Deacon Blue has shared news ahead of Glasgow Hydro gig
The 64-year-old musician helped form the band in 1985 alongside Ricky Ross, Lorraine McIntosh, Dougie Vipond, Ewen Vernal, and the late Graeme Kelling.
READ MORE: Ricky Ross shared adorable picture of wife in touching post
Details about Prime's condition have not been released, but the band confirmed he has given them his blessing to continue with their scheduled tour, which concludes with two nights at Glasgow's OVO Hydro this October.
In a heartfelt statement, the band wrote: "Dear friends,
"We want to share some news with you about our brother Jim.
"Unfortunately, he is seriously ill and undergoing care in hospital. We would like you to join us in wishing him well and to share your love with him.
"We spoke to Jim yesterday about Deacon Blue's plans for the rest of the year, and he encouraged us to continue with love in our hearts and with his full blessing that the shows go ahead even if it means replacing the irreplacable Jame Miller Prime for the time being.
"Together with Jim's family, we want to thank all nurses, doctors and ICU staff for their ongoing care, professionalism and comapssion.
"With love, Ricky, Lorraine, Dougie, Gregor, Lewis and Tom."
Fans flooded the comment section following the sad update sharing their well wishes for Jim.
One fan wrote: "Wishing Jim a speedy recovery and you all safe travels on your musical journeys."
Another commented: "Oh Jim! Guys, I'm praying for him and for you all during this horribly uncertain time. Jim = legend."
A third added: "Sending prayers and healing wishes to you, Jim.
"Stay positive and do as the medical staff tells you! We look forward to seeing you tinkling the ivories when you're ready."
The Glasgow-based band will perform two major shows at the OVO Hydro on Friday and Saturday, October 10 and 11, 2025, as part of their Deacon Blue: The Great Western Road Trip tour.
Tickets are available now, ranging from £45 to £75.
READ MORE: Deacon Blue reveal tribute to Glasgow's Great Western Road
Last year, the Glasgow Times reported that the band's latest album will pay tribute to the city's iconic Great Western Road.
Founding members Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh discussed the project during an appearance on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.
Ricky, 66, said: "We are in the middle of making a record. We will be bringing it out on March 21, 2025 (and it) is called The Great Western Road.
"Great Western Road leads from the city centre through the West End of Glasgow, which is a really cool and trendy part - and I always thought that for a certain time we owned that. It was the place we wanted to be and we seemed part of it for about two months in 1987.
"The band would meet at a bar called Chimmy Chungas, and it was the gang headquarters of Deacon Blue - that's what Great Western Road was for me."
At the time, the duo also shared that Deacon Blue will perform a mix of intimate theatre shows and larger arena dates across the UK.
When Zoe Ball asked about the difference between theatres and big venues, Lorraine joked: 'Yes, they are terrifying.'
Tickets for the Glasgow shows will go on general sale at 10am on November 29, 2024.
To book tickets, visit: www.gigsinscotland.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Not just Braveheart: black Scots become TikTok hit among African Americans
It began with a good-natured rant about the Scottish summer weather and has developed into a global conversation about history, diaspora and diversity on both sides of the Atlantic. Last week, Torgi Squire uploaded a TikTok post that any Scottish parent could relate to: why is it, he asked, that without fail the washout summer weather always improves the week that the kids go back to school? The 43-year-old high school teacher from Glasgow ended with his usual sign-off, wishing everyone 'a belter of a day', and thought nothing more of it. The internet had other ideas. The post was picked up by a US weather reporter and Squire's comments were suddenly filling with African Americans expressing their amazement and delight at discovering a black man with a strong Scottish accent. But it didn't stop there: black Scots on TikTok found themselves flooded with questions from their American cousins and seized the opportunity to respond with high calibre banter, as #blackscottishtiktok generated thousands more posts. 'It's been a whirlwind,' says Squire, who teaches design and technology. His original post has racked up nearly 4m views, and he's since welcomed more than 200,000 new followers. 'Americans are kept in a bit of an echo chamber by their media, and their only point of reference for Scotland is either Braveheart, Brave or Shrek. They don't seem to have much awareness of the diaspora, particularly when it comes to the UK, which is maybe why they've reacted with so much curiosity. 'But it's not just Americans. I've had comments from people in England too, so there's still surprise at a black person with a Scottish accent on both sides of the Atlantic.' Scotland is certainly more diverse than when he was growing up in the 1980s – 'of the 1,400 kids at my secondary school, only four were black and three of them were related to me'. 'In my experience Scotland is a welcoming place and while there is still racism, it's isolated and Scottish people are very good at calling it out. Perhaps because there are far fewer black people than somewhere like America, we tend to treat each other more like community.' When Ellie Koepplinger, who posts about race and politics on TikTok, saw the initial interest in Squire's content, she thought: 'This is going to be huge.' 'Then other black Scottish people started to chime in and it was really exciting.' Koepplinger, who grew up in Glasgow and lived in the US for nine years, added her own post about being mixed heritage in Scotland: 'It feels like finally people are understanding that we have our own racial politics.' But the interest from across the Atlantic has a more practical edge, she suggests: 'Trump has made America so hostile to black people that having so many people talking about their positive experience in Scotland has got a huge amount of interest from people who are really keen to leave the States.' The flurry of content has also prompted some fruitful conversations among black Scots themselves, she adds. 'It's been really interesting to hear other Scottish people talk about the racism and the challenges they've experienced in Scotland. The black community in Scotland is fairly fragmented because it's small, but it's a population that's excited to grow.' Manny Daphey, a 20-year-old student, soon found his own content getting pushed by the TikTok algorithm, doubling his following as Americans flocked to his videos. 'I was pretty blown by surprise, suddenly everyone was interacting and it felt like speaking to my long-lost cousins.' A few negative comments have been vastly outweighed by a barrage of positivity, he says: 'Lots of Americans are very intrigued about living in Scotland, saying they want to visit.' Perhaps inevitably, there are also some women who appreciate a handsome face with a Scottish accent. American women can be 'very direct' he says. When Roy Wood Jr, comedian and host of CNN's Have I Got News For You US, arrived in Edinburgh a few days ago, he was ready to take in some shows at the festival. Instead, he's been diverted on to a TikTok odyssey, travelling across the central belt to interview black Scots and prove to his fellow Americans they do indeed exist. In one of his posts Wood makes the point that part of the reason why black Americans don't know about black Scots is because their schools 'barely teach them about black people in America'. 'People can laugh about dumb Americans not knowing there are black people in Scotland but this tells us a lot about the differences between education systems and what governments define as history.' In his interviews with Scottish creators, Wood says a common thread is the sense that black Scots are suddenly able to connect online in a way that wasn't so familiar in the real world. 'Coming from the States, I found there's no black neighbourhood, no exclusive cultural enclave for black people in Scotland, so there was a common feeling of 'now we've found each other'.' Wood tracked down Squire in Glasgow and the pair made a post together. 'It's an opportunity for black people across the whole diaspora to converse with one another.' 'The conversations I've had in the past week have really enriched my life,' adds Squire. 'It makes me happy that people are coming together.'
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Catfish fans rejoice as beloved reality series finds new home after MTV UK axe
The hit show has a new home for viewers in the UK Fans of Catfish: The TV show can now stream the hit reality series for free as it has just landed a brand new streaming home. First aired in 2012 on MTV, the reality series sees friends and co-hosts Nev Shulman and Max Joseph helps people who have fallen in love online meet their partners in real life. The goal is to answer the all-important question of whether the person they've connected with is actually who they say they are. The series was born out of the 2010 documentary film Catfish, starring Nev, which followed him as he built a relationship online with a woman named 'Angela' before discovering months on that she was not as she first appeared. It was directed by Nev's brother Ariel Shulman and Henry Joost. There have now been nine seasons of the main Catfish show, with multiple spin-offs including a UK-based version fronted by Oobah Butler and Nella Rose, although it failed to impress and was cancelled after three seasons. Other Catfish-inspired series include Catfish: Trolls, which tackles anonymous internet bullies, and Ghosted: Love Gone Missing, which helps reunite individuals with people who totally cut off contact. But for fans of the OG show, there's good news as it is now available to stream on the free platform, Pluto TV. The service has a dedicated Catfish channel viewers can tune in to which shows back to back episodes, or they can also view the first six seasons on demand. Fans of the show often dissect their favourite episodes online, with one declaring their "must-watch" episode. They shared: "Season 1, episode 7 is SO JUICY. It is AMAZING and a must watch. I've watched it 5 times." Another fan chimed in with their recommendation, saying: "The first episode ever is good for one, the early 2000s fashion and for two, IMO the catfishee was the f***** up one. Actually the whole first 2 seasons I recently watched and they rarely disappointed." Meanwhile a third added: "Episode 2 Trina and Scorpio. Trina was so sweet. Same season, Rod and Ebony was interesting. Episode 4 Jasmine and Mike had an iconic result," as a fourth suggested: "S3, E2 Antwane and Tony had a pretty surprising twist..." Pluto TV also has two seasons of Catfish UK for viewers to stream. Its synopsis reads: "Oobah Butler and co-host Nella Rose are here to help you get to the bottom of your online romances and find out once and for all if the person you've fallen for is real."
Time Out
2 hours ago
- Time Out
Here are the finalists of Oceanographic Magazine's Ocean Photographer of the Year in 2025
Many of us amateurs already find snapping the perfect sunset selfie a challenge. So imagine trying to capture a clear shot of a moving marine creature underwater. That's precisely why we leave it to the professionals to bring us these extraordinary glimpses of life beneath the waves. Oceanographic Magazine's Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 competition has once again delivered a stunning collection of images of the ocean and the lives within. Among this year's standout entries are a couple of breathtaking shots taken in Asia – proof of the region's rich marine biodiversity and natural beauty. Showcasing everything from vibrant coral reefs to elusive sea creatures, here are the finalist images taken in Asia: Fine Art Photographer of the Year This image of a young Pinnate Batfish in Indonesia was captured by Barcelona-based biologist and photographer Luis Arpa Toribio. Known for its jet-black body and almost neon-orange outline, the fish was sharply rendered using a slow shutter speed, snooted lighting, and deliberate camera panning – a technique Luis adopted to add a sense of motion and drama to the shot. Beneath the waves of the Tañon Strait in the Philippines, French-Taiwanese underwater photographer and artist Jade Hoksbergen captured this tiny young candy crab, measuring just a centimeter in size, perched delicately on a bed of pink coral. No, it's not a turtle floating in the sky. Hitomi captured this image near Mount Iwo on Satsuma-Iojima Island, where an "underwater aurora" effect appears thanks to iron-rich substances released by the nearby volcano. Beyond its visual beauty, Hitomi hopes the image will spark conversations about the urgent need for marine conservation. Wildlife Photographer of the Year Marine researcher Takumi Oyama captured this remarkable moment in Japan – a yellow pygmy goby releasing freshly hatched larvae from her mouth into the water. Unlike most gobiid species, this particular one stands out for its shared parental care, with both males and females involved in the hatching process. French marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer Alexis Chappuis captured this fascinating image of thousands of skeleton shrimps completely colonizing a gorgonian coral in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photography instructor and marine project consultant Suliman Alatiqi's image features a lone Komodo dragon in Indonesia's coastal shorelines, half submerged in the waters as it rests and regulates its body temperature. Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year German underwater photographer Daniel Flormann aims to raise awareness about shark conservation through his image taken in West Papua. The solemn scene shows three sharks that perished in a net intended for anchovies, while a whale shark with a partially severed caudal fin swims around them. It might take a moment to decipher what's happening in this image, but it actually shows a tiny paper nautilus clinging to a plastic bottle cap in the open ocean off the coast of the Philippines. Italian underwater photographer Giancarlo Mazarese captured this striking contrast – a species that typically attaches itself to floating organisms like jellyfish is seen here gripping a piece of human-discarded plastic instead. Noam Kortler sheds light on the phenomenon of whale sharks repeatedly approaching tourist boats to be fed in Oslob, Philippines. His drone image, capturing nine whale sharks circling the boats, reflects what he sees as a shift from appreciating wildlife to exploiting it for show. Thai travel photographer Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn captures an everyday moment at sunrise, as fishermen offload their catch from a wooden boat. The focus of the image is a man carrying a massive fish across a narrow plank, carefully balancing over the water. Through this photo, Natnattcha hopes to highlight the need to care for our oceans, and not only for the creatures that live in them, but also for the communities that depend on them. Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year Thai photojournalist and marine biologist Sirachai Arunrugstichai captures an intimate moment as Pongsathorn Bauer, a Thai aquarist from Aquaria Phuket that's also known as 'Shark Dad', releases a young Indo-Pacific leopard shark into a sea pen off Maiton Island, Thailand. To capture this shot, Australian underwater photographer Catherine Holmes travelled to the Blue Caves at Maalhos Thila in the Maldives' North Ari Atoll, where lush corals were in full bloom – thriving with vibrant hues and teeming with life. Admittedly, this isn't your typical wildlife photograph. Thai photojournalist and marine biologist Sirachai Arunrugstichai features an aquarist from Aquaria Phuket holding a glass jar containing an early-stage embryo of an Indo-Pacific leopard shark – part of the aquarium's breeding programme aimed at reintroducing the species into the wild. Hungarian underwater photographer and scuba diving instructor László Földi captured this image of a squid egg resting on the seabed during an early morning dive at Gatto Island in the Philippines. Measuring just 2-3-cm wide, the egg had drifted away from its nest and the cluster of other eggs. South Korean underwater photographer Kim Hyeon Min captured this mesmerising scene at the end of a dive – a school of young fish circling a dome-shaped coral in sunlit, shallow waters. To him, the moment resembled a miniature planet, with the vibrant coral still untouched by bleaching and covered in a rich tapestry of marine life. Experienced photographers know that the reflective skin of anchovies often causes blowouts under flash photography. Yet, wildlife documentary filmmaker and underwater photographer Jenny Stock managed to capture a large school of glittering anchovies at Puri Pinnacle, as they swam rapidly to flee hunting jacks nearby. Japanese underwater photographer Sho Otani captured a rare moment of cardinal fish spawning at night in Japan. Describing the scene to be 'like a volcano bursting with life,' he managed to photograph it by carefully approaching the fish and positioning himself directly above them. British underwater photographer and filmmaker Aaron Sanders captured a brief and extraordinary moment as a giant barrel sponge released a large cloud of gametes during spawning on a coral reef, while Midnight Snappers fed on the drifting particles. Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean Thai photojournalist and marine biologist Sirachai Arunrugstichai captured this striking image of Fuji 268, one of Taiwan's last remaining fire fishing boats, as a fisherman ignites a fireball to drive sardines through the coastal waters of New Taipei, illuminating the night with flickering light. Captured by Chinese photographer and author Jianping Li, this image shows a group of fishermen working along the tidal flats in China, where the deep blue sea meets golden sands in a striking contrast of colour. Look a little closer, and you'll notice the fishermen using their red nets not just for work, but as props in a carefully choreographed performance. Thai travel photographer Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn documents the early morning rituals at Tam Tien Beach, where groups of wooden fishing boats anchor offshore to deliver fresh seafood catches to people waiting onshore to sort, sell, and buy the day's haul. Chinese photographer Shi Xiaowen ventured into the coastal waters of Xiapu to photograph a fisherman hard at work, surrounded by endless rows of laver cultivation poles stretching across the sea. This striking split-shot image by Australian diver Wendy Mitchell shows a man in Indonesia paddling a wooden canoe through calm, mangrove-lined waters. And just below the surface, a vibrant coral reef teems with life and rich biodiversity. Thai travel photographer Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn captures the striking scene of fishermen in Vietnam harvesting Sargassum seaweed with translucent nets, as they work from their traditional round wooden boats. Austrian underwater photographer and dive resort manager Max Holba photographs the descent of a handwoven bamboo basket into the depths of Alor's waters.
