Tag: television

If we could turn back time! 

Brits take a nostalgic look back to the 80s on Live Aid’s 40th anniversary

  • Survey reveals Brits’ most-loved 1980s songs, shows and memories.
  • Research also reveals average ticket prices for concert-goers have increased by over 500%.
  • Simple pleasures like ‘being able to call the doctor directly’ and ‘life without social media’ are much-missed.

Research* conducted by Ambassador Cruise Line has stepped back in time encouraging Brits to reflect on their favourite cultural moments from the 80s and reveal what they miss most about the era.

To mark the 40th anniversary of Live Aid on 13 July 2025, the affordable quality cruise line – which is staging a six-night Summer of ‘85 Revisited tribute cruise departing Bristol on Sunday# – asked the nation to share their thoughts on the music, TV and memories that defined a generation*.

From Wham! to Woolworths, caravan holidays to cassette tapes, the results paint a vivid picture of a decade that continues to resonate deeply with the Great British public.

From the silver screen to the radio waves, the 1980s delivered an explosion of creativity that people still just can’t get enough of. When asked to name their favourite entertainment from the era, responses from Brits read like a ‘who’s who?’ of zeitgeist-defining pop culture.

Going for a Song

13 July 2025 is set to mimic 13 July 2025 with blue skies and soaring temperatures, but when it comes to the nation’s most beloved 80s track by a British or Irish artist, it’s Christmas all year round with Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ named the UK’s favourite song according to the research.

There was a four-way tie for second place in the 80s Top 10, with ‘In The Air Tonight’  by Phil Collins – famed for playing both the Wembley and Philadelphia Live Aid shows – followed by Queen’s ‘A Kind of Magic’, taken from the Album of the same name after a Live Aid-driven ‘renaissance’; Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ (originally written for Meat Loaf); and Chris de Burgh’s ‘Lady in Red’ taking up the remaining spots.

The Nation’s Favourite 80s Songs
1Wham!Last Christmas1984
2Phil CollinsIn the Air Tonight1981
3QueenA Kind of Magic1986
4Bonnie TylerTotal Eclipse of the Heart1983
5Chris Be BurghLady in Red1986
6Band AidDo They Know It’s Christmas1984
7George MichaelCareless Whisper1984
8Pet Shop BoysWest End Girls1986
9Dexys Midnight RunnersCome on Eileen1982
10Queen & David BowieUnder Pressure1981

TV Gold

On the small screen, the antics of everyone’s favourite wheeler dealers in Only Fools and Horses reigned supreme, with long-running perennial staples like Doctor Who and EastEnders following closely behind.

Gender preferences revealed that men leaned toward action and bawdy comedies like The A-Team and Blackadder, while women preferred dramas and music-based shows like EastEnders and Top of the Pops.

The Nation’s Favourite TV Show of the 80s
1Only Fools and Horses1981-2003
2Doctor Who1963-1989; 2005-present
3EastEnders1985-present
4Blackadder1983-1989
5The A-Team1983-1987
6Top of the Pops1964-2006
7Dad’s Army1968-1977
8The Young Ones1982-1984
9Grange Hill1978-2008
10The Two Ronnies1971–1987

Firm Film Favourites

The survey found that the magic of 80s movies hasn’t faded one bit over the last 40 years. Brits are still having the time of their lives with Dirty Dancing (1987), dubbing it their favourite film of the decade – with a notable 18% of women giving it top billing.

Action-packed blockbusters and feel-good favourites also made a strong showing, with Top Gun, The Karate Kid, E.T., Back to the Future and Die Hard proving that the 80s were a golden age for unforgettable storytelling, iconic characters and endlessly quotable lines.

The Nation’s Favourite 80s Movies
1Dirty Dancing1987
2The Karate Kid1984
3Top Gun1986
4Back to the Future1985
5E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial1982
6Die Hard1988
7Ghostbusters1984
8The Terminator1984
9The Goonies1985
10Beetlejuice1988

Live Aid Memories: Who Wants to Live Forever?

With Live Aid celebrating its 40th anniversary, the survey asked the British public which moment from the day that ‘rock and roll changed the world’ they’d most like to experience again. The most common responses included ‘Status Quo opening it with ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’; ‘Phil Collins on Concorde’; Paul McCartney performing ‘Let it Be’; David Bowie singing ‘Heroes’; and last, but not least, ‘Bob Geldof’s sweary rant’.

However, it will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that Queen’s ‘electrifying’ performance ‘which showed other bands how to play to a live crowd’ topped the poll by a considerable margin.  ‘Freddie had the audience in the palm of his hand’ just about sums up the responses, making it clear there’s one band (and more specifically, one moustachioed maestro often cited as the greatest frontman to have ever lived) that people just can’t break free from…

Top Ten Live Aid Moments – Quotes
1One of the best live displays ever – the Queen performance and Freddie Mercury having 100,000 people in the palm of his hand. Awesome!
2Status Quo opening it with Rockin’ All Over the World
3Bob Geldof’s sweary rant
4The sense of togetherness for my family and friends
5When Phil Collins performed in the UK then flew to the USA and performed there
6The enjoyment of all the bands coming together for the good of others
7Paul McCartney singing Let It Be
8U2 – Bono was brilliant!
9David Bowie’s magnificent set and his emotional rendition of ‘Heroes’ – simply amazing
10The incredible amount of money raised for a good cause

Counting the Cost of Legends Live

With many Live Aid performers still touring today, Ambassador compared their ticket prices from the 1980s to the 2020s, and the results are staggering.

The comparison shows just how far the music industry has come – and how the era-defining acts of the 80s are still as relevant and popular today as they were 40 years ago, even if a ticket to see them play live has soared in price!

1980s Ticket Prices:

  1. Queen (1986 – Wembley) – £25
  2. U2 (1987 – Joshua Tree Tour) – £15
  3. Genesis (1986 – Invisible Touch Tour) – £15-£20
  4. Madonna (1987 – Who’s That Girl Tour) – £15
  5. Paul McCartney (1989/90 – The Paul McCartney World Tour) – £20
  6. Phil Collins (1985 – No Jacket Required Tour) – £15
  7. Dire Straits (1985 – Brothers in Arms Tour) – £16
  8. Duran Duran (1984 – Sing Blue Silver Tour) – £12
  9. The Rolling Stones (1982 – Tattoo You Tour) – £18
  10. Simple Minds (1985 – Once Upon A Time Tour) – £12

2020s Ticket Prices:

  1. Queen + Adam Lambert (2023 – The Rhapsody Tour) – £100+ – 300% increase
  2. U2 (2023 – The Sphere Tour) – £120 – 700% increase
  3. Genesis (2022 – The Last Domino? Tour) – £80+ 355% increase
  4. Madonna (2023 – Celebration Tour) – £150+ – 900% increase
  5. Paul McCartney (2024 – Got Back Tour) – £110 – 450% increase
  6. Phil Collins (2023 – Not Dead Yet Tour) – £85+ – 467% increase
  7. Dire Straits (2023 – Mark Knopfler Tour) – £100 – 525% increase
  8. Duran Duran (2023 – Future Past Tour) – £75 – 525% increase
  9. The Rolling Stones (2022 – No Filter Tour) – £130 – 622% increase
  10. Simple Minds (2022 – 40 years Of Hits) – £70 – 483% increase

(Prices based on average tickets with two time periods compared to find mean percentage increases)

Get Back! (to where we once belonged…)

Last, but by no means least, when asked what aspects of 1980’s life they’d most like to bring back to today, Brits overwhelmingly longed for the simplicity and personal connections we enjoyed ‘back in the day’.

The most missed element of daily life was the ability to call the doctor directly to book an appointment, cited by 37% of respondents. This was closely followed by a desire to return to a time of greater respect for elders (34%) and life without the pressures of social media (33%). Nostalgia for the high street was also strong, with 29% wishing for the return of staples like Woolworths.

The survey also revealed a deep affection for holidays in the 1980s, which many respondents described as “simple,” “cheaper,” and “more family-focussed.”

Caravan parks, Butlins, and classic UK beach breaks were frequently mentioned, evoking memories of a slower pace and stronger sense of togetherness.

One respondent recalled “less faff in airports, less pressure to ‘go places’,” while another opined, “We loved caravan holidays. We actually spoke to each other.”.

New £30,000 Grants available to support creative industry careers in Edinburgh

Amazon launches the Regional Creatives Fund, offering multiple grants of up to £30,000 for charities in Edinburgh and around the UK which focus on upskilling people for careers in creative industries.

Grants are available for charities in Edinburgh which run programmes aimed at boosting skills and increasing access to creative industry careers in gaming, publishing, fashion, film, advertising, TV, and music. 

The fund is open for applications today from single charitable organisations and consortiums in Edinburgh and across the UK. Applications close on 31st August 2025.

Amazon today launches the Regional Creatives Fund, offering grants of up to £30,000 to UK charities that develop creative industry career pathways.

The Regional Creatives Fund is open to organisations in Edinburgh and across the UK that help underserved communities access careers in publishing, music, gaming, film, TV, fashion, advertising, and more.

Applications are open now here. 

The aim of the Regional Creatives Fund, which aligns with the Government’s recently announced Creative Places Growth Fund, is to increase access to careers in the creative industries for people from underserved communities.

The fund is open for applications from single charitable organisations and consortiums based in the same region that are currently running impactful skills projects and are seeking additional funding to scale, sustain, or innovate their efforts.

Applications for up to £30,000 can be made by individual organisations that meet eligibility criteria, while consortium applications for up to £100,000 are also available. Regional Creatives Fund grants will give charities with existing creative upskilling programmes the flexibility to address their most pressing needs. 

Applications are open for small to mid-size organisations who are registered charities in the UK[2]. Applicants must currently be running a programme that focuses on upskilling people from underserved communities for careers in creative industries. 

Increasing access to creative industries 

Creative Access, the UK’s leading inclusivity organisation in the creative industries, defines underserved communities as a population proven to be under-represented in the sector.

A study from The Sutton Trust, the UK’s leading social mobility charity, shows that many people, particularly those who identify as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, continue to face significant barriers to entering and progressing in the UK’s creative industries. 

Research released by The Sutton Trust found that younger adults from working-class backgrounds are four times less likely to work in the creative industries compared to their middle-class peers. Data from Arts Council England shows only 9% of the creative workforce identifies as disabled, compared to 22% of the general working-age population.

Unique, pro bono Amazon support

In addition to financial support, the Regional Creatives Fund will also use Amazon’s network of creative industry professionals to offer charities pro bono upskilling programmes for their organisations as well as their beneficiaries – including mentoring, work experience, placement opportunities, and digital training.

Support will be provided by creative minds from Amazon Music, Prime Video, Amazon Games, and more. 

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the fund will be used to expand or continue an existing, impactful programme. Examples of programmes that a Regional Creatives Fund grant can be used for include funding for placements in game development studios, music production training, and portfolio development for future advertising creatives.

Grants will be awarded by an independent judging panel. The panel includes senior leaders from Amazon, The National Theatre, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Help Musicians, and Music Minds Matter. 

Funding applications will be assessed across five key areas. Strong proposals will reflect the fund’s spirit with energy, optimism, and a clear creative purpose; deliver real impact through skills, access, and industry links; show a smart, achievable plan with confident delivery; centre inclusion by amplifying underrepresented voices; and build on existing programmes to grow what’s already working.

More information on the judging criteria is available here. 

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I want every young person to have the opportunity to build a successful career within the creative industries, which is one of this country’s greatest assets.

“Whether it’s in film, TV, gaming, fashion or music, we have so much homegrown talent and I am delighted that the Regional Creatives Fund will help shine a spotlight on that right across the country helping people contribute to our national story.

“Alongside our Creative Industries Sector Plan this new fund will help to support growth in these fast-growing sectors by preparing the next generation of creatives to tell our national story on the world stage.”

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee and RCF Board Member added: “The creative industries are one of the UK’s greatest success stories, but for too long access to careers in this sector have been limited by social and economic barriers.

“Amazon’s Regional Creatives Fund is exactly the kind of initiative we need – offering substantial grants and practical support to help level the playing field.

“By supporting local charities with both funding and industry expertise, this programme will help unlock creative talent across our communities and ensure the UK’s creative sectors truly reflect the diversity of our society.”

“Amazon has been a passionate supporter of creative industries in the UK for many years and the Regional Creatives Fund will supercharge that support in Edinburgh and across the country,” added Paul Firth, Director, Global Music Industry, Amazon Music. 

“The aim of the Regional Creatives Fund is to help charities amplify the reach of existing programmes that support pathways to careers in the creative industries. We understand talent is everywhere, but access isn’t, and we’re working to change that. Through the Regional Creatives Fund, we want to help create a future where creativity belongs to everyone.”

Amazon has invested over £4.2 billion in the UK’s creative industries since 2010, with over 2,000 people permanently working across our Film and TV, music and audio, books and publishing, fashion, and gaming businesses, and supporting 16,000 additional jobs. 

Amazon’s creative industries footprint extends across the entire UK: from acquiring the historic Bray Film Studios in Berkshire last year, which will house the production of the next season of Citadel; to the long-term contract with Shepperton Studios for exclusive use of new state-of-the-art production facilities at the Surrey studios where The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is currently filming; Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock in Wales; Harlan Coben’s Lazarus in Manchester; productions at First Stage Studios and Leigh Studios in Edinburgh; and multiple productions on location in and around London such as the live action movie Masters of the Universe. 

The Amazon Literary Partnership has been awarding grants to inspiring non-profit literary organisations, writing centres and community engagement programmes groups since it was first launched in the UK six years ago.

While each has a different focus, all have a shared goal of uplifting and offering opportunities to aspiring writers at any stage of their creative journey, and empowering those from underrepresented communities to experience and contribute to the magic of storytelling through the written word.

Amazon Music is committed to expanding access to UK music talent through a series of targeted initiatives. Partnerships with organizations including the BRIT Trust, Amplify, and the Association for Independent Music support new creative professionals entering the industry.

The Step-Up Fund, a collaboration with the Featured Artists Coalition, will launch its fourth year in 2025. This fund provides financial support to emerging independent artists by offering development grants.

Since its inception, Step-Up has distributed £250,000 to more than 30 UK musicians, including both bands and solo artists across multiple genres. These grants enable artists to fund new recordings, touring costs, marketing campaigns, PR activities, video production, and content creation.

As part of its global strategy to shape a more inclusive audio-storytelling industry, Audible is partnering with multiple institutions in the UK to support creative development programmes, from funding scholarships and classes at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA), to sponsoring the Barbican Young Poets Program and Women’s Prize for Fiction Discoveries Programme.

To find out more about the Regional Creatives Fund, visit:

 https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/community/amazon-regional-creatives-fund

BBC ALBA explores what the future holds for the Catholic Church

The passing of Pope Francis, and the election of Pope Leo XIV, puts a new man in charge of a global church with 1.4 billion members. It’s an institution of enormous religious, cultural, and at times political influence, but also one that has been rocked by a number of controversies over the years.

For BBC ALBA’s latest Eòrpa documentary, The Catholic Church: Questions of Faith / An Eaglais Chaitligeach: Ceistean Creideamh, Anna Macleod reports from Scotland and Spain to get a sense of the state of the church today and where it’s heading under the stewardship of its first American Pope.

Pope Francis established a global church-wide consultation, bringing together views from across the Catholic community on issues that mattered the most to its members. The handling of abuse cases, the role of women in the church, the debate on whether priests should be allowed to marry and the church’s relationship with LGBT people were among the main issues raised.

In London, Anna meets Hugo Kennedy. Sexually abused by a teacher at the Fort Augustus Abbey Catholic School in the 1970s, he now campaigns for justice for survivors of abuse like him. For Hugo, a new Pope gives little reason for optimism that much will change.

Hugo says: “It’s best to have zero expectation. I find with the Catholic Church, Pope, Vatican, whatever, because generally they’re pretty consistently good at coming through for you on zero expectation, they deliver nothing.”

Cases of abuse continue to the present day.

In the north-western Spanish region of Galicia, lawyer Aida Blanco Arias has represented survivors of abuse by a previously-respected priest: “All the children, one after another, always said he was a role model, he was like a father, a friend who was always there.

“Some even explained that he had had dinner at their house. So, like victims of domestic violence, they don’t understand how someone they love can hurt them.”

The question of married and female priests was raised in many congregations worldwide during the synodal process. The ordination of women is banned by the church, but in past decades, there has been a global movement to ordain female priests.

In the city of Á Coruña, Anna meets Christina Moreira who shares why she felt compelled to ask to be ordained in a clandestine ceremony.

Christina comments: “In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree on punishment for the most serious offences, for priests who harm children and women.

“Paedophiles and others. It is a decree which is called ‘the most serious faults’. Then, there was a second part. Women who are ordained priests, whoever ordains them and whoever participates in their ordination, will also be considered as committing the most serious, grave sin comparable to the one I had just read. Ordaining a woman cannot be as serious as raping a child.”

In South Uist, home to one of Scotland’s longest-established Catholic communities, Anna meets Father Colin MacInnes.

Father Colin, who is from South Uist, spent much of his priesthood in South America where he saw how vital women were in guiding congregations: “What does Jesus Christ want in the modern world? If He wants female priests, that’s not a problem.

“I worked in Equador and would put women in charge of a parish. They are good at parish work, prayer, and Bible readings. They do it beautifully.”

Reflecting on those she met and their testimonies, reporter Anna Macleod remarked: “The affection felt for the late Pope Francis was evident among many of those we spoke to – his attempts to reach out to marginalised communities was something that mattered to many members of the Church. 

“Despite a decline in population the long-standing Catholic community of South Uist continues to nurture the faith, with the next generation taking a central role in Church life and there was a tangible sense of vitality there.

“But it’s also evident that the scandals surrounding the Catholic church – historical and current – and the way the Church hierarchy dealt with them have done immense damage to people for whom faith was very important. And despite the efforts Pope Francis made to modernise some aspects of the Church, change isn’t coming fast enough for some.”

Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a variety of domestic and European stories.

Eòrpa: The Catholic Church: Questions of Faith / An Eaglais Chaitligeach: Ceistean Creideamh will premiere on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Monday 7 July (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa

“Best night of our lives” – BBC ALBA to broadcast Skerryvore’s landmark 20th anniversary Floors Castle concert

BBC ALBA shares iconic Celtic rock band Skerryvore’s 20th anniversary celebrations in a special broadcast of their Floors Castle concert, a week after the live event

Recorded at the stunning Floors Castle in Kelso, Scottish Borders, BBC ALBA’s Skerryvore aig Caisteal Floors captures the energy and emotion of a night that brought together over 6,000 fans from across the world, with a stellar line-up of trad music stars.

Special guests included Trail West and Nathan Carter, who helped set the stage for a rousing headline performance from Skerryvore, marking two decades of unforgettable tracks. The band were also joined by guest performances from Valtos and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums.

The exclusive broadcast airs on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer this Saturday (7 June), with presenter Megan MacLellan sharing backstage interviews and music highlights with some of the band’s best-loved songs including Scottish anthem, Take My Hand.

Formed on Tiree, Skerryvore’s original line-up has grown from island roots into an internationally acclaimed act, with a unique blend of traditional folk, rock and pop. With seven studio albums and a global touring reputation, this anniversary concert represents a milestone in their remarkable journey.

Skerryvore front man, Alec Dalglish, commented: “Celebrating our 20th anniversary in front of fans from all over the world was quite honestly up there as the best night of our lives.

“There’s no feeling in the world like hearing more than 6,000 people singing every lyric back to you – the night will stay with me for a long, long time. Floors Castle made for such a stunning background for this celebration, there was a real sense of occasion that felt fitting to mark two decades together.

“It’s fantastic to have the story of this milestone captured and shared on BBC ALBA – we would encourage anyone who wants to relive it all or those that weren’t able to join us to tune in and experience a slice of the magic of Skerryvore XX.”

Calum McConnell, Commissioning Executive at BBC ALBA, said: “Skerryvore are one of Scotland’s biggest trad music success stories.

“Over two decades, they have played a string of sell out shows across the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe, reimagining traditional folk music to break into the mainstream, garnering fans around the world. 

“Although we’ve featured Skerryvore on BBC ALBA programming at Belladrum and Hoolie in the Hydro, we’ve not had the chance to film one of their headline performances, so it is incredibly special to be showcasing their anniversary concert to viewers.

“Fans that missed out on a ticket, or those who simply want to relive the magic all over again, can tune into BBC ALBA or BBC iPlayer this Saturday, with added behind the scenes stories.”

Catch all the highlights from Skerryvore aig Caisteal Floors on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 7 June at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ddsv

BBC ALBA broadcasts live coverage from Hampden for SWNT Nations League home finale tonight

BBC ALBA is set to air the latest League A UEFA Women’s Nations League fixture as Scotland Women’s National Team (SWNT) continue their campaign against Austria at Hampden tonight (Friday 30 May).

Broadcasting live on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer from 7.25pm ahead of kick off at 7.35pm, fans can join BBC Spòrs reporter and UEFA Scotland correspondent Alex O’Henley to watch the action unfold in this latest meeting between the two international sides. English commentary from Stuart Mitchell and Grant Scott will also be accessible via the ‘Red Button’.

Fiona MacKenzie, BBC ALBA commissioning editor, said: “BBC ALBA has been supporting SWNT’s Nations League campaign since the tournament kicked off earlier this year.

“We – along with so many others across the country – have followed the highs and lows of the international competition, and we’re excited to see how they perform in the penultimate league match against Austria this week.”

Following a 1-0 away defeat against the Austrian side in February, this highly anticipated rematch comes ahead of Scotland’s final second-leg battle against the Netherlands on 3 June at Tilburg.

Watch live or on demand on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ctst

BBC Alba gives viewers access all areas to Runrig tribute band Beat the Drum: ‘DÌLEAB RUNRIG’

In 2018, Runrig, one of Scotland’s most beloved bands called time on a career spanning five decades. But while Runrig may have said their goodbyes, their fans – the Riggies – weren’t ready to say goodbye to Runrig.

With the band’s blessing, tribute group, Beat the Drum – The Runrig Experience, hit the road in 2024 with over 50 tour dates across the UK, Germany and Denmark.

Made up of a range of generations from across the UK, Richie Muir from South Queensferry Edinburgh, Duncan MacDonald, a Skye native, alongside his son Scott from Glasgow, Jason Laing from Stornoway and Ben Marshall from Nottingham, formed the band during the COVID lockdown, creating a sound that celebrated their Celtic rock idols.

In a new two-part BBC ALBA documentary, Beat the Drum: Dìleab Runrig airing over Easter weekend on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April, we will join the Riggies and get an “access all areas” pass to the tour road trip.

The documentary follows the highs and lows of tour life, as Beat the Drum – The Runrig Experience embark on their most ambitious tour to date. In just four short years, Beat the Drum have grown from a little-known tribute band, to selling out tours throughout the UK and Europe. Viewers can watch as the band battle technical issues, traffic jams and beach-based breakdowns to ensure they put on a show worthy of their heroes.

As they approach their biggest gig, a night at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall with a capacity of two and half thousand, have they bitten off more than they can chew?

For bassist Duncan, who turned sixty last year, life as a touring musician has been fantastically exciting, and getting to share that with his son, Scott, has made it all the more special.

Duncan MacDoanld, Beat the Drum – The Runrig Experience, said: “Life has a funny way. If you had told me when I was in my 20s I’d be playing Runrig’s music and touring I’d have laughed out loud.

“But as a 60-year-old I can’t think of anything better. To get the chance to play one of the biggest venues in Scotland, with my son Scott on drums, is a dream I didn’t know I had! But it has come true.”

Calum MacDonald, founding member of Runrig, said: “Our fans are wonderful, and like a big family, but when Runrig stopped, the fans didn’t. Now they have concerts to be a part of and that just brings us so much happiness.”

Beat the Drum – The Runrig Experience are a band by fans for fans, and throughout the tour the documentary introduces the Riggies who followed the group across the world, embracing Gaelic culture and language, and creating friendships for life. This is a story of deep-rooted bonds and the songs that inspired them.

Filmed and produced by BEEZR, Beat the Drum: Dìleab Runrig premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayeron Saturday 19 April at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles), with part two airing on Sunday 20 April at 9pm. Both episodes will be available to watch on demand on iPlayer on Saturday 19 April.

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002b9gt

Backlash as BBC announces River City to come to an end in 2026

EQUITY LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO SAVE SCOTTISH SOAP

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

BBC Scotland will be saying a fond farewell to long-running drama series, River City and the residents of Shieldinch next year after more than 20 years on screen. The drama, which has entertained audiences since 2002, will air its final series in Autumn 2026.

Reflecting a ‘significant change in audience behaviour away from long-running series and towards shorter runs’, the BBC will make a considerable boost in major drama productions set across Scotland, moving the River City investment, starting with three new series – Counsels, Grams and The Young Team.

As well as these new titles, popular drama Granite Harbour will return for a third series, filming in Aberdeen and Glasgow in the coming months. Also making a return is Shetland for its tenth series and Vigil for a third series, while the previously announced eight-part drama, Mint, is filming in Scotland. Combined, these dramas will bring a greater range of stories written by Scots, about Scotland and made in Scotland for a UK-wide audience. 

Forming part of the single biggest investment in drama from Scotland in the past decade, these new dramas – along with existing commissions – will create new opportunities across the independent sector. Total investment in BBC drama from Scotland over the next three years is expected to rise to over £95m cumulatively (2026-28).

Counsels, Grams and The Young Team were ordered by Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland and Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. 

The BBC will also work with industry partners on a new talent training plan in Scotland. A new framework for training will build on River City’s successful training academy and the ongoing work on other series to elevate individuals in to senior creative roles as well as supporting and developing production crews. Further details will be announced in the autumn.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Hayley Valentine, Director, BBC Scotland says: “River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.

!But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.

“Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too.”

Louise Thornton Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland: “We are incredibly proud of River City and it is with great sadness that we have come to this difficult decision. 

“I want to thank the River City team in front of and behind the cameras for their dedication to the show over the years, past and present.

“For more than two decades, River City has brought drama to life on screen as well as offering industry training at grassroots level, and we know that fans of the programme will be really sad to see it go.

“The show leaves a tremendous legacy behind and the new productions we’ve announced will offer further opportunities. However, the media landscape is changing at pace and, as audience viewing habits change, it’s vital we respond to this.

“Our three new dramas, alongside the returning drama favourites, reflect the increasing shift in audience demand for series rooted in Scotland which play to audiences across the UK … and beyond.

“We’re delighted to be working with such great production teams and remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in Scotland’s creative industry.”

The new Scottish drama titles are:

Counsels (Balloon Entertainment)

8×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC One / BBC Scotland

Counsels is an original high-stakes legal drama co-created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley (The Crow Road, Skins) and BBC Writers’ Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack.

Set and filmed in and around Glasgow, Counsels follows five young lawyers who once trained together at one of Scotland’s elite law schools but are now scattered across the profession and find themselves facing each other in the courts of Glasgow.

Some will rise to the top, while others risk losing everything as their careers teeter on the edge when they lock horns in their biggest cases yet.

The ambitious lawyers must navigate a legal battlefield where their friendships begin to fracture, love affairs crumble, and the fight for justice threatens to tear them all apart.

Grams (World Productions)

6×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC One / BBC Scotland

Grams is a darkly comic thriller created, written and directed by the RTS award-winning James Price (Dog Days, Boys Night), Grams is set in Springburn, Glasgow, where James was born and still lives.

Following the death of her beloved grandson Michael, widowed Glaswegian Thana becomes the target of a violent local gang, who Michael apparently crossed.

Thana finds salvation in the form of Connor, a volatile friend of Michael’s with serious anger issues. Grams will see Thana and Connor form an unlikely partnership, as they seek the truth of what really happened to Michael.

The Young Team (Synchronicity Films)

6×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC Three/ BBC Scotland

The Young Team is the scripted debut from one of Scotland’s most exciting voices in literature, Graeme Armstrong.

The series is adapted from Graeme’s best-selling and award-winning debut novel of the same name and is set and filmed in North Lanarkshire.

Fifteen-year-old Azzy Williams and his pals roam the streets of Airdrie on a Friday night, bottles of Buckfast in hand and techno playing from tinny speakers. Azzy is ready. Ready to smoke, pop pills, drink wine and fight.

He longs to become fully initiated into local gang the Young Team Posse (YTP). But when Azzy, determined to prove himself, makes a bold move, a brutal gang conflict ensues with Azzy very firmly at its heart. 

The Young Team will follow Azzy on his journey from boyhood to manhood as he and his mates become postcode warriors in a toxic cycle that threatens to consume them. An unflinching look at the realities of addiction and gang violence, this ambitious series will tell a powerful, visceral story about the realities of life for young, disenfranchised people and the fight for a different future. 

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “Audience habits are changing and we are responding to that with these plans for three brilliant new dramas made in Scotland.

“BBC viewers love truly authentic stories and we are committed to creating high-impact content from across the UK, so that we can better reflect and represent every part of the country.

“The success of the long running Shetland, coupled with the return of Vigil and Granite Harbour, is a testament to the strength of talent we have in Scotland and we look forward to seeing our three new shows come to life alongside these hugely popular returners.”

The BBC says these new commissions ‘will build on the BBC’s strong track record in drama production in Scotland including award-winning series Guilt and Mayflies, and ratings hits Rebus and Nightsleeper’. 

Richard Gadd’s new series Half Man has also started shooting in Scotland while the psychological thriller The Ridge starring Lauren Lyle will hit screens later this year. Filming on the new titles is expected from later this year and into 2026, with casting to be announced in due course.

Plans are underway to ensure River City goes out on a high next year, celebrating the show’s legacy. River City is a BBC Studios Drama Production.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Equity, the UK performing arts & entertainment trade union, is urging the BBC to think again and has launched a petition to save the Scottish soap:

The BBC has shockingly announced they plan to cancel River City, one of Scotland’s most viewed and best loved TV shows.

River City attracts half a million viewers per episode and has an iconic status in Scottish TV culture. This decision is an attack on Scottish-made TV drama, Scottish TV workers, and the soap’s 500,000 loyal viewers.

Sign our petition to reverse the cut and Save River City!

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Paul W Fleming, Equity General Secretary, called the move “short-sighted” and a “disaster for Scottish television”, saying the move would have a disproportionately negative impact on Scottish performers – many of whom get their first TV job on River City – and the wider Scottish to production landscape.

‘The £9 million annual budget is excellent value for money given the hours of programming produced throughout the year for a successful show pulling in a regular audience of 500,000 per episode. 

‘The Glasgow-based show is well-loved by Scottish audiences, enjoys strong ratings, and won ‘Best Drama’ at the RTS Scotland 2023 awards. It is the only domestic Scottish soap running on TV and outperforms other TV series by more than 2.5 times. It provides work for dozens of Scottish actors every year. River City is thriving and successful in its current format.

‘There is no way that the BBC can replace the level of investment and job creation that River City provides to the Scottish economy and Scottish culture sector. Any alternative proposals the BBC offers will inevitably hurt Scottish culture workers and and TV production. 

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

Sign our petition now to reverse the cut and save jobs.

BBC secures live television rights for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men’s international football matches

The BBC has announced it’s agreed an exclusive deal to broadcast Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men’s international football matches in the run-up to the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director of BBC Nations, says: “I’m absolutely delighted that fans across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will now be able to enjoy live, free-to-air coverage of all the big international football matches.

“Nothing fires the imagination more than live international sport and the race to qualify for the world’s biggest tournament. It’s going to be quite a ride and I’m thrilled the BBC will be there every step of the way.”

The deal, agreed with UEFA, includes 41 live matches over the next fifteen months – starting with this month’s international ties. It’s the first time the BBC has secured live television rights for all three of the UK’s devolved nations.

The matches will be shown on BBC One in each nation and BBC iPlayer – with key fixtures also being broadcast on network television across the UK – and will add to existing live international coverage on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Cymru and the BBC Sport app.

In Wales, live match coverage will be available in both English and Welsh.

BBC ALBA documentary series probes one of the biggest drug smuggling operations in British history

In 1991, the town of Ullapool was rocked to the core when police seized over £100million worth of drugs just north of the apparently idyllic fishing village. Now, 34 years later, BBC ALBA pieces together the shocking true story which placed the Highlands at the centre of an international drug smuggling ring in Cocain is na Klondykers.

Throughout the epic three-part documentary series, premiering at 9pm on Tuesday 18 February, journalist Anna MacLeod sets out to discover how a picturesque and remote harbour town became the scene of the biggest drug bust of its time.

Against the fascinating backdrop of Soviet fish processing factory ships, the series will piece together a complex web of criminal activity that linked the Highlands of Scotland to Spain’s ‘Costa Del Crime’ and South America’s notorious Colombian crime gangs, built on first-hand testimony and rich social archive.

Maintaining its infamous title to this day as one of the most audacious drug smuggling operations in British history, viewers will also get an inside look at ‘Operation Klondyke’, the multi-agency, multi-million-pound surveillance operation that led to the arrests of six men. And what happened when the man behind it all disappeared into the ether while awaiting extradition to stand trial in Scotland.

Delving in the murky underworld, Anna will travel from the oil rigs of Aberdeen to the iconic rock of Gibraltar in search of crime kingpin Julian Chisholm (above) – the mastermind of the plan.

But with a Houdini-esque escape from a high security Spanish prison, is he dead or alive?

Journalist and presenter Anna MacLeod said: “Chisholm came to Aberdeen and went to work on the rigs like many other people from all over Scotland and the UK. But Chisholm took a different path.

“The eighties drug scene was changing rapidly and Julian Chisholm opted to put himself right in the middle of it. And I wanted to understand what made him do that. I wanted to get a better understanding of the world in which Chisholm was operating.”

With incredible access to those involved in pursuing the smugglers across the globe, the series will trace a cat and mouse style operation which often felt as though the gang was ahead of law enforcement at almost every turn. Using a rich layer of social history, we see how the breaking down of borders gave untold advantages to the criminal fraternity, and how the northwest coast of Scotland offered the ideal landscape with islands, inlets and coves to hide contraband.

Uncover the story of Scotland’s connection to international cartels as BBC ALBA unravels what became the biggest crime in Highland history. Discover how globalisation, oil and employment all played their part in turning local fishermen into international drug smugglers, helping the gang almost pull off a crime of unbelievable magnitude. 

A complex story of twists, turns and red herrings, the first episode of Cocain is na Klondykers premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday 18 February at 9pm, in Gaelic with English subtitles, with weekly episodes airing each Tuesday.

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00285qr

BBC One’s The Inner Circle: Scottish contestants wanted

I’m writing about a new, exciting BBC quiz show called The Inner Circle – we’re looking for contestants from Scotland and I wondered if this opportunity would be of interest to your audience?  

Hosted by TV & radio star Amanda Holden, we are looking for people with bags of personality to apply for this ultimate game of general knowledge, strategy and gut instinct that comes with a chance of winning a cash prize! 

Getting the questions right is only half the battle as players must also decide who they trust enough to keep in the game.

I hope I’ve made that sound exciting!

If this is of interest, anyone who wishes to apply should fill out the online application form here: 

https://eu.castitreach.com/a/terntv/theinnercircle/welcome