Former Grampian Television managing director Alex Mair dies aged 102
Former Grampian Television managing director Alex Mair has died at the age of 102.
Tributes have been paid to the Scottish broadcasting legend, who helped launch the network in 1961.
Press and Journal journalist Neil Drysdale, who interviewed Mr Mair last year, said: 'Sad news about the death today at 102 of Alex Mair, one of the driving forces in the launch of Grampian TV more than 60 years ago.
'I met Alex at a care home shortly before Christmas and he was still as bright as a button. An absolute gentleman!'
Broadcaster Jim Spence added: 'Sad news. Grampian was essential TV viewing for folk who wanted to know what was happening in this area.'
Trained as an accountant, Mr Mair moved into broadcasting management, launching Grampian Television as its managing director in September 1961.
Based in Aberdeen, Grampian Television was the ITV franchise holder for the north of Scotland.
The channel offered opportunities for seasoned veterans and newcomers alike, featuring acts such as traditional musician Calum Kennedy, the singing sensation of the Tivoli.
Programmes like Calum's Ceilidhs, Try for Ten with Billy Raymond, Bothy Nichts and the pioneering Romper Room were major hits.
Last November, Mr Mair spoke to The Press and Journal about his role in founding the popular TV channel.
He said: 'We were committed to keeping it local and listening to what people in the north-east wanted from us, not the other way around. This was for them, not us.'
He later added: 'I loved every minute of it, and the greatest year of my life was undoubtedly 1961, when we got the station up and running.'
Under Mr Mair's stewardship, Grampian TV developed a strong identity for its local programming.
Known for his dedication to regional content, he championed programmes reflecting Scottish culture and rural life, such as the long-running Top Club and Summer Scene.
Beyond broadcasting, Mr Mair was highly respected in the wider Scottish business community.
After his time at Grampian TV, he remained involved in various corporate and community initiatives.
His contributions were formally recognised when he was appointed CBE for services to broadcasting and the community.
He was also a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen, admitted in 1986.
A firm Rotarian, Mr Mair celebrated 50 years with the Rotary Club of Aberdeen in 2020.
He moved to Rubislaw Care Home in the city following the death of his wife Margaret, and was said to have been greatly fond of the staff.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Inside a Bearsden home that's been housing an art gallery for 25 years
This year's Big Summer Show, featuring more than 600 paintings from around 110 artists runs until June 15. 'I see the gallery as the Scottish equivalent of the Royal Academy of Arts in London – without the vast space and hanging committee, of course,' says Ken, smiling. 'At its heart, though, that is what we are trying to do – to make a broad mix of art, of real quality, accessible to as many people as possible.' In 2000, the era of the dot com boom, Ken and Susan took a leap of faith into the online art world, driven by their own passion for and knowledge of the Scottish art scene. Ken's grandson Angus helps with some paintings (Image: ken lemond) 'I have three degrees, none of them in art,' says Ken, smiling. 'I was an accountant before I gave it up to run the gallery full time. 'My interest in art comes from my passion for reading about it and collecting it.' He adds: 'Neither Susan nor I could ever have imagined how it would take off, or that we'd still be doing this 25 years later.' Having a gallery in their home happened 'accidentally', says Ken, with a laugh. 'We brought the artworks into the house to have them photographed for the website, but our friends, who were always popping in, would stop to admire and ask questions, and end up buying them,' he says. READ MORE 'For the first three years of the business we didn't open to the public, we just sold through word of mouth. It was very organic, and it just kept growing.' In 2003, the gallery opened four days a year, prompting the birth of its hugely successful summer and Christmas shows, and in 2010, the couple added an extension to their home to expand the space and allow for more solo and two- or three-person shows. The couple's daughter, Kate Fleming, has joined her parents in the running of the business – unsurprising, she laughs, considering how much it surrounded her growing up. 'My sister Kirsty and I were always yelling, 'can you PLEASE move these paintings' because they were everywhere when we were little - on the floor, on the sofa, and we just wanted to watch television,' says Kate, smiling. Ken with his daughter Kate (Image: ken lemond) 'I didn't appreciate art then, but I realise now how lucky we were to grow up in that world, and to be given such an understanding of it at a young age.' Kate is mother to three-year-old Angus and one-year-old Anna, who make regular appearances at the shows to the delight of their proud grandparents, and the customers. She adds: 'I think Angus's first words, honestly, were 'grandpa' and 'painting'….It is lovely, to see them so excited. And I know I will always be very grateful to have had a gallery in my childhood home.' The Scottish art scene is strong, says Ken, and it has changed considerably even in the years since The Lemond Gallery opened. 'I remember the Glasgow artist George Devlin saying to me that when he left art school 'no gallery wants to look at students or graduates, they just want work by dead artists',' he says. 'Today, I think art is more democratic, less elitist. It is more affordable, and accessible. We have watched that change, and I believe, have been part of it too.' One of the joys of the last 25 years, says Ken, has been gently guiding customers as they grow their collections, filling their homes with beautiful artworks. 'We try to be the scaffolding around them, supporting them, pushing them out of their comfort zone when necessary," he says, smiling. "We have also loved spending time with artists, especially those coming out of art school where they don't really teach you how to run a business. 'We cultivate and nurture them, helping them understand how to work with galleries, how to be realistic with pricing, for example, and that has been extremely rewarding too.' The Big Summer Show, like its winter counterpart, is extensively researched and carefully curated, giving art-lovers both new and established the chance to see a broad cross-section of work. Kate has been a great asset to the business already, says her father. 'She presses me to look at new artists – we have seven in this year's summer show, for example,' says Ken. 'It's really important to keep opening up our reach.' Those new artists, such as Glasgow School of Art graduate Euan McGregor, whose paintings and printworks have been celebrated across the UK, and urban landscape painter Cate Inglis, will exhibit alongside Lemond Gallery regulars such as Kathryn Arthur, Alison McWhirter, Stephen Mangan, Gordon Wilson and Jennifer Irvine. As final preparations continue, it is all hands on deck, says Ken. 'It is really exciting for us – we are a bridge between the public and the artist,' he adds, smiling. 'As all the paintings start to arrive, and we unpack and prepare to hang them, I'm like a child in a sweetie shop.'
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Who will win Love Island 2025? Here's how the bookies rate all 12 islanders' chances in series 12
The 12th season of Love Island is back this month, making its debut on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm on Monday, June 9 - hot on the heels of the second series of Love Island All Stars which was broadcast earlier in the year. Hosted by Maya Jama and back On the Spanish island of Mallorca, Series 12 marks a decade since the show first hit screens in 2015. Since then it has been streamed more than a billion times and is regularly the most watched programme for those aged 16-34. Scottish comedian Iain Stirling will once again be voicing as Islanders battle it out in the UK's biggest dating show. Show chiefs promise viewers should 'get set for a summer full of twists and turns. From bombshell arrivals to surprise dumpings, Islanders in sun-drenched Mallorca must truly expect the unexpected.' There's already been controversy, with Kyle Ashman dropped from the villa after reports emerged linking him with a violent incident. And there's some Scottish interest this year, with 23-year-old Glaswegian wealth management client services executive Alima Gagigo taking part. And, as well as the prospect of finding true love, there's also the small matter of the £50,000 prize for the last couple standing. Here's how the bookies rate their chances. 1 . Dejon - 3/1 The current favourite man is Dejon, with odds of 3/1. He's a 26-year-old personal trainer from London. | ITV Photo Sales 2 . Harry - 7/2 30-year-old Harry, a gold trader, semi-professional footballer and model, comes from Guildford and has a 7/2 chance of winning. | itv Photo Sales 3 . Conor - 7/2 Professional rugby player Conor, 25, from Limerick, Ireland, is a 7/2 shot. | ITV Photo Sales 4 . Ben - 7/2 Also with odds of 7/2 is Ben, a 23-year-old private hire taxi driver from Gloucester. | ITV Photo Sales
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's 10 best summer festivals that are not Edinburgh Festival
So what other festival treats can we snaffle up in Scotland over the summer? Here are 10 that might just be worth risking the weather for. TRNSMT is Glasgow's big summer music festival (Image: free) Eden Festival Moffat, June 12-15 Growing out of the Wickerman Festival, Eden is now in its 14th year and prides itself on being a family-friendly festival with activities for all ages. Wellness is a big strand of the festival with an extensive programme of workshops (if you've ever wanted to make nipple tassels, well, here's your chance). But of course the main draw will be its wildly eclectic music programme (more than 250 acts over 10 stages) which takes in DJs, Dub and Jungle sound systems, English punk duo Bob Vylan, Africa's Orchestra Baobab, American hip-hop group Slum Village and Scotland's own The Bluebells. Someone in that line-up is going to get those tassels twirling, surely? The Bluebells (Image: free) Solas Festival Errol Park, Perthshire, June 20-22 'A Summer Celebration of Music, Arts and Wellbeing' is the pitch for this bespoke festival located between Perth and Dundee. That means everything from yoga sessions to spoon carving and Indian Head Massages. There's also music and arts onsite, with appearances from the likes of headliner Hamish Hawk, Scottish folk band Kinnaris Quartet and Iranian classical musician Aref Ghorbani, as well as a literature programme that features Len Pennie. Len Pennie (Image: free) East Neuk Festival Fife, June 25-29 No one ever needs an excuse to visit the East Neuk, but this festival is a gorgeous optional extra at the end of June. Classical music is at the heart of it and it takes place in churches and town halls in Crail, Anstruther, Kilrenny, Cellardyke, and on Bowhouse Farm. This year's programme sees a focus on Beethoven's Late Quartets and Schubert Song Cycles, and features an impressive array of classical musicians including Diyang Mei, the Belcea, Castilian, Elias and Pavel Haas Quartets, Sally Beamish, tenor Mark Padmore and baritone James Newby. Jazz is represented by the Euan Stevenson Trio and the Tom Smith Septet. Pipe player Kathryn Tickell's show is already a sellout, but there will be a chance to see oud maestro Nizar Rohana. And guitarist Sean Shibe will be giving a number of performances over the long weekend. Nizar Rohana (Image: Nizar Rohana) If this gives you a taste for classical music near the seaside then you should check out the Lammermuir Festival in East Lothian ( in September. Kelburn Garden Party Kelburn Castle and Estate, Ayrshire, July 3-7 Back for a 15th year, Kelburn Garden Party is a little mini Glastonbury in the middle of Ayrshire. Combining music, art installations and theatre, it's the chance to lose yourself just off the A78. The music programme is eclectic with a capital E. Peruvian singer-songwriter Soufia Kourtesis will make her Scottish debut, Drum 'n' bass master Dillinja will also be on hand and there will be sets from Jamz Supernova, Shooglenifty and The Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble. And, of course, you have to explore the Neverending Glen. HebCelt Festival Isle of Lewis, July 16-19 HebCelt is nearly 30 now and it's now difficult to imagine a Scottish summer without it. This year's music programme mixes up Scottish folk, trad and pop names, with Tide Lines, Eddi Reader, pedal harpist and clarsach player Ciorstaidh Beaton, Kassidy and the indestructible Lulu all booked to play (and that's just a small sample of the line-up). NB, this is a festival where the majority of acts are women. There are certain Glasgow festivals that might take a lesson. Meanwhile, An Lanntair will also be hosting music events alongside a hat making workshop and a couple of ceilidhs. TravFest25 Edinburgh, July 25-August 24 Lucie Barat (Image: Corinne Cumming) Breaching my 'strictly no Edinburgh guidelines', it seems worth flagging up the Traverse Theatre's festival programme which features three world premieres, three UK premieres and three Scottish premieres amongst its 12 productions. This summer will see the return of John Tiffany, former associate director of the National Theatre of Scotland, who's teaming up with writer Johnny McKnight to direct She's Behind You, exploring our love of panto. Meanwhile, Lucie Barat - sister of Libertines frontman Carl Barat - is bringing her autobiographical play Standing in the Shadows of Giants to Edinburgh for its world premiere. Other shows hail from Belfast and Nova Scotia. Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival Inverness, July 31-August 2 Now 21 years old, Belladrum has a line-up that might be aiming at the older brothers and sisters of TRNSMT attendees. Or maybe even their parents. This year's headliners are Texas, Supergrass and Paul Heaton (formerly of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South), with a supporting line that includes Tom Walker, Natasha Bedingfield, English rapper Example, the wonderful CMAT (the world's best pop star right now) and, umm, Gok Wan. Inevitably, there's a strong Scottish folk strand to the programme, with the likes of Karine Polwart and Tide Lines performing. And Doctor Who fans take note, recent The Herald Magazine cover star Peter Capaldi will also be playing. Fringe By the Sea North Berwick, August 1-10 This seaside adjunct to the main events in the capital has been going for the best part of two decades now and it provides a sweet-and-salty alternative to battling through the crowds on the Royal Mile. This year's line-up is typically eclectic, with everyone from Ruby Wax and Joe Wicks to Rory Stewart and Artie's Singing Kettle making an appearance. As well as a new music film festival event, music highlights include Hamish Hawk (clearly a mainstay on this year's festival circuit), Eddi Reader (ditto), Pictish Trail, Ezra Collective, Dave from Blur talking and DJing and, best of all, French synth duo Air, in town to perform their classic 1998 album Moon Safari in full. It's an album that sounded like a dreamy, hazy long-ago memory back then. What will it sound like now? Oh and The Boomtown Rats are about too, if that's your kind of thing. Nairn Book and Arts Festival Nairn, August 30-September 7 Sally Magnusson (Image: JULIE HOWDEN) The programme for this year's Highland celebration of literature, music, visual art and film will be announced later this month, but last year saw Sally Magnusson, Irvine Welsh and Jackie Kay all visit the Moray Firth. Team it up with a visit to the Wigtown Book Festival at the end of September and you'll have covered the country. Lochaber Live Fort William, September 12-14 Locabher no more, no more. (Sorry, not sorry.) After a 30-year absence, Lochaber Live has been brought back to life thanks to Manran's Gary Innes. Following last year's revival, it returns this September to An Aird Shinty Field in Fort WIlliam, with a programme full of familiar trad and folk names including Karen Matheson, The Peatbog Faeries, Trail West, Breabach, Cara DIllon, Fara and Manran, obviously. Fort William gets a bad name (it was voted 'worst place to visit in Scotland' last year), but it has a fine bookshop, a great cinema, and couldn't be better located. The revival of Lochaber Live is another step in the revival of the place. And how many times can you combine a festival weekend with a walk up Ben Nevis?
