GEORGE MICHAEL TRIBUTE ROB LAMBERTI IN SCOTTISH CHIPPY

DINERS at the newly opened Bertie’s fish and chippy in Edinburgh had to look twice when they saw George Michaelimpersonator Rob Lamberti singing his greatest hits on stage.
Rob, who comes to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall in May along with members of George’s actual band and The Royal Philharmonic orchestra, performed everything from Faith to Last Christmas in a set that wowed not only the VIP diners but loads on social media.
Young Fathers Ally Massaquoi was boogieing away with me and Caitlyn Vanbeck as we joined Hearts and Hibs players to eat deep fried mars bars at the bash.
Rob, who was employed by Sony to be George’s double on a number of occasions, and also counted the real singer as a big fan, told me he actually always wanted to be a Marti Pellow soundalike, but was told by others he was more suited to George. He didn’t realise Wet Wet Wet were recently looking for a new singer until it was too late. Obviously he was wishing he was lucky...
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JUDY Murray ended up getting a hard time on line after her bag melted in the Australian heat.
The temperatures over in Oz are so hot at the moment that one man managed to cook a steak in his car in an online video that has now gone viral.
Judy too, suffered from the boiling conditions, as she showed off a picture of her bag disintegrating in the sun.
One fan commented: “Cheap gear Judy, buy nice or buy twice,” while another added: “You didn’t buy it at the Barras in Glasgow did you??
Judy laughed: “This would never happen in Dunblane.”
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Comedian and presenter Des Clarke believes in synchronicity after he helped to feed homeless people through a random act of kindness.
The Capital Scotland and BBC Breaking the News presenter had visited a pal at Morton’s rolls this week and had been given a crate of them to give out to his work colleagues back at the office.
Des said: “The guy kindly offered me some crispy rolls to take away. I expected half a dozen. He gave me 100 and told me to give them out at work, but 100 was too many to shift. So I called Glasgow City Mission. Before I could explain, I heard some chat in the background.
What’s that?
“It’s the chef. He’s doing the big lunch for the homeless. He’s supposed to be making bacon rolls. But he’s run out of rolls.”
Really? How many does he need?
“About 100.”
As Des says himself, Life really is amazing.

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GLASGOW FOOD TRENDS - SEAWEED TO CELERY AND SEEDS

Glasgow will be welcoming some new food trends this year including seaweeds, oat milk and seed butters.
While donuts and avocados were all the trend in 2018 we are planning to go back to basics for the next twelve months according to food experts around the globe.

Seaweed
Seaweed is bigger than ever - Rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, edible seaweed also lends a nutritious taste to mealtime. Kelp and dulse flakes, seaweed pestos and crisps are the in snack to have at any respectable dinner party.


Paleo and Vegan food or Pegan as it is known will also be popular. It’s continuation of clean eating with plenty of veg and fruits, high quality fats and food including fish, and meat that hasn’t been treated with pesticides antibiotics or hormones.

Vegan
Vegan dishes are already rearing their head  with eateries like Glasgow’s Dhabba North Indian restaurant launching a bespoke Vegan menus for customers who care.
Diners can enjoy delights including Gol Gappa - crispy puffed bread with sported potato, chickpeas and cumin and Bhendi Do Payazi with okra, red onion, ginger and chillies and Daal Makhani, a rich concoction of black lentils, kidney beans and split chickpeas.
Breads and salads are also on the separate menu.
Latest figures show that 3.5 million people now identify as vegan, 20% of under-35s have tried veganism, and 25% of our evening meals are now meat-free.
Vegan wines are also going to be big sellers.

French patisseries
Doughnuts are being replace by eye catching desserts and cakes as we go for more French fancies: mille feuille, flans patissier, madeleines, religieuses. Desserts are becoming as stylish as the people eating them which could be interesting in Glasgow.

Celery Juice
Celery Juice is also being praised for its ability to help remove toxins from your body and stabilize blood pressure levels. It’s not the only drink that will be hitting the healthmark this year with Oatmilk also being the latest non-dairy alternative to hit the aisles. Dairy-free options, will continue to attract sales but caution should be Fakebake to ensure that additives and artificial flavours aren’t boosting the flavour too much.

Seed Butters.                                             Exotic butters will remain a staple but this time round people are opting for seed butters as an alternative to peanut, almond and cashew. Look out for lots of sunflower seed butter and tahini, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries in restaurants as well as pumpkin, and watermelon seed butters, which share the same good fat profile of nut butters. They are a good alternative for those with nut allergies.


Vegetable ice creams.                                      In a world which is becoming more aesthetically pleasing we will also contradict ourselves with the veg we buy. Imperfect vegetables are on this years hotlist and misshapen fruit and veg that would otherwise go to waste, will inspire us to create more crisps and sauces made from rescued food. There will even be ice creams made of vegetables coming to a freezer shelf near you.

Rum
And while Gin was the most have drink of 2019, we will see a definite shift to Rum as Millenials choose barrel-aged, small-batch craft rums, fine rums from traditional Caribbean makers and now, British rums. Dark, golden, string or sweet, there is plenty of choice.

HOW LAUREL AND HARDY HELPED ALEX FERGUSON AND HIS SCOTTISH TEAM

Scotland boss Alex McLeish reckons Laurel and Hardy have a lot to do with the success of the old Aberdeen team managed by Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Radio Clyde’s Ewen Cameron who was at the premiere with me earlier this week at the Showcase cinema in Baillieston revealed that Alex got a part in the film as an extra after he bumped into director Jon S Baird at an airport.

Now Eck, as he’s affectionately known, has revealed he has a supporting role in the film (in the background reading a paper as seen here) and added: “Ronald Villiers eat your heart out. I was in the Laurel and Hardy fab club for many years when I was younger. In fact going back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s days we’d meet for pre match meals before the team talk and watch a twenty minute Laurel and Hardy film before it. The whole squad was glued to it. Going back maybe it was the secret of our success.”

Alex joined the club with Andy Gray of City Lights and panto game and got a Sons of The Desert monthly magazine every month.”

The film is a real corker and I’d recommend it highly to anyone young or old,  whether you’re an avid fan of the duo or not. 

Stan and Ollies story is a Brokeback Mountain style narrative where the relationship between the two men is told through their adventure. 

Scots will be delighted to see the Hollywood legends on their tour of the U.K. including the old Empire Theatre in Glasgow. The film is in full colour and it’s incredible to see how much of the clever comedy has lasted through the years. 

Special mention must go to Scottish born Ross Owen who advised on the film and helped to make Steve Coogan and John C Reillys characters come to life. It’s really one of those films you need to watch more than once. 

Meantime ... Stan Laurel’s mother’s grave is about to become the centre of attention in 2019 - and his great granddaughter is planning a visit to Scotland to ensure his memory is kept alive.

Ross Owen who advised on the film told me at the Showcase in Baillieston that he’s  been in regular touch with Cassidy Cook - Stan’s great granddaughter.

He told me: “Stans first ever stage performance was in Glasgow at the Panoptican and he used to live here when he was fifteen or sixteen. His mother Madge died when he was in Scotland and she’s buried in Cathcart cemetery and been there for years but they don’t have a headstone and it’s a bit unkempt. I was telling Cassidy this two weeks ago and she’s going to come over and we are going to put a headstone up and she’s going to do this properly. She’s coming to visit the Panopticon this year.”

And...STILL Game’s Jane McCarrie, Sanjeev Kohli and Gavin Mitchell turned out to the Scottish premiere of Stan and Ollie - and ended up crying.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house by the end of the brilliant movie about the comedy legends.
It’s really a must watch and the physical comedy is timeless.
All three of the actors were huge fans of the talents. Jane who used to be a drama teacher said she has always loved the duo and even used to teach her students about them in secondary. She said: “In first year the first thing I would make the kids do would be to watch Laurel and Hardy. Most of them had never heard of them and would go ‘Oh no black and white films’. By the end of term they were all converted to big Laurel and Hardy Films.”

YOUNG FATHERS MESSAGE TO MAY AT GIG

Award winning Scots band Young Fathers got tongues wagging when they dedicated their song Shame to Theresa May and The Brexit Brigade on Tuesday.
The lyrics include: “Nothing but a barefaced lie.”
The lads were playing their final gig of the year at Brixton Academy.
I bumped into Alloysious Massaquoi at the Blythswood Moet Evening last week and he remains as down to earth as ever despite champagne parties and celebrity invites.
Ally told me he had an amazing time in LA when he got an invite to John Legends house.
The band were feeling unwell after such a hectic time that they rescheduled the rest of their band dates in Newcastle, Manchester and Bristol until January.
He’s definitely due rest after what has been an incredible year. 

AMY MACDONALD HITS A MILLION STREAMS

Amy Macdonald celebrated having more than one million streams in Spotify this year. 

The performer has come a long way since her first ever tour when we travelled round the isle of in a people carrier and she plated to handfuls of people in churches. 

Amy who recently performed for charity the Big Sleep Out and was seen jetting around Scotland by hellocopter with KT Tunstall said she remains as down to earth as ever. She told me: “I always do think surreal it never gets normal and it is lovely and I always feel lovely and at home and happy got support for more than decade . Everything I do is normal on average Joe as normal.”

She also joked she won’t be taking any more acting roles for the foreseeable following her appearance on Still Game. 

She laughed: “Acting after still game I’m terrible at even making  music videos so the thought of doing proper acting is not on the agenda for now. I never expected Still Game and meant the world to me.”

SUSAN BOYLE GEARING UP FOR BIG 2019

THE incredible Susan Boyle cannot wait until her performance on America’s Got Talent airs in January. 

Susan said: “I received a phone call from Simon Cowell and flew over to the States for the show.”

The singing star from West Lothian who made her mark on judges including Heidi Klum who I’m told was a massive fan, was on sparkling form at the Scottish Music Awards on Saturday night at Glasgow’s SECC.

I’ve had the privilege of her company a number of times now and she’s looking better than ever.

Before singing at the bash to raise funds and awareness for Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity, Susan who has been working on a brand new album told me: “You do get nervous on nights like these but it’s good nerves, exciting. It’s a very special night for Nordoff Robbins too -the 25th anniversary so congratulations to them.”

After seeing a clip of herself on stage with Elaine Paige Susan who sang Wild Horses beautifully and was wearing a Frox of Falkirk fuchsia dress commented: “I’ve come a long way and I didn’t realise I’d done so much so I was very humbled.”

We will be seeing a lot more of the star next year when her new album comes out. She told me to expect a mix of classic and new songs on it and that she has had some fun making it in the studio. 

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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