Posts by Kenny Smith
New Year TV line-up confirmed to see in the bells
Edith Bowman is bringing in The Bells on Hogmanay 2021 with a line-up of Scottish stars from across TV, music and sport. BBC Scotland had already announced its Hogmanay 2021 show would feature Emeli Sandé and Texas but now it is revealed it will also have Doon Mackichan showing another side to her famous Cathy…
Read MoreA free luxury home in Scotland… if you’re an owl
The new year is a traditional moment to start searching for a new home – and upmarket properties in the Scottish countryside are in greater demand than ever. So the prospect of a fully-serviced designer residence at the very heart of the Marchmont Estate in the Scottish Borders sounds especially enticing. And, astonishingly, it can…
Read MoreNew beer supports Doddie Weir’s foundation
A new beer is being released, to support the charity of former Scotland rugby hero Doddie Weir. St Andrews Brewing Company have announced the release of Mistaken Identity, which supports the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. As with their previous rugby release 38 Year Itch, which celebrated the Scottish Rugby Team’s historic victory at Twickenham, all…
Read MoreA busy year awaits with packed Scottish Ballet schedule
After a year and a half of focusing on its already prolific digital and film output, Scottish Ballet returned to stages in autumn 2021 to rapturous audiences and star-studded reviews. Both dancers and producers demonstrated extreme flexibility with Gene Kelly’s Starstruck, which premiered as both a live tour and a feature-length dance film presented on…
Read MoreThe family who swapped London for the West Highlands
Eric Macleod brings his remarkable memoir of his family’s years spent living in the remote West Highlands up to date in this second edition. A witty and moving account, it includes a chapter to answer the questions for those wondering what happened once the family left their unlikely Eden and if any regrets accompanied their…
Read MoreSaving the Leighton Library – Dunblane’s best kept secret
A campaign to help raise £400,000 to help pay for restoration and conservation work at a historic Scottish library has been launched. The Leighton Library building is stood in Dunblane, near Stirling, since the late 17th century, containing some 4500 books dating back to 1504. But the building, opposite Andy Murray’s gold postbox, is in…
Read MoreHeather’s joy at beauty awards success
A beauty entrepreneur from Glasgow has achieved national awards success. Heather McDowall, beauty entrepreneur and founder of Niche Brow Co, is celebrating after she scooped the prize for Best Beauty Product at the highly acclaimed WOTC New Faces Awards, triumphing over several nationwide brands and well known celebrity rivals. Heather, who is from the south…
Read MoreBurrell Collection gets ready to reopen
It’s been one of the most talked about cities of the year, now Glasgow is back on the map again for 2022 as it celebrates the reopening of the world-renowned Burrell Collection. Open again to the public in March 2022, The Burrell Collection is home to one of the world’s greatest, single personal collections, with…
Read MoreStAnza programme launched ahead of 2022 festival
StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival, has revealed a host of prize-winning poets among next year’s line-up. It has unveiled its festival programme for 2022 under the title Stories Like Starting Points. The festival, which was forced online in 2021 due to Covid, is planning a full return in hybrid form, Covid permitting, combining the best…
Read MoreThe story of a 19th century Scots campaigner
This is a unique and fascinating tale about Mary MacPherson – known as Màiri Mhòr – Skye’s 19th century bard and political campaigner. She made her name by vocalising the plight of crofters through song writing and activism. Her rage and despair at being falsely imprisoned in Inverness led to a poetic outpouring of songs,…
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