RIVER CITY'S GARY LAMONT IS LEAVING

RIVER City actor Gary Lamont has announced he's leaving the series - and claims he wanted to go out on a high..
Producers claim the door will be left open but in an emotional announcement online Gary who plays much loved hairdresser Robbie Fraser said: "I am leaving Shieldinch. It's been hush hush and a secret. The first series I was booked for was eight weeks and I've managed to wring eight years out of them so I don't think I'm doing too badly. It's a good thing. It's a positive thing."
Admitting it made him a bit teary eyed he added: "It's weird getting upset about it because I've never actually said it. I think I'm just pretending that it's not happening. It's been marvellous and the best job I could ever wish to have. I always wanted to go when I was at the top and I feels as if I'm at the top. I couldn't ask for anything more. I'd rather go while it's good."
Gary who performed his own show at the Edinburgh festival recently appeared on 69 Shades of Gay at Oran Mor and has some more live theatre dates in the works.
Executive Producer Kieran said:
"Gary brings magic to every scene which has made him an audience favourite for the last eight years. We are so sorry to lose Gary but know that we have kept him to ourselves for long enough and now he needs to go and do other things.
Robbie has been at the heart of River City with gripping storylines including soap’s first ever domestic abuse storyline between a gay couple. We’re planning to make the most of Gary while we have him and will put Robbie through the wringer one last time with a fittingly dramatic and heroic finale.
Everyone at River City will miss Gary for who he is behind the scenes as well as the wonderful things he has done on screen. We wish him all the success in the world, but if Robbie ever wants to come back, the door is open."


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

MARVEL INFINITY WAR DIRECTORS VISIT SCOTTISH CITY CHAMBERS

ROBERT Downey Junior, Benedict Cumberbatch and the cast of new Marvel film Avengers: Infinity War could be heading to Edinburgh's City Chambers.
The actors along with Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Karen Gillan, and a host of other A Lister's are prepping to film the massive movie in Scotland and London in March and May.
Although a veil of secrecy is currently surrounding the exact locations that will be used, Captain America Directors The Russo Brothers who are working on the new film had posted up a picture of themselves 'scouting' for locations on a grand stairway on social media - and fans had been left wondering where it was located.


Now an eagle eyed Reddit user Brian Grodzki has put two and two together and revealed it as the City Chambers in Scotlands capital.
Although it's currently unknown what the building may be used for it is thought it may have something to do with Doctor Strange's lair Sanctum Sanctorum.
It is thought the circular window is similar to the actual marvel illustration of the building where Doctor Strange burns incense.



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

RIVER CITY LEAH MACRAE LITERALLY BREAKS A LEG DURING GLASGOW SHOW

RIVER City and Gary Tank Commander actress Leah MacRae proved the show must go on - performing from a wheelchair after dramatically snapping her Achilles' tendon during her stage show.
The Scots actress was walking off from the first half of My Big Fat Fabulous Diary at Eastwood Park theatre when she heard a loud noise.
And despite the theatre's medical staff advising her to go straight to A and E, Leah proved to be the real trouper and insisted on performing the second half in a wheelchair before heading to hospital.
Leah said: "I heard a big bang, like a whiplash as I went off stage and the next thing I knew I couldn't walk properly. The audience and my crew didn't have a clue what happened and for a minute or two I was behind the stage feeling dazed and upset. They wanted me to go to hospital straight away but I just said I wanted to finish the show."


Leah went back on stage in a wheelchair after an announcement was made saying there had been an issue.
She said : "The show is a comedy and I think the audience thought it was all part of the act. There was something really weird about singing Defying Gravity in a wheelchair.'
Leah who has had now rescheduled the rest of her May performances was rushed from stage to the Queen Elizabeth University hospital in Glasgow.
She said: "I do a lot of exercise and thought I'd just sprained my tendon but the doctor told me it was ruptured and pretty serious and that I'd have to be plastered up for a number of months."
I've now got a lovely big cast on my left leg and had to tell the River City producers who were brilliant and said they'd work round it. Everyone had been lovely and the theatre and hospital were great with me so I'd like it thank everyone.
The rescheduled dates for the show are the Village Theatre East Kilbride:, Friday 4th August and Rutherglen Town Hall Sat 5th August.



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

RYAN BAIRD MEMORY KEPT ALIVE BY RANGERS LEGEND FERNANDO RICKSEN

IT was an emotional moment as Fernando Ricksen presented the fiancée of Rangers bus crash victim Ryan Baird with a mirrored portrait in his honour.
Glasgow dad of two Ryan was on the way to the Rangers game against Patrick Thistle in October last year when their Nith Valley Loyal Rangers supporters bus crashed near Kilmarnock.
Heartbroken Sarah Hughes who turned up to see Fernando with her friend Billy McLeod from the club, couldn't hold back the tears as she accepted the gift in Ryan's honour and later said: "Everything has just been so overwhelming and the support we've had from everybody has been amazing. I just love the picture and I'll make sure I find a great space for it."
Fernando, who has invited Sarah and her family to be guests of honour at his forthcoming charity march in Fleetwood with a team of legends said: "The Nith Valley supporters club have always been there for me and I wanted to give something back. No one expected to go to a football match and not come home."
The former Rangers player who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease was joined by his fellow Rangers veterans including Derek Ferguson, John Macdonald and Bob Malcolm as fans launched two special Rangers Legends strips in his honour.
The Ibrox hero was at the Stonefield Tavern in Blantyre for the launch of the two strips which will be sold to raise funds for the Fernando Ricksen Foundation.
They will also be used in charity matches like the forthcoming Rangers Legends versus England Select match in Fleetwood's Highbury Stadium on March 25.
The two strips - in red and blue - were designed by Fernando himself and feature his national colours.
Fernando was in high spirits as he joked with some of his oldest friends and Derek Ferguson paid tribute to him saying he was one of the most colourful characters in football. He said: "They don't make them like Fernando anymore."
Bob Malcolm added: "When Fernando first came to Rangers he was Dutch and quiet and then he came out of his shell as he got to know the people. It's great these strips wil be brought out at every game and give Fernando and his charity the recognition they deserve."


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

BBC AWARD WINNER RM HUBBERT APPEALS FOR SUPPORT

FORMER Scottish Album of the Year winner RM Hubbert admitted he has been at an all time low after his depression stopped him from earning money.
Forty two year old Robert McArthur Hubbert affectionately known as Hubby picked up the prestigious award in 2013 and appears in new film Lost In France with his record label mates from Chemikal Underground.
This week he revealed he's been experiencing a tough twelve months after his illness got the better of him.
In a plea to his fans he wrote: "Basically, I haven't been coping well. My mental health deteriorated dramatically during last year after Telling the Trees came out, reaching breaking point this January when I finally did what I have always found hardest; I asked for help. The mental health crisis team at NHS South Ayrshire looked after me and did fucking brilliant job of it. I owe them my life. I'm getting better again. I've moved back to Glasgow to be closer to the many people that love and support me.
He added: "And now to the crux. The illness has stopped me working for the best part of a year. My savings are gone and I'm whilst I'm getting better, I'm not emotionally stable enough to return to a normal job. I'm slowly returning to music full time but in the meantime, I need to ask you for a little help."
Robert then put a plea on his social media asking people if they could buy a copy of his covers EP and let others know of his difficulties.
Since his appeal yesterday he's been inundated with responses online and lots of people have purchased his music.
He told fans: "Its been insane. I can't believe how generous you all are. Thank you so, so much. Apologies for not replying to all the messages, there's too many to handle right now. I will get into them tomorrow. I f***ing love you all."



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

PETITION STARTED TO SAVE IRN BRU

A Petition has been started up by lovers of Irn Bru to keep their recipe intact despite growing pressure from the government.
The Cumbernauld-based firm, which also makes Rubicon and Tizer, said it would cut Irn Bru's sugar content from about 10g per 100ml to just below 5g.
It will reduce the calorie count per can from just under 140 to about 66.
AG Barr said the move was part of a "long-standing sugar reduction programme".
The UK government plans to introduce a levy on sugary drinks in April 2018.
Now a group of Irn Bru lovers are asking people to sign a petition to stop the plans.
They wrote: "In the light of the recently implemented ridiculous sugar tax by the UK Government WE the undersigned demand that AG Barr drinks retain the ORIGINAL AND BEST recipe for regular Irn Bru. We ALL should be allowed to eat and drink what we like without being dictated or controlled, the UK Government should focus on investing in education at schools on sugary foods and drinks but we ALL should be allowed to make our own choice! Please sign and share your support for this petition and email Barr's at http://www.agbarr.co.uk/contact-us/general-enquiries/ Together we can stop the worlds best soft drink from being changed! Also Barr's already have TWO sugar free versions of Irn Bru, and I my opinion are disgusting. Don't destroy Scotland's National drink Barr's! Please also use the hashtag on Twitter and Facebook #SaveOurBru"
So far 150 people have signed the petition which can be found at:
https://www.change.org/p/http-www-agbarr-co-uk-contact-us-general-enquiries-barr-s-must-keep-the-original-and-best-irn-bru-recipe-please-sign-and-share



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

HONEY G GETS DOWN WITH THR DREAMMAKER KIDS ON SCOTS X FACTOR TOUR

X Factor's Honey G gave some high fives and big hugs to terminally ill 12 year old Mark 'Sparky' Gallagher before taking to the stage for the X Factor tour in Glasgow.
The rapper joined winner Matt Terry, Scots contestants Emily Middlemas and Ryan Lawrie and other finalists to meet up with a party of kids from the Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation at Braehead Arena before taking to the stage.


The sick kids included Ashlee Easton, 10, from Falkirk who has neuroblastoma and Nathan Mowat, six from Greenock who has Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and Isla Aitken who has just finished treatment for leukaemia.



As well as giving them goody bags with caps and badges in them, the celebs spent some time chatting with the kids.
Emily said: "Its such an amazing surprise from the Dreammaker Foundation and we've got a handshake going on. It's so nice to see Sparky and everyone. We're having a lovely time on tour."
Afterwards Sparky's mum Michelle Gallagher said: "Sparky was absolutely thrilled to meet his hero Honey G. His wee brother came too. He has a brain tumour and was recently in hospital for pancreatitis surgery. Things like this just keep him going."


Ashlee's mum Isla added: "Ashlee has just had a relapse and we find it hard to plan things so it was lovely when Les and Angela from the Dreammaker Foundation got us tickets for this. Ashlee absolutely loved it and is hyper. She loves the X factor and music and singing and dancing and Emily Middlemas remember her from when she recorded a Christmas single with others for the charity."
Nathan's mum Jill added: "It was a wee escape from treatment and a real treat. It's great to have some normality and something positive in negative situations and Nathan just loved it. Les and the foundation do amazing work."




- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com