The What’s On Scotland presenter on the art of the celebrity interview.
Are you enjoying having What’s On Scotland back on screen?
We’re so excited. We toyed with bringing it back last summer when there was a glimmer of hope before we all had to go back inside again but we would need to have renamed it What’s Not On Scotland. Now, there’s so much on that we almost don’t have enough room to fit everything in.
You come from a news background. How different is it interviewing celebrities?
I always say if you’ve interviewed politicians you can interview anyone. I still work in news, so I can be doing both in one day, going from jazz hands to serious.
Did you know your co-host, Laura Boyd, before you both started on the show?
I’ve been with STV for nearly five years, after nearly a decade with the BBC. Laura is an STV stalwart, and when I came in she was so friendly and welcoming and showed me the ropes in the entertainment world. She’s my best pal now and what we do doesn’t feel like work. I think my husband, who has a nine-to-five desk job in engineering, gets a bit envious. He says all I do at work is have a laugh with my pal.
Where is the most unusual place you’ve conducted an interview?
When David Hasselhoff was in Glasgow doing panto, we were trying to ham up Baywatch and decided to take him to Ayr beach. It was blowing a gale. There was a Ferris wheel, so it was suggested we do the interview on that.
I didn’t want to say that I get really sick on fairground rides, so here we were, him in one car and me in another, having to continually turn back to speak with him, and I thought I was going to spew on The Hoff.
But it turned out well and looked really good. There was another occasion when I was a junior at the BBC in London and The Pope was at Hyde Park. We ended up doing an interview in the Popemobile. I can remember wondering if this was a normal scenario, to be sat in the Pope’s car.
What is you most memorable celebrity interview?
My first one for What’s On Scotland, which was with Craig Ferguson, who was back home after being host of The Late Late Show in America. I looked at the list of people he’s interviewed and it’s everyone. I thought to myself, OK, no pressure.
He was really lovely and put me at ease, and even got in touch afterwards to give me some tips and hints, as I’d told him I was new to celebrity interviews.
Who’s on your most wanted list?
If Brad Pitt ever comes to Glasgow then Laura and I will be fighting over who does the interview but we usually have quite different tastes. One I was very envious of her doing was Dolly Parton. I’m a massive fan, so I’ve told Laura that if Dolly ever comes back to the UK, I’m doing the next interview!
Have you had the chance to meet any childhood idols?
The Sound Of Music is my favourite film. I got the chance to interview Julie Andrews from afar at a red carpet event in Leicester Square in London – she only gave me one line but I felt I could die happy. I have a wee girl, Ivy, who’s just over a year old, and I sing The Sound Of Music songs to her every night to put her to sleep.
Laura also has a little girl – will you both be taking them to shows with you?
I think Laura already has a leather jacket and sunglasses for Penelope to go to festivals! We’ve been talking about taking the girls to Edinburgh for the festival to show what sort of day out you can have there with the family, as there are lots of children’s shows on.
It’ll be very different from 2019, when we were out drinking gins with the comedians at night. This year, we’ll be taking the girls home by 7pm for bedtime, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!
What’s On Scotland airs Fridays at 7pm on STV and the STV Player
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