Filmed on location in Los Angeles, the multi-platinum record selling, Grammy Award-winning artist Mariah Carey meets Rylan for the first time

She shot to fame in 1990 with her self-titled album, and has since gone on to claim the record for the most number one singles in US chart history by a solo artist.

The singer has sold more than 220 million records worldwide, picked up five Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.

But even if you were to ignore all her other incredible achievements, there is one single in particular that ensures she will be on the radio and festive playlists every December for years to come – her smash-hit All I Want for Christmas Is You.

The song, which reportedly took Mariah and her co-composer Walter Afanasieff just 15 minutes to write, was released back in 1994, when it was held off the coveted UK Christmas number one spot by East 17’s Stay Another Day. It’s shown incredible staying power though, finally reaching the top of the charts in 2020 (it returned there in 2022), and it now holds the title of the UK’s most streamed Christmas song, beating not just East 17, but Slade, Wham and Band Aid.

Now, she marks the 30th anniversary of its release in Mariah Meets Rylan. The presenter and Radio 2 DJ was certainly thrilled by the encounter, saying: “All my Christmases came at once this year when I got to sit down and interview none other than the Queen of Christmas! They say don’t meet your heroes, but Mariah was everything and more. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”

Some cynical viewers may wonder whether Mariah was quite as excited about meeting Rylan, but this show suggest she has a stronger grasp on British TV than you might expect.

Among the topics up for discussion is Top of the Pops, as Mariah explains why the show holds a special place in heart. Rylan also puts her English accent to the test when he pretends to audition her for a role in EastEnders.

They talk about her musical influences, who include Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and George Michael, the jobs she had before she became famous, her experiences of working with everyone from Jackie Chan to Westlife, and how she came up with the melody for her hit Hero.

Of course, there will also be time for chat about the festive period and her biggest hit.

We’ll get a chance to explore the rest of her back catalogue in Mariah Carey at the BBC (9.10pm), which rounds up some of her most memorable appearances from over the decades.

That’s followed by Mariah Carey: Fantasy Live at Madison Square Garden 1995 (10.20pm), where she performs songs from her fifth album Daydream, as well as a selection of earlier hits, and proves her incredible, octave-spanning voice isn’t down to studio trickery – she really can hit those high notes live.