where I’m misunderstood by everybody, just cause I like to have my space.”

Another line says: “What they don’t know is my sisters and I stopped a famine, so maybe get off of my case.”

The song ends with: “It would be nice if you started rooting for us anti-heroes.”

After performing the song live on air, James said: “Becky, that is so good.

Taylor Swift
The song is a parody of the Taylor Swift hit Anti-Hero. Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

“I love you for that and I love your brain.”

He added that he had “struck gold” after inviting her on the show and promised to join her for another duet.

Becky then teased a Blurred Lines parody about the genitalia evolution of insects.

The evolutionary ecology lecturer is a regular listener of the breakfast show.

After hearing a segment about flies flying into people’s mouths, she was reminded of her song and decided to get in touch.

Stirling lecturer shows love for wasps on Radio 1

Becky told The Courier: “Talking to Greg on Radio 1 and doing a duet of our song was a great opportunity to spread my love for wasps.

“It was Greg’s idea to do the wasp voice, and I am always up for that sort of nonsense.

“It was great fun and certainly an unexpected series of events for what would have otherwise been a quite routine day of doing wasp genetic work in the lab.”


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