FERNANDO RICKSEN CELEBRATES HIS 41ST BIRTHDAY IN BENIDORM

FERNANDO Ricksen battled against the odds to greet hundreds of his awaiting fans last night at his 41st birthday party in Spain.

The stricken Rangers legend has been suffering from Motor Neurone Disease after being diagnosed with it in October 2013.
Despite failing health, Fernando and his wife Veronika attended a special party in his honour at the Ibrox Bar in Benidorm.

Locals as well as dedicated fans from around the world gathered at the bar adorned with the famous blue and white memorabilia and team kit in the holiday resort to pay their respects and wish the Dutch star and former right back and right midfielder a happy 41st birthday.
After fighting against the debilitating disease, at the eleventh hour Fernando admitted it was touch and go whether he could attend the bash.
 Theshowbizlion.com met up with Fernando near his home in Valencia to give him a special present of a personalised front page of The Sunday Post before we headed to the party with him in Benidorm.
Opening his gift, he said "Thankyou. It's great."
Veronica added:"I feel like a small child opening his present for him."
 Making the two hour journey from his home in the sweltering heat of Valencia to the bar in the Costa Blanca, Veronica and Fernando said: "We'd love to stay in Benidorm tonight but we can't. We have to get back for our four year old daughter Isabella. It is too much for her to make the journey tonight and too late for her."
Fernando summoned all his strength to attend the birthday bash. In the days before the event, he said he had had some bad days but that the love of the fans gave him the power to go on.
He added: "I'm tried but still ok."
Footballers including Nacho Novo, Marco Negri and Michael Mols had sent messages of support to the star on his birthday two days ago while Alex McLeish had earlier joked via a personal message that he was sorry he couldn't make it but hadn't been invited.
Rangers FC also told fans: "Please join us in wishing #Rangers Hall of Fame inductee Fernando Ricksen a very happy birthday today!"
Fernando himself said he was extremely excited about the party and specifically asked organisers to play some Rangers anthems as well as his theme song and Abba classic Fernando.
In the weeks running up to the event had also asked bar owner Wilma Wallace to make everyone feel relaxed and to help raise money for his MND charity The Fernando Ricksen MND Foundation.
Wilma who was originally from Dunbarton before moving to Clydebank in Glasgow decked out the blue and white themed bar with messages of congratulations for the Rangers legend.
She added: "We are thrilled to welcome Fernando here again. He likes things very relaxed, the same as other punters do. It was always going to be a casual affair with a chance for fans to get up close with their idol. Tonight was all about making Fernando feel special and we have hundreds of people who have taken over the terraces here tonight.
"The most important thing was that people could see him and get their picture taken with him. I myself have been a Fernando fan ever since he's been in Rangers. He was always the best looking and a wild boy. He is a legend and we were honoured to host his birthday here. He has come to the bar to celebrate his birthday for the last three years."
We have organised special Fernando cocktails with vodka, peach schnapps, blue balls and lemonade and we also presented his charity with a large cheque this evening."
Last year was an important birthday for him because it was his fortieth and every year makes it so much more special that he is fighting the disease and making his plight known. He wants to let people know what it is like living with motor neurone disease and raise money for his charity."
Excerpts of this article have since appeared inThe  Sunday Post.

SIMPLE MINDS JIM KERR SURPRISES AT REWIND FEST

SIMPLE Minds Jim Kerr surprised Rewind revellers after jumping on stage with Trevor Horn at the Perthshire festival.
The Scots singer sang Waterfront during Trevor's set which also saw a rendition of Video Killed The Radio Star.
Jim, admitted to the twenty thousand string crowd that it was great to be back with Trevor during his song.
Trevor said afterwards: "I called Jim and he said yeah. What do you want to do? Belfast Child? "
I said 'Do Waterfront. It's such a good tune. You want to hear something up on an afternoon like this. We go back a long way so it's great to see one another again."
Jim and Trevor joined a host of eighties and nineties stars at Scone Palace including T Pau, Chesney Hawkes, The Real Thing, Misical Yoyth and the Undertones at the nostalgia fest which also welcomes stars including Nick Hayward, Belinda Carlisle, Jason Donovan, Kim Wilde and Billy Ocean.






















Sent from my iPhone

CHESNEY HAWKES FEELS FRISKY IN PERTHSHIRE AT REWIND

Chesney Hawkes said playing Rewind Festival in Scotland ended up making him randy.
The hunky One and Only singer who recently shocked GMB viewers with his youthful looks was playing the eighties and nineties Rewind Festival at Scone Palace in Perth when he admitted he was getting a bit hot under the collar.
He explained: "I've been doing lots of these kind of festivals up and down the country and it's been great fun.
There's been a lot of nudity actually and it's been quite sunny, not as sunny today but you never know, I might feel a bit frisky. We'll see how it goes. I've not had a chance to see nudity yet but I will be searching it out."
Chesney who later had dinner with Go West and Nik Kershaw back at his hotel revealed he is also planning a new track with Nik in a forthcoming album. He said: " I'm working on an Americana style album cause I live in LA now so I've been working with more country stuff. That's my passion when Im not sitting in a tent getting wet in the rain. I'm halfway though and there's not a Nick song on it yet but there will be. It could be inspired by the rain and nudity in Scotland."
From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com

JASON DONOVAN GETS HIS PERTHS MIXED UP ON SCOTTISH REWIND VISIT

JASON Donovan claimed he thought he was playing Perth Australia when he was originally asked to attend Rewind Festival in Perth Scotland.


The singer who performed at Rewind Festival on Sunday night laughed: "When they said I was coming to Perth I thought I was going to catch a plane ticket Western Australia but I landed here in Sunny Scotland."
The former Neighbours star asked his crowd to tag him on Twitter joking: "Just hashtag Jason Donovan Rewind Legend."
Jason had flown in especially for the bash from Spain.


Just before he changed his outfit from his shorts and tshirt to white trousers and blazer to go on stage he explained: "I've just come over from Spain especially for you. The people here are amazing and I'm excited about the show tonight. I can't remember the first time I was in Scotland. It was in the eighites and I've come back a lot."
He added: "Today I'd like to catch up with New Order's Peter Hook - my hero."
From Scotland with Love - Theshowbizlion.com

BELVEDERE MIDNIGHT SABER GLASGOW LAUNCH WAS LIT

DJ Jackmaster played the tunes while luxury vodka brand Belvedere put everyone in high spirits for the launch of their new Midnight Saber bottle in Glasgow.
The stylish crowd which included Made in Chelsea's Oliver Proudlock were literally glowing after trying out the exquisite new bottle which glows in the dark.
The breakthrough luminous bottle has fine laser etching and soft-touch technology, blending the traditional luxury of the brand with innovative new ideas.
For the Scottish launch the showbizlion.com partied the night away with friends at The Sanctuary club in Glasgow, and we even got a special of out tag on our wrists which pulsed in time to the music.
The night was, quite literally, lit.

HARRY POTTER'S MOLLY WEASLEY MAKES MAGIC IN SCOTLAND...

HARRY Potter, Mamma Mia and Educating Rita star Dame Julie Walters got into the swing of things when she met up with BBC Radio 2 legend Whispering Bob Harris in Glasgow.
The star of film and TV shows like Victoria Wood has been shooting new film Country Music in Scotland for the last week and managed to sneak in and out of Glasgow's City Halls and Old Fruitmarket without being noticed by passersby.
Julie, 67 who was made a Dame last month on the Queens birthday honours list and also starred in Calendar Girls as well as playing Miss Overall in Victoria Wood's Acorn Antiques, features in the comedy drama about a young Glasgow singer Rose Lynne Harlan played by War and Peace's Jessie Buckley, who hopes to make it in Nashville . Doctor Who's Sophie Okonedo and Macbeth's James Harkness also star in the movie.
Julie, whose character Marion plays Rose Lynne Harlan's ( Buckley) mother in the film, was seen giggling with the cast on set.
She later posed up for a pic with Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Whispering Bob who had flown in for the day for his scene.
Scots musicians Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham also shot their musical scenes in the City Halls which is home to the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Whispering Bob who was staying in the city centre was thrilled to bits to hang out with Julie.
He said afterwards: "It was an absolute pleasure to meet this wonderful woman today. She is a national treasure."
The cast and crew are expected to film in Scotland for the next week before moving onto production in London and then Nashville.
Excerpts of this article have since appeared in the Sunday Post.

From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com

RANGERS LATEST PLAYERS FACE NEW CUTS IN GLASGOW

RANGERS new signings Daniel Candeias, Fabio Cardoso and Alfredo Morelos proved to be a cut above the rest after popping in for a new look at a Scots hair salon.
The three amigos were pleased as punch with their new hairdos after being given a makeover by Taylor Ferguson and his team in Glasgow.
Portuguese lads Daniel and Fabio and Colombian Alfredo who are staying at a hotel until they find more permanent accommodation in Glasgow have been training constantly since their arrival here a month ago.
Daniel said: "We've been at the hotel and training and hotel and training. The weather is ok. In Portugal the weather is very good but here not so good. It's a very good team and very good group."
Columbian Alfredo admitted he was struggling with the language but is looking forward to taking English lessons with the other new players next week.
Daniel also claimed the training is Scotland is different to the Portugese methods.
He said: "The football is different to Portugal and stronger here. It's more physical whereas in Portugal it is more technique."
Taylor said: "We get a lot of footballers in here from all teams including Celtic, Rangers and Albion Rovers. The lads were great and wanted a new look for the season. We look forward to welcoming them here again."
Excerpts of this article have now appeared in The  Daily Record, Scottish Sun and Evening Times.
From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com