Wednesday 21 November 2018

ED BYRNE, LEWIS CAPALDI, GO WEST AND MORE AT EDINBURGH’S FORTH AWARDS



ED Byrne claims his first child was conceived in Scotland and that he almost called it Ballachullish in memory of the occasion. 
Ed who used to study at Strathclyde uni and was at the Forth Awards said: “Scotland means everything to me. I began my career as a stand up here, met my wife here and my first child was conceived here. His name is Cosmo, not Scotland, but Cosmo which was the name of the first ever Scottish Archbishop of Canterbury, just by coincidence of course. We liked the name. “We thought  we could name him after the place where he was conceived but Balacullish just doesn’t have a ring to it. It’s a genuine place up near Glencoe.” 
Ed popped into say hello to Amy Macdonald at the event because he told me ‘we have a mutual friend’. He added: “She said hello and was a very polite woman.”
He continued: ”I’m writing my next show in little rooms above or below pubs with pieces of paper on hand trying out new stuff, some of which works, some of which doesnt. It’s the very exciting, very dispiriting occasionally quite scary part of the writing process. I’m getting the next show ready which I’ll then  premiere at Ed Fringe in August 2019.”



GO West pop star Richard Drummie  has revealed he is  regular visitor to Glasgow because his daughter is studying here. 
The eighties muso who attended the Forth One awards in the capital with Peter Cox told me he is always in the city. 
He said: “My daughter is at Glasgow School of Art so I go to Glasgow quite a lot. This year’s she’s specialising in photography and film making. She’s doing a four year course so she’s half way through. 
Peter Cox jokes: “She’ll do the band videos for free or a discount.”
The Kings of Wishful Thinking love it here and especially like to partake in some drinking in the true spirit of Scotland. 
Peter said of his Edinburgh trip: “We had a nice meal and drank loads of wine. We stayed at Tigerliliy. We don’t like to go out cause it’s harder to get back of hotel when you’re that drunk - so we ate in the hotel.
Every time we come to play here we get a great reaction.”


DRIVERS were trapped in Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre carpark after a technical glitch meant the barriers locked down. 
I know, cause I was one of them. 
The 900 space car park recently adopted automatic number plate recognition technology meaning drivers don’t have to have a ticket to get in or out. The system recognises your registration and you pay before you leave by putting in your number plate details. 
Unfortunately on Tuesday night, the whole computer system crashed meaning there was a queue of traffic snaking all the way up. I’d already paid but still couldn’t get out and ended up having to call the person I was meeting to tell them I was locked in by a barrier. 
It took around twenty minutes before a car park attendant came to resolve the situation  as frustrated drivers peeped their horns. 
With Christmas round the corner let’s hope they’ve have no other technical glitches in the near future. 



TELLY presenter John Mackay might own plenty of ties but he admitted he doesn’t possess a leopard print one. 
I found this out as I stepped off the studio floor at STV following a chat on  Scotland Tonight about I’m A Celebrity and it’s huge viewing figures on opening night. 
John told me he quite fancies going into the jungle which I think could be quite fun.
He explained: “I’d love to go on I’m a Celeb because my tactic would be to get out as quickly as possible then stay in the luxury hotels.”
He then offered to cut off the sleeve of my snazzy new leopard skin jacket from stylist and boutique owner Phil’s Boutique in Glasgow and make it into a tie so he would be themed up. 
I’m not sure Phil would approve.  

DR Who’s Peter Capaldi was floating about the Merchant city for family member Tony Capaldi’s  birthday party this week.
The former timelord looked relaxed as he partied with friends and posed for photos in Bar Square with some gate rashers as well as those invited. 
Craig Murphy who was at the bash told pals online: “Having a pint with Malcolm tucker, the doctor, Peter Capaldi. 
  • Normal Friday night...”
Talking of Capaldis, I asked singer Lewis Capaldi if he fancied swapping roles with his acting relative when I met him at the Forth awards in Edinburgh. 
He told me: “Peter is my father’s cousin or something and came to the London show last year.  If there is a frustrated rock star in him, there is s  frustrated actor in me waiting to get out if he is up for it.”



LEWIS Capaldi says he might have Niall Horans number on speed dial but he doesn’t like to bother him too much. 
The brilliantly funny Lewis, who supported Niall at his Glasgow show, told me: “I’d definitely like to do something with Niall Horan at some point because we’d be good together. Paolo Nutini is always cool too.
Lewis admitted his life has been ‘insane’ of late after touring with Sam Smith, and his sold out gig at the Barrowlands 
He said: “Never in my wildest dreams would I think I’d get to do these arena tours and sell out the Barras and London gigs.  It’s been pretty mental.”
 Lewis said he was tempted to go out and go wild in between his music commitments but has not yet had the chance. He laughed: “Never never rule it out. It can sneak up on you. Maybe you have put the idea into my head now. I’ve been behaving myself for quite some time now but I could get loose soon.”




SHE might have put a Celtic tattoo on her Rangers loving ex live on MTV, but Victoria Obahor has no regrets. 
Victoria, who has put up with Brian Matthews womanising ways over the years says she’s not intimidated by the online hate she’s received since pulling the stunt in Just Tattoo of Us. 
She told me:  “I think two fingers up to lot of them who think it was evil. It’s not them who went through it. It’s me. It’s heartbreaking that Brian cares more about the tattoo than me because I thought he was in love with me and he’s not.”
Victoria, who claims the tattoo was ‘her revenge for what he got up to that night with Jane Park and countless others’ added that she’s now staying at her mums. 
However she told me she is still in touch with Brian to keep things as amicable as can be. 
What’s the bet they’ll be back on by Christmas?  



I felt like I was living one of my worst nightmares when I tried out some new activated charcoal tooth whitening powder.
 I’d been sent a tub of the stuff by U.K. company Procoal to test out. 
I know it is charcoal but I still didn’t expect it to leave my hands looking like I’d messed up a first year art project. 
The bathroom sink looked like I’d not cleaned it for months, and as for my teeth... 
I’m not sure if they look whiter because the rest of my face is now dirty... 

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