Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee reveals how she got a kiss from idol in front of 70k fans
Debbie Allan, from Lochee, says her 'dream came true' when she received a peck from the singer during his gig at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
It was the highlight of their 10-minute interaction, which was displayed on the big screen on Saturday night.
During this time the former Take That superstar sang Proclaimers classic Sunshine on Leith, held Debbie's hand, and even lightheartedly traded swear words with the 42-year-old.
Pictures and video of the encounter have gone viral on Facebook and TikTok, with thousands empathising with Debbie's on-screen tears as she got up close and personal with the household name.
But the once-in-lifetime meeting so nearly didn't happen, Debbie told The Courier.
Debbie has been a Robbie Williams fan for more than 30 years and has seen him perform live around 35 times.
These include all his Scottish shows, many in England, and even a gig in Munich, Germany.
In the past few tours he has picked out a fan standing at the front to dedicate his song 'She's The One' to.
So Debbie, with fellow Dundonian and superfan Paula Williamson, joined the Robbie Williams gig queue first thing in the morning in the hope of being picked out by the 51-year-old Stokie.
But on Saturday at 10pm, having been at Murrayfield since 6am, Williams chose another woman standing nearby.
'He actually spoke to another girl first,' Debbie told The Courier.
'But she was from Germany and he wanted someone from Scotland.
'So I shouted 'I'm from Dundee'.
'That's when he came over.'
The next 10 minutes were 'crazy', Debbie says.
'He came down, asked me where I was from and then he started singing Sunshine on Leith,' she said.
'He had his hand on my arm and I was holding his arm.
'I was quite happy and could have stood there all day – I wouldn't have cared.
'I was just holding him, looking at him and thinking 'Oh my God, I can't believe this is actually happening'.'
After mischievously asking why Hearts fans tend to boo Williams' rendition of Hibs anthem Sunshine on Leith, the focus again turned to Debbie.
'He said to me, 'I never ask a woman how old she is…so what do you weigh?',' she recalled.
'And I told him to f*** off.
'He then cuddled me and said, 'That's why I love Scottish people. You ask them a question and they tell you to f*** off'.
'He gave me a direct kiss on the lips. It was so unexpected and I burst out crying.
'The camera was on me the whole time.
'The crying face was all over the screens.
'It was the most surreal experience ever.'
Williams returned to the stage to sing She's The One, which topped the UK charts in 1999.
But the spotlight hadn't left Debbie just yet.
She explained: 'He dedicates that song to a fan.
'And even during the song he said things like 'wee Debbie'.
'There was still a camera on me the whole time.
'Then he waved at me after he sang it.
'I was crying.'
Debbie had only once before made it onto a TV screen through her Robbie fandom.
It was in February 1999, when she was asked why she was queuing so early for Williams' only Aberdeen gig.
'It was snowing and reporters were saying 'You can't be out queuing in the snow'. But we didn't care,' Debbie said.
The scale of this exposure was minor compared to Saturday's experience.
Debbie said: 'I've waited 30 years for a moment like that, it's just unbelievable.
'Every fan wants it to be them, and I hope that girl from Germany gets her moment when Robbie is next over there.
'For it to be me was unbelievable. It was surreal.
'Even after the gig, complete strangers were coming up to me, saying 'It's Debbie from Dundee'.
'It's been so emotional.
'Robbie is one of the best entertainers we have.
'He knows how to work the audience and is just unreal.
'I can't put into words what the guy means to me.'
She added: 'I have followed him since I was 10 years old and to have this moment is like a dream come true. It's just amazing.
'Every time I watch the video and talk about it I'm crying. It's mental.
'I'm trying to save all the different videos but every one of them is just amazing. It's crazy.'
The Courier's live news reporter James Simpson was among the 70,000 people at Murrayfield for the gig.
The Dundonian admits Debbie's interactions with Williams put a lump in his throat.
He said: 'Robbie asked if anyone else was from Dundee, and there was a good reaction.
'Robbie then had a bit of banter with Debbie and her pal, who was trying to film it or take pictures.
'Robbie then dedicated 'She's The One' to Debbie.
'It was brilliant.
'She was emotional and gave him a hug during the performance.
'I was delighted that a local person had been picked – she even got a smacker on the lips from Rob.
'Suffice to say, she looked chuffed.'
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Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Scotsman
Exclusive interview with Jack Lowden as the Slow Horses actor records his first audio book, Muckle Flugga
Actor Jack Lowden and author Michael Pedersen. Lowden has narrated the audiobook of Pedersen's debut novel Muckle Flugga. | Shaun Murawski The chance to narrate Michael Pedersen's debut novel Muckle Flugga was an opportunity the Scottish actor couldn't miss Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish actor Jack Lowden has voiced the Audible recording of Muckle Flugga by poet and author Michael Pedersen, Edinburgh's Makar and current Writer in Residence at The University of Edinburgh. It is Lowden's first audio book narration and Pedersen's first novel, released today following the publication of Muckle Flugga in May, the fantastical story of those living at Britain's most northerly lighthouse located off the coast of Unst in the Shetland islands. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lauded by the likes of Stephen Fry and Nicola Sturgeon, Pedersen's novel takes the reader on a wild and wonderful journey with the imaginary inhabitants of the 'cliff island', a father and son whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival of a stranger from the city. Speaking about his first foray into audio books, Lowden explains that when he was asked by Pedersen's publisher to narrate Muckle Flugga, it was an unmissable opportunity. Jack Lowden and Michael Pedersen. Lowden has narrated the audiobook of Pedersen's debut novel Muckle Flugga. | Shaun Murawski 'I felt I needed to do this,' says Lowden. 'I'd read Michael's memoir, Boy Friends and was obsessed with it. I get so excited when there's talent of that level that's homegrown, it's such a buzz, and to be asked to do this made complete sense.' Lowden was Pedersen's first choice as narrator after seeing the actor perform on screen and stage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'd seen him in different roles and been ensorcelled by him. I felt he wouldn't just narrate, that there was such depth and dedication to his acting he would inhabit the story. There's the location and characters, Jack delivers it all with eclat and bravura.' Author Michael Pedersen in the Shetland Islands with Muckle Flugga and its lighthouse in the distance. | Hollie McNish Lowden is currently in rehearsals for Netflix's Pride and Prejudice - the first Scot to play Mr Darcy - after the London run of National Theatre of Scotland's The Fifth Step, and the Bafta and Olivier Award winner threw himself into bringing Pedersen's unique cast of characters, including the ghost of Robert Louis Stevenson, to life. 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Spectator
7 hours ago
- Spectator
An explosion of toxic masculinity: The Fathers, by John Niven, reviewed
'Fucking men,' spits a woman towards the end of John Niven's brilliant tenth novel, The Fathers. 'Why do they always think it's about fixing everything?' It's a classic hit of deadpan humour from a novelist best known for sending up the most appalling blood, spunk'n'booze-spattered excesses of modern men. A former A&R man with a reputation for partying harder than any rock star, Niven made his name satirising the Britpop scene in his 2008 novel Kill Your Friends. Influenced by Vladimir Nabokov, Martin Amis and Irvine Welsh, he excelled at condensing his characters' most brutal, misanthropic thoughts into kick-in-the-balls prose. The hectic, testosterone-spiked plotting and shock humour force conspiratorial laughs from readers before their spinning moral compasses knows what's hit them. But Niven, now 66, has grown increasingly interested in the more tender feelings squirming within the puffed-out chests of even his most venal characters. His previous book, O Brother, was non-fiction – a painful, piercing examination of the life of his younger sibling Gary, a petty criminal who died by suicide in 2010. In it, Niven compared his own life as a wealthy and successful arts graduate with the hardscrabble existence of Gary, whose debts he could have paid with a wave of his wallet. The complex emotional truths he squared up to for that book have clearly helped broaden the psychological scope of the fictional characters who appear in The Fathers. Like Niven and his brother, this is a story of lives on different tracks. But unlike them, the titular fathers – two men in their late forties who meet outside a Glasgow hospital on the night their sons are born – come from very different backgrounds. Dan is an arts graduate who's made a fortune writing and producing a long-running detective series set in the Scottish highlands. He drives a Tesla, only eats environmentally friendly salmon and dotes on his clever wife. He's caught off guard when Jada, a small-time crook and now the father of a sixth child by a sixth woman, appears beside him in the darkness to pass judgment on the bodies of various expectant mothers passing by: 'Ye'd ride that until the fucking wean pushed ye oot, eh?' Gentle, thoughtful Dan is left fumbling for words while his writerly magpie mind snatches up Jada's slang for future dialogue. Dan's son will come home to a lovingly baby-proofed nursery, his name already down for the local private school. Jada's will soon be chugging energy drinks from his bottle while passively smoking weed. But the plot quickly tangles the two fathers' lives into a frantic scramble to 'fix' issues that spiral out of their control. Without preaching on social issues, Niven uses a catastrophic domino-topple of events to ask what power either man has to control the violent turns their lives take. We must consider the roles class and education play as both continue to regard one another as mugs. The horrors they endure expose heartbreaking, levelling vulnerabilities. The book's most shocking scene rips Dan from his middle-class cocoon; its most tender moment finds Jada (high on class As) lovingly atuned to the beat of his son's 'rabbit heart'. Without losing any of the propulsive, sweary energy or outrageous comedy of his early work, Niven has added real, lingering depth to his fiction. It's this new richness of heart that makes The Fathers such a blockbusting explosion of toxic masculinity. A week after finishing it, I still feel my ears ringing as I wait for the smoke to clear.
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
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Inside secret party animal lifestyle of Harry Potter billionaire JK Rowling – as fearless women's champion turns 60
Rowling has become one of Britain's most outspoken and controversial celebrities SHE is Britain's most successful living author – worth close to £1billion and the mastermind of the global Harry Potter franchise worth 20 times that amount. As JK Rowling turns 60 today, you could hardly blame friends of the reclusive writer for wondering what on Earth to get the woman who truly has everything. Advertisement 6 Harry Potter author JK Rowling turns 60 today Credit: twitter/jkrowling 6 Rowling's first Harry Potter novel was rejected by 12 major publishers Credit: Rex Features 6 Rowling with her second husband Dr Neil Murray Credit: Getty She did, after all, recently turn down a damehood (for the second time), telling friends: 'I don't want a title.' What is certain, though, is that Ms Rowling — once a penniless single mum whose first Harry Potter novel was rejected by 12 major publishers — has never been one to sit back quietly and enjoy watching her vast fortune accumulate. Today there is much to celebrate for the author, who has even out-sold Shakespeare. Indeed, much like Prof Dumbledore, ageing is something she cherishes — recently blasting her fervent political opponents when she declared: 'I hate to disappoint, but you don't turn me into a quivering heap of anguish by telling me I am, or look, old. Advertisement 'I've lost too many people too young to feel anything but celebratory about still being around in my sixtieth year and, if you're lucky, you'll feel that way one day, too.' Despite guarding her home life fiercely, sharing it with her second husband Dr Neil Murray and their three children in a turreted 17th- century manor outside her native Edinburgh, those close enough to know her simply as 'Jo' describe her as 'incredibly good company, generous and a live wire when she wants to be', who 'will celebrate 60 in style'. As one source adds: 'She's a secret party animal when she's in the mood — but she's happiest with close friends, away from the spotlight.' Rowling regularly throws lavish but highly secretive parties at her Scottish estate — most recently on New Year's Eve where her Hogmanay bash resembled a major festival, according to locals, who told of fireworks, fairground rides and live music. Advertisement Reports at the time claimed celebrity guests including U2, The Pretenders and Daniel Craig may have been among the revellers. And she has hosted lavish parties for other birthdays — often with a fancy-dress theme — including her 50th, which invited celeb pals to dress as 'your own private nightmare'. JK Rowling hails BBC host for refusing to say 'pregnant people' live on air But insiders say her favourite spot to unwind with pals and celebrate is critically lauded West London eatery The River Café, run by colourful American chef Ruth Rogers. There she has been known to host raucous female-only lunches attended by a close-knit circle of feminist activists who have become her most trusted confidantes in recent years. Advertisement Attendees have revealed that in a respectful nod to friends — many of whom are highly accomplished but leagues away in terms of wealth — she quietly picks up the bill, often including specially selected vintage champagne, without discussion. As one source explains: 'It could be awkward sitting with a billionaire, worrying about keeping up, but Jo really looks after her friends. 'Nobody ever feels inferior. "She takes care of things, picks great wine or champagne — that's her favourite — and when it comes to settling the bill you find she has already sorted it out. Advertisement 'She's brilliant company, funny — outrageous sometimes — and doesn't shy away from saying, 'Let's stay for another one'. 'Her birthday will be no different — she's looking forward to celebrating with the people she loves.' 'BRUTAL BACKLASH' Rowling also has a superyacht. Well, a billionaire has to have some toys at her disposal. Advertisement But while the writer is revered in some quarters and hailed as an advocate for women, she has also become one of Britain's most outspoken and, at times, controversial celebrities. Despite rarely giving interviews, her unfiltered approach to social media, particularly when discussing gender rights issues, has made her a hero to many — but a demonised pariah in other quarters, including A-list names who have publicly decried her views. It all started with a tweet in 2020, where she mocked the phrase 'people who menstruate,' and drew a clear distinction between bio- logical women and transgender people who identify as female. The backlash was instant — and brutal. Advertisement Accusations of transphobia flew. Activists called for boycotts of her books, and the celeb world she had made her own began to take sides. But far from apologise, she published a long and deeply personal essay defending her stance, revealing her own experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, and insisting she had the right — and duty — to speak up for women. What followed was a full-scale culture war — one in which Rowling, far from backing down, planted her flag and dug in. Advertisement She was labelled a TERF, vilified online, dropped from events and shouted down by campaigners. 6 Rowling with Harry Potter stars Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe Credit: Getty 6 Rowling promoting Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore in 2022 Credit: Getty Most famously, her unflinching views have placed her at odds with the young stars of the Potter films who she helped propel to global superstardom — including Daniel Radcliffe, who released a statement in response to her views — though he later admitted he was 'really sad' about their disagreement. Advertisement Daniel's fellow Potter star Emma Watson followed — prompting Rowling to admit she would not forgive the pair, who she said had 'used their platform to cheer on the transitioning of minors'. And singer Ed Sheeran raced to shoot down reports he had attended one of the writer's parties, calling the claims 'divisive and damaging' in a bid to distance himself from her views. But she remains steadfast in her activism, demanding that 'safe spaces' for biological women should be closed off to transgender women, and insisting 'no child is born in the 'wrong body',' prompting clashes with campaigners which have even sparked calls for her to be arrested. There is no denying, though, that the backlash appears to have reduced the frequency of her public appearances amid fears she could become the target of more abuse and even violence. Advertisement As one insider explains: 'Jo is hugely proud of her stance and never backs down — but she doesn't want to put herself in danger either. 'She is careful about where she goes, what events she attends, and how she travels to and from them. 'She knows the possibility of aggression is very real. You do not want to cross an angry Jo Rowling insider "She also has a team of lawyers on hand, watching everything. Advertisement "You do not want to cross an angry Jo.' But the controversies have failed to make a significant dent in her fortune, which has been further supplemented by a detective series under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, plus a Broadway and London stage show spin-off of the wizarding world on which she built her career. Theme park franchises, video games and other merchandise helped make her the first author to reach billionaire status, though she has given away substantial sums — notably many millions to multiple sclerosis causes in memory of her late mother, alongside Women's Aid and children's welfare charities. But most significant is a big-budget reboot of the Harry Potter franchise, which began filming this month with a new cast of young actors, reimagining the books for a television series produced and financed by US TV giant HBO. Advertisement Scheduled for release in early 2027, it promises to bring the story of Hogwarts to a new generation of fans and will inevitably bring a vast new cash injection to her coffers. Indeed, she couldn't resist a jibe after news of the reported £100million deal sent her critics into a fit of fury — trolling her detractors with a post on X/Twitter, reminding them that the cheques 'still have my name on'. 6 One of Rowling's tweets last year hitting out at Scottish 'trans hate' law coming into effect Credit: Twitter/JK Rowling While she is undeniably divisive, JK's literary achievement remains a global juggernaut — and one which even Daniel Radcliffe admits has proven a force for good to millions of children. Advertisement She changed the world of publishing, and reignited a love of reading for a generation of kids more usually drawn to video games, and turned a boarding school fantasy into a multi-billion-pound universe that defined a generation. Her stories taught children about courage, loss, loyalty and the power of words. She also made being a bookworm something to be proud of, with millions of young fans proudly dressing up as her characters annually for World Book Day. Perhaps that's the perfect birthday gift for the woman who has everything — whatever her detractors may say. Advertisement Friend to many and A hero to millions By Julie Bindel, activist and friend of JK Rowling FIRST, she brings magic to millions upon millions of children, then she sets up charities to alleviate child poverty and suffering in countries most people in the West do not concern themselves with. Then she sees that women – and some men – are being pilloried, maligned, sacked from their jobs and expelled from college courses for saying that men (including predatory, convicted child rapists) should not be allowed in female-only spaces and facilities. Next, she becomes involved in opposing the men's rights movement known as gender ideology. Never, ever bigoted against transgender people or anyone wishing to live differently from the norm, her eye is only on keeping women and children safe from rape, domestic violence, stalking and harassment. When trans activists and their allies wilfully misconstrue her words, Jo writes an essay, made public on her website, in which she reveals herself to be a survivor of sexual assault and domestic abuse, and explains that this is why she understands the need to condemn these acts and keep women and girls safe. Jo is the best friend imaginable, and her unwavering support and concern for the suffering of others will never be made public. The 'be kind' brigade are shouting into the abyss about one of the kindest human beings I have ever met. When women have been forced to defend legal cases of terrible discrimination against them simply for knowing the difference between a man claiming to be a woman and an actual woman, my friend JK set up a fund to finance them. Unlike the vast majority of heterosexuals, she has gone out of her way to support lesbians. So happy birthday, Jo! Women like you – who make the world a better, safer place for women and girls, and for gays and lesbians – come along once in a lifetime. Thank goodness you did. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
