Highlights

The Sunday Post •

Poet Liz Lochhead on revisiting her life's work for new collection

In her hands, Liz Lochhead is holding her newest book, and most of her life’s work. “There it is,” she says. “A great big stonking thing.” It is indeed quite a hefty tome. For the first time, all of Scotland’s second modern Makar’s published poetry has been put together in one release. Titled A Handsel, it also includes her first new poems since 2016. Although she daren’t look too closely in case she’s missed a typo, there’s a clear sense of pride in bringing her legacy together. The poet and
The Sunday Post •

Lucy Beaumont on reality and fiction colliding in marriage to Jon Richardson

Having attempted to fit herself into her own suitcase during a break in filming Taskmaster, the assessment of Lucy Beaumont as “consistently unpredictable” seems fairly fitting. The stand-up, writer and actor, who is one of the contestants on the current series of the Channel 4 panel game show, largely agrees with the words used by the show’s co-host, Alex Horne, in a recent interview. “You don’t really know sometimes that you’re odd until you see it in writing,” she laughs as P.S. catches up
The Sunday Post •

Love still burns bright for couple brought together by Glasgow fire strike

Rattling along the M8 at 30mph in a Green Goddess fire engine, a young RAF airman from Yorkshire had no idea his life was soon going to change forever. Steven Bentham-Bates was just 18 years old when he was drafted in to cover strike action by Glasgow’s firefighters 50 years ago this week. After a quick crash-course on how to extinguish blazes at Edinburgh’s Redford Barracks, he was assigned to a crew when they reached Maryhill. Little did Steven know that saying yes to a soldier, who asked h
The Sunday Post •

Lewis Capaldi on special bond with fans, new album and Big Weekend

As Lewis Capaldi clambers over a barricade to greet Janet Kirk, the moment encapsulates the special connection the singer has formed with his fans. For 80-year-old Janet, it was her first-ever gig and she made the journey just to see the singer-songwriter in action. He may shrug off national treasure status, but Capaldi’s honesty about his mental health in recent years – coupled with his immense talent, laid-back style and sense of humour – has formed a bond many artists could only dream of.
The Sunday Post •

Crying in the bathroom and a hug from Cate Blanchett: Lesley Paterson on her emotional rollercoaster Oscars

A big hug from Cate Blanchett was one of the highs in a rollercoaster night of emotion at the Oscars, according to triathlete-turned-screenwriter Lesley Paterson. Her film All Quiet On The Western Front was nominated for nine Oscars and won four – including Best International Feature Film – but missed out on Best Adapted Screenplay to Women Talking. “I’ve never experienced anything like it, really believing in your heart that you’re going to win something and then you don’t, but then your film
The Sunday Post •

Blackadder star and history presenter Tony Robinson on cunning new podcast

As Blackadder’s Baldrick, Tony Robinson captured hearts as the classic comedy presented a surreal, subverted version of British history. His character always had a “cunning plan” but when it comes to a 50-year career, the actor, author and presenter has simply been following his natural curiosity about the past. From documentaries ranging from Egyptian tomb hunting to the world wars, royalty and the climate, to two decades on Time Team, he is a font of historical knowledge – despite dropping o
The Sunday Post •

Implications of hurtling advances in tech to be discussed at Scottish AI Summit

We have, of course, heard it before and become used to news of technological advances threatening to upend our lives, take our jobs and transform our lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) is, according to experts and new converts, different. It is, they say, the real deal – capable of triggering change like the internet did but at a faster pace. We have only started scratching the surface of its capabilities, which seem to advance with every day that passes. From painting like Michelangelo and
The Sunday Post •

Katherine Parkinson on Significant Other, loneliness, and Taskmaster

Taking on her latest role, Katherine Parkinson found herself feeling a bit sorry for herself. Or, at least, her past self. In Significant Other, ITV’s new comedy drama, her character finds herself adrift, alone and with a heart that is sick in more ways than one. While a hectic schedule encompassing TV, theatre, interviews and the school run has her, perhaps, longing for a little solitude once in a while, playing Anna allowed her to cast her mind back to her university days where the company s
The Sunday Post •

Dreading the hordes? Experts assess post-pandemic theatre behaviour as staff report increased levels of abuse

To sing along or not to sing along has been the theatre etiquette question igniting debate since a showing of The Bodyguard in Manchester was stopped and police called to deal with an audience member insistent on giving their own rendition of I Will Always Love You. It was the latest in a string of incidents including a brawl during The Jersey Boys at Edinburgh Playhouse in January that has put theatregoers’ behaviour under the microscope. Impassioned debates over how audiences act in the thea
The Sunday Post •

Jings! Oor Wullie's American superfans cap off dream holiday with visit to Sunday Post HQ

A family of Oor Wullie superfans from Reno, Nevada, are heading home to the United States with a suitcase full of cartoons after a visit to the birthplace of Scotland’s favourite mischievous wee laddie. John Kitchen passed his love of the comic strip, alongside The Broons and classic characters from the Beano and Dandy, down the generations to his grandchildren Gracie, 14, Jackson, 12, and nine-year-old Caden. The youngsters love reading the adventures and antics so much that they even lapse i
The Sunday Post •

Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn: Meet the latest Scots to grapple with fame as WWE stars

There are now so many Scots wrestling for WWE that they’ve got their own WhatsApp group chat – with the Braveheart-inspired name “Freedom”. For the latest pair of warriors to get called up to the sports entertainment giant’s top shows, it’s a culmination of years of hard work that’s taken them from community centres across Scotland to the big arenas of the world. The tag team of Kayleigh Rae, who performs under the name Alba Fyre, and Courtney Stewart, who is known as Isla Dawn, were stunned t
The Courier •

Radio 1's Big Weekend: Jess Glynne can't wait to reintroduce herself when festival comes to Dundee

Thanks to seven number one hits, frequent radio airplay and her song Hold My Hand’s ubiquitous presence in summer holiday adverts, it feels like Jess Glynne has never been away. But when she appears at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee, the London-born singer will be taking her first steps on stage for several years having taken time out to re-focus. Reintroducing herself at a festival in front of thousands of people is a nerve-wracking prospect, but riding high on the success of new single Sill
Press and Journal •

Katie Gregson-MacLeod on rubbing shoulders with Sting and Highland homecomings

As she rubbed shoulders with Sting at last week’s Ivor Novello awards, Inverness singer-songwriter Katie Gregson-MacLeod knew she was definitely on the right track. Complex, the viral hit which last summer that changed her life, was vying for Best Song Musically and Lyrically at the prestigious awards bash, hot on the heels of signing a record deal, moving to London, and making music her full time career.
The Sunday Post •

INTERVIEW: Artist David Shrigley on his love of Glasgow, Kingsley, and his distinctive style

Combining surreal satire with mischievous, childlike cartoons, David Shrigley’s art has found a home everywhere from galleries and lounges to gift shops and social media feeds. Reaching beyond the world of art and into the public consciousness, the paintings are witty, philosophical and, perhaps most distinctively, drawn proudly like they should be attached to a parent’s fridge door with magnets. Born in Macclesfield, the acclaimed visual artist grew up in suburban Leicestershire before moving
The Sunday Post •

All Quiet on the Western Front's Scots scriptwriter Lesley Paterson on how triathlons prepared her for Hollywood

Her athletic career may have instilled in her true grit and endurance but, even for professional triathlete turned screenwriter, Lesley Paterson, her new movie was a marathon. It took 16 years for her to drive All Quiet On The Western Front on to the screen but now, as the First World War drama is hailed by critics and tipped for some of the industry’s biggest awards, Paterson credits the same determination that made her the only girl to play rugby growing up in Scotland. The German-language N
The Sunday Post •

Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins: "People like to have secrets and special sources. We’re more like: Here’s everything"

To Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny they are a “modern-day Sherlock Holmes” for exposing how the Kremlin allegedly poisoned him. To despots and dictators, they are a thorn in the flesh as their sleuthing reveals evidence of terrible crimes. To supporters, however, the Bellingcat website investigators, led by founder Eliot Higgins, are shining a light on the world’s darkest corners. Bellingcat, dubbed “an intelligence agency for the people,” have deployed open-source intelligence (OSI)
The Sunday Post •

Actress and playwright Eilidh Loan on taking the stories of her dad's life to the theatre stage

We have all learned to take our joy where we can find it during lockdown but even then, blindfolding your dad and driving him to The Gorbals seems an odd highlight. For actress and playwright Eilidh Loan, however, it was the last step in a long journey that has forged a stronger relationship with her father Garry. When his blindfold came off, the big reveal was of a poster on the city streets for his daughter’s play, Moorcroft, based on the stories of his youth. It explores friendship, pain,
The Sunday Post •

How Glencoe scared the Dickens out of novelist as he toured the world’s wonders

His classic novels may feature some of the most sinister characters in literature but it was travelling through one of Scotland’s most beautiful and desolate glens that gave Charles Dickens the heebie-jeebies. The acclaimed author was best known for chronicling London life in enduring classics like A Tale Of Two Cities and Oliver Twist but after becoming a best-seller he travelled to visit the marvels of the world, ancient and modern. His touring often brought him north but, in Glencoe, he stu
The Sunday Post •

True Detective's Scots producer Richard Brown on post-coronavirus TV, societal change, and working with George Clooney

Global uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to shape the stories we see on television for years to come, according to a top Scottish TV producer. Richard Brown, executive producer for hit HBO series True Detective and the TV adaptation of Catch 22, believes that the behavioural and socio-political changes of 2020 are bound to have an impact – even if we don’t yet have a full grasp of what they are. Speaking ahead of an appearance as a keynote speaker in the online version of X
The Sunday Post •

Scots actor James McArdle on tussling with the iconic role of Macbeth alongside Saoirse Ronan

Something went wrong - please try again later. Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Every night James McArdle comes off stage at London’s Almeida Theatre, he wonders which bruises are make-up and which are real. The Glasgow-born actor is revelling in tangling with the tough role of Macbeth at one of London’s best-known theatres as Shakespeare’s ruthless but undone nobleman continues to fascinate modern audiences. He is starring alongside four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ron
Load More Articles

All articles

Filters & Sorting
The Sunday Post •

Bob Harris on the songs the Beatles gave away and country's resurgence

Having grown up enthralled by the glow of the radiogram in the corner of his childhood home, ‘Whispering Bob’ Harris has now repaid the favour of introducing new music to multiple generations of listeners to his BBC radio shows. From the likes of David Bowie and Elton John to modern country stars like Kacey Musgraves and Luke Combs, he’s always looked to the future and watched acts flourish from the beginning of their careers to super-stardom. For his latest show, though, he’s looking to the p
The Sunday Post •

Gran travels to 100 museums in a year for Alzheimer's charity

It’s a challenge that’s taken her to almost every corner of Scotland via planes, trains and automobiles. Karen Bernard has also seen a fair few of them on display too, plus a submarine, Concorde and much more. In the year running up to her 80th birthday, the pensioner from Oban decided to visit as many museums across Scotland as she could. From Scapa Flow in Orkney to the Scottish Football Museum in Glasgow, the Robert Burns House in Dumfries to Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum on North Uist, she’s
The Sunday Post •

Edinburgh Science Festival event looks at alternatives to burial and cremation

It’s one question that we all have to have an answer for but is often a difficult conversation starter – what do you want to happen to your body after you die? For over 120 years in the UK, there have only been two options: burial or cremation. But as the financial and environmental implications of what happens to us when we’re gone are being brought into focus as much as the choices we make while alive, our final goodbye is becoming a stage for innovation and creativity. From processes that
The Sunday Post •

Exhibition helps memories for Ayrshire photographer with dementia

His photography has captured the vast array of incredible wildlife and the stunning landscape around his native South Ayrshire and beyond. Perhaps most importantly, though, Gerard Connelly’s work has helped spark his memories of days, places and faces. The 69-year-old, renowned for his images of the natural world across flora and fauna, lives with dementia and also has difficulties with his sight. He’s been supported by Heathfield House Nursing Home and local social enterprise Narture CIC to
The Sunday Post •

Before and After Coal exhibition sees artist team up with mining communities

The era of coal is effectively over in Scotland, but stories of communities where collieries stood at their heart are long from being finished. A new exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) has brought the mining industry’s history and lasting effect right up to date with input from the people who shaped it and continue to be impacted by it. Revisiting and updating photographs from the 1980s, Before and After Coal, a collaboration between NGS, artist Nicky Bird, and mining commu
The Sunday Post •

Edinburgh Easter play puts women's stories to the foreground

It’s a story dating back over 2,000 years but, every year, Edinburgh’s Easter passion play finds new perspectives that resonate with today’s world. A highlight of the Easter weekend in the capital, audiences of thousands have headed along to Princes Street Gardens to take in the large-scale community play since it began in 2005. Beneath the iconic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the cast of over 40 of all ages and a mix of faith and non-faith backgrounds come together to tell the story of the da
The Sunday Post •

Stand-up Marc Jennings on rise of hit comedy podcast Some Laugh

At the beginning of each episode of one of Scotland’s top comedy podcasts, listeners are promised that it’ll be Some Laugh. The show, hosted by stand-ups Marc Jennings, Stephen Buchanan and Stuart McPherson, has, however, proven to be more than just that. Launched in May 2022, it has helped boost the profile of its hosts to sell out Fringe runs and live gigs, pulled in titans of Scottish comedy as guests, and provided a platform to get to know rising stars. Perhaps most importantly, though, t
The Sunday Post •

Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Rachel Fairburn on hit podcast All Killa No Filla

For ten years, comedians Kiri Pritchard McLean and Rachel Fairburn have explored their shared passion for true crime and serial killers on podcast All Killa No Filla. Self-produced, it’s grown from humble beginnings to having a huge legion of fans and touring the UK and US. We caught up with them ahead of kicking off their 10th anniversary tour at Glasgow‘s King’s Theatre later this month. How excited are you to celebrate 10 years of the podcast, and starting in Glasgow? Rachel: It feels sim
The Sunday Post •

Govan Music Festival: Paul McAlindin on uplifting and unifying community

In a career as a conductor that has spanned the globe, Govan Music Festival founder Paul McAlindin has found a common thread – the power that music has to unify and uplift. Even in the war zone of Iraq in the late-2000s, where he set up the country’s National Youth Orchestra, he saw how hope was an inspiration in the face of adversity. Having moved back to Scotland after the Islamic State offensive into Iraq in 2014 forced the orchestra to disband, he has taken the same ethos of hope to his ne
The Sunday Post •

Chunky Jewellery: Pals combine for show on women growing up

It started as a playful conversation between two pals about how being gifted and wearing chunky jewellery signified reaching a certain age. But, as is often the case when both are in performing arts, it spiralled into an idea for a show that tells an often untold story of women in the middle of their lives, caring down a generation for their children and upwards for their ageing parents. Opening on Saturday at Glasgow’s Tramway Theatre, Chunky Jewellery was co-created by Barrowland Ballet’s ar
The Sunday Post •

Cromarty singer Tamzene on Highland inspiration and a fresh start

She spent many days with frozen fingers busking in the less than tropical climate of Inverness High Street, but Tamzene will always remember the warmth shown to her by the passing crowds that put her on track to success. With an impressive resume including opening for Sir Tom Jones, Adele and Katie Melua, as well as festival appearances at the likes of Belladrum and TRNSMT, the singer-songwriter, from Cromarty on the Black Isle, signed to a major label in 2022. But a combination of changes at
The Sunday Post •

Fife photographer realises 50-year dream with exhibition of fusion photography

When Jim Duffy first picked up a camera, experimenting with photographs meant hours in the dark room, all sorts of chemicals, and no second chances at getting it right. The 75-year-old, from Dalgety Bay, worked as a portrait photographer 50 years ago, capturing images of the likes of boxed Jim Watt, comedian Andy Cameron, and the Scotland 1978 World Cup team. Unfortunately, the erratic nature of the work meant that Jim – a father of four – had to abandon his photography for a more steady caree
The Sunday Post •

Ford Kiernan on new music, mental health fundraising, and Still Game legacy

Having hung up the bunnet and cardigan he wore for over 20 years in Still Game, Ford Kiernan has finally found the time to devote to one of lifelong loves: music. In the past few years since we bid farewell to Jack and Victor, he’s turned his hand to writing and composing – although the genre he’s now found himself in is more rave than Slosh. Ford has teamed up with Aberdeen DJ RYZY – aka Ryan Mackay – to turn one of his online sketches into pounding techno anthem Coffee Man, with proceeds goi
The Sunday Post •

Mark Nelson on podcasts, Scottish talent and Glasgow Comedy Festival

We caught up with comedian Mark Nelson as he prepares for one of his biggest shows yet at the King’s Theatre as part of next month’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival. You’re currently on your debut tour, how much are you relishing it? Having done the Fringe for over 10 years, I’m obviously used to solo shows but not doing a different city every night. It’s cool, a totally different experience but really fun. Why was now the right time? It’s a multitude of reasons. Before social media al
The Sunday Post •

Dylan John Thomas on debut album, Barrowlands shows and foster care

From the music shops opposite, Dylan John Thomas would look over at the bright lights of one of the world’s most famous music venues, dreaming of what went on inside. Of course, he now knows full well not just the thrill of being part of the Barrowlands crowd, but also the glory of stepping out onto its hallowed stage, having sold it out for a sixth time last year without even having released an album. Now that he’s finally released his debut this month, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter, who
The Sunday Post •

Watercolour artist Pascale Rentsch on braving the elements for her work

Come rain or shine, and often both at the same time, watercolour artist Pascale Rentsch embraces whatever elements the Scottish weather throws at her. Preferring to work in the open air rather than an indoor studio, she packs her paints into a trolley and heads out to our most stunning scenery to capture nature in all its rugged beauty – even if the wind threatens to whisk away her canvas or the cold freezes her palette. Relying on instinct and spontaneity, she’s guided by whatever reaches out
The Sunday Post •

Scots actor Joe McFadden on hitting the road with Rocky Horror

As Rocky Horror goes on tour, former Holby City star and Strictly winner Joe McFadden, who plays The Narrator, reveals what’s in store for audiences. How much are you enjoying being part of Rocky Horror’s 50th anniversary tour? Over the years, I kept thinking I’d love to be in this show because it just looks so much fun and it is, but at the same time it’s told really well. It’s the tightest it’s ever been, the music’s the best it’s ever sounded. It’s an honour to be asked to be involved. It
The Sunday Post •

Almost 120 years on, Scottish Photographic Circle ethos remains the same

When they first met in 1907, the newly-formed Scottish Photographic Circle could barely have imagined the technological advances that would come. From the bulky equipment and laborious developing processes of the early 20th century would emerge today’s digital world, where instantly shareable images are taken on cameras that easily slip into our pockets and go with us everywhere. While the technology has changed, though, the ethos has remained the same for the Circle, which is still going stro
The Sunday Post •

Turner in January: Audio guide adds new dimension to watercolours

In an annual tradition stretching back over a century, every year the colours of the Turner In January exhibition help brighten the dark days of an Edinburgh winter. For the first time, though, visitors will now also be able to gain fresh insight into the 19th Century works of painter Joseph Mallord William Turner in a new audio guide. The collection of watercolours, left to the nation by Victorian art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900, will be complemented by the Smartify app, which provides a
The Sunday Post •

Susie McCabe on Glasgow Comedy Festival and Live at the Apollo

Ahead of her show at the Glasgow International Comedy festival in March, we caught up with comedian Susie McCabe on festivals, live shows and enjoying her stand-up success. How much do you enjoy being a part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival? It’s been so kind to me since my first show in 2013. It’s a real festival for burgeoning talent and giving talent a step up. It let me accumulate and build an audience year on year to get into the Kings and then to try and maintain that that’s
Load More Articles