Alex Norton and Colin McCredie sign up for 'Woolly and Tig'

Taggart star Alex Norton signs up for BBC kids' show Woolly & Tig
The Scots actor will be seen on the CBeebies show in spring next year with Norton starring in three episodes of the series that's been nominated for a Broadcast Award.

Alex Norton with Tig and her mum

They're best known for solving ‘murdur’ in the streets of Glasgow, but Taggart stars Colin McCredie and Alex Norton are joining forces once again- this time they are swapping criminals for furry creatures.
Hollywood actor Norton has joined the cast of popular kids’ series Woolly & Tig, playing the grandfather of the show’s four year old star - Betsy McCredie, daughter of his former Taggart co-star, who also stars as ‘dad’.
Pirates of the Caribbean star Norton is the latest Scottish star to sign up for a cameo after Still Game actors Mark Cox and Sanjeev Kohli appeared in the first run, made by Tattiemoon Productions creators of Balamory. It also stars River City's Jenny Ryan.
Colin said: “The producers wanted Alex to be in it and he was delighted to. He appears in three episodes from spring next year.
“It’s a bit of an homage to Taggart in some ways with us both being in the series now. It’s a nice wee in-joke for us.”
Woolly & Tig, shown on CBeebies, follows the everyday adventures of four year old Tig, played by Betsy McCredie, and her spider friend Woolly.
It has become a monster-hit with pre-schoolers, with a staggering 11 million hits on the BBC iplayer catch up wesbite as parents turn to it to keep their children entertained.
“It’s hilarious. Betsy’s being asked for an autographs and she can’t even write yet. She said the other day that she quite enjoyed being in the supermarket and nobody bothered her for a change,” said Colin.
Woolly & Tig has become such a hit that Chinese toy manufacturers have flooded online websites with cheap versions of the show’s characters.
Colin said: “The producers have struck their own toy deal and there will be a magazine out too. It’s a bit worrying, because who knows how safe these Chinese toys are.”
The show has been nominated for a Broadcast Award along with Rastamouse and Peppa Pig at a major industry awards bash to be held in London’s Grosvenor House next month.
Colin added: “It’s great that a Scottish company are making a show that has been so well received all across the UK.”

Source (including photo): Daily Record

STV 2013 TV schedule revealed

STV reveal new 2013 TV schedule

A documentary about the forthcoming referendum, a film about Robert Burns and a new series of Grant Lauchlan's film review show Moviejuice are the highlights of STV's new schedule.

The Scottish broadcaster also unveiled a new cookery series featuring  celebrity chefs Nick Nairn and Paul Rankin at their 2013 launch yesterday. The foodies will explore the links between food in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A one-off documentary narrated by actor David Hayman, In Search of Robert Burns, is set to reveal "a brand new vision" of the Bard.

Former Doctor Who David Tennant's turn in ITV drama Broadchurch will also be shown, as will network dramas Ice Cream Girls starring Greenock's Martin Compston. Jill Halfpenny will feature in drama Lightfields while Mr Selfridge, starring Corrie's Katherine Kelly, will also be shown in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Taggart pair Blythe Duff and Alex Norton and weathergirls Cat Cubie are among the names in the new series of Scottish Passport, presented by Daily Record journalist Paul English and featuring Record fashion expert Julie Hannah.

Source: Daily Record 

More about the Robert Burns documentary here

Brian Cox: 'Bob Servant' update, and 'Citizen Gangster' review

• Bob Servant is coming back to Broughty Ferry

Broughty Ferry will welcome the return of Bob Servant later this month.

Three episodes of a sitcom based on the cult character were filmed in Broughty Ferry in March, with Dundee-born actor Brian Cox in the lead role.

Now BBC4 has decided to commission three further episodes of Bob Servant Independent, which sees the titular character running for parliament.

As well as Dundee University rector Cox, the series features actors including Jonathan Watson and Greg McHugh.

The latest batch of episodes will also feature Taggart actor Alex Norton. They will be filmed later this month and broadcast in early 2013.

Creator Neil Forsyth told The Courier: ''I had always written it with a view to it kind of being the classic British six-episode series, but with the way comedy is commissioned it has been a bit more staggered. I'm just delighted that we'll be able to tell the story over the full six episodes.''

Mark Freeland, controller of comedy for the BBC, said: ''I am delighted that we will see Bob Servant make more spectacular strides towards the seat of power in Broughty Ferry. With Bob's unstoppable energy and his running mate Frank at his side, nothing can possibly go wrong.''

Brian Cox first played Bob Servant in radio series The Bob Servant Emails.

Source: The Courier (Tayside & Fife) 

• Review: Citizen Gangster

Citizen Gangster’s story resonates with any person who’s down on their luck in an era when times are tough and jobs are nowhere to be found, but in its attempts to reinvent the criminal as celebrity concept the film falters as the writing breaks down. It tries to be similarly insightful about veterans as the odd men out of peace time, feeling estranged from the real world and driven to lives that give them the adrenaline rush their wartime tour hooked them on. 

In trying to tie these elements together in a criminal drama, the script jumps back and forth without ever really finding a singular approach to who its characters are. Luckily, Citizen Gangster has a capable cast of Scott Speedman, Kevin Durand, Brian Cox, William Mapother, and Kelly Reilly to keep it moving.

 
Read more at JustPress Play 

Brave's additional character voices, and a real-life Merida

Taggart star Alex Norton and wife star in two Caledonian classics

Animated epic Brave is the biggest movie to hit Scotland since Braveheart. And acting couple Alex Norton and wife Sally Kinghorn should know – because they are the only two stars to work on both Mel Gibson’s action blockbuster and Disney Pixar’s eagerly awaited smash hit.

Taggart legend Alex played William Wallace’s father-in-law in Braveheart while Sally, one of Scotland’s busiest voiceover actors, provided the background cheers and comments for crowd scenes in the historic drama.

The pair can also be heard in Brave, which premièred in Edinburgh last week and tells the story of flame-haired, feisty princess Merida.

Sally, who has done voices in the Harry Potter films, Shakespeare In Love and Burke And Hare, plays Maudie, the maid who spends the entire movie chasing Merida’s triplet brothers around the castle.

Alex – who is also in the new series of BBC drama Waterloo Road – is part of the team singing a song on the Disney soundtrack recorded by his composer friend Patrick Doyle.

The couple are delighted to have been involved in the project.

Sally said: “I work on a lot of post-production sound on film and television and they called up to ask if I would do a session for a film, which I was told was the latest Pixar film and was all about Scotland.

"We got to see the visuals while we were recording and it looks amazing.

“It was great fun. The Pixar guys all came over and they were so inspiring and full of life.

“They were really enthusiastic about Scotland. It was a real pleasure to work with them.

“Alex was involved as well and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.”

The cheeky triplets of Hamish, Hubert and Harris are set to be the break-out stars of the film and Sally enjoyed being part of their scenes as Maudie tries to keep them from getting into mischief.

Sally, who shares duties for the part with fellow Scots actress Eilidh Fraser, said: “It was great to be involved because Maudie’s scenes with the triplets were great fun to watch.

“We’ve got three boys but Maudie deals with the triplets differently as she has to be more diplomatic in looking after them and not losing the rag.

“The work that goes into these things is beyond imagining. The Scottish landscape looks beautiful and the film really gives it heart and soul.

“The cast are great. I’ve known Robbie Coltrane for years.”

Alex got involved in Brave when his pal Patrick hired him to help sing Song of Mor’du for the movie’s CD.

Alex said: “Pat is one of my oldest and dearest pals. He called me and said he was recording the soundtrack for Brave and asked if I wanted to sing on it. I said, ‘Are you kidding?’

“He wanted a big, rough, Scottish, hairy-a***d voice for the Song of Mor’du.

“Billy Connolly sings the verse and we all join in the chorus – it’s fantastic to be involved. The Pixar people were lovely. They were asking for suggestions for Scottish phrases and sayings and couthy words.

“It was so refreshing to work with people who were so into what they were doing – they care about every single detail.

“It was a delight to work with them. I was only minimally involved but just to be part of it is a great thing.

“It’s going to be a fantastic film for Scotland.”

Our little princess on dream night

Our real-life Merida, Caitlyn Boyd, yesterday looked back at a dream week when she shared the red carpet with stars of the Disney Pixar epic.

The flame-haired schoolgirl, 15, who won the Sunday Mail’s Merida lookalike competition, is still on cloud nine after meeting Kelly Macdonald, who voices Merida.

Caitlyn, from Brechin, Angus, who turned out at the European première in Edinburgh dressed as the Brave heroine, said: “It was the best night of my life. I was over the moon when I heard I had won the competition but I had no idea I would be walking down the red carpet with all the stars.

“I was speechless when Kelly Macdonald came over to me and told me how fab I looked. To be photographed with her was just amazing. I felt like a real star.”

Caitlyn, who has been acting and dancing since she was four, is more determined than ever to pursue a career on the stage.

The Mearns Academy pupil said: “I’ve always wanted to be an actress but being at the Brave premiere has given me a real taste for it.

“I want to get an agent so that, when I finish school, I can get started.”

Caitlyn gave the movie – which hits screens here on August 17 – 10 out of 10.

She said: “It’s fantastic. The animation is out of this world and Merida is a brilliant leading lady. It’s a real mix of action and wit.”

Source (both stories): Daily Record