They were expecting the ordinarily straight delivery of the BBC's Shipping Forecast.
Instead listeners found themselves concerned for the welfare of Radio 4 weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker after he failed to finish the broadcast - the first time it has happened in 91 years.
It was unclear what exactly was happening to the 37-year-old on air; at times he sounded like he might be on the verge of tears, at others like he was poised to vomit, the Daily Mail reports.
Four minutes into the broadcast, he's heard saying: "Mull of Kyntyre to Cape Wrath southerly or southerly four or five...excuse me..." before a colleague takes the reins.
The queasy-sounding broadcast, at 5:20am on December 4th - hours after his office Christmas party - left some listeners seriously worried about the weatherman's health.