Iconic Scots kids' TV host dies aged 99 as devastated family pay tribute
Generations of Scots grew up with Glen who fronted Cartoon Cavalcade every Sunday on STV from 1966 to 1992.
3
Glen Michael was a popular face on STV from 1966 to 1992
Credit: John Kirkby - Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
3
Glen Michael, who has passed away at the age of 99
Credit: John Kirkby - Commissioned by The Sun Glasgow
3
Glen Michael with some of the characters who appeared on the Cavalcade Programme.
Credit: John Gunion - The Sun Glasgow
In an interview with The Scottish Sun shortly before turning 99, Glen proudly boasted how he had just renewed his driving licence, joking: 'It's valid until I'm 101 — at this rate I may even outlive my car.'
Glen passed away at his cottage his Ayrshire, where he lived alone since the loss of wife Beryl a decade ago.
He leaves behind his two adult children, former journalist Yonnie, 74, who is now a guide at King Charles's Dumfries House, and award-winning film editor son Chris Buckland, 66, who has worked on high profile shows including Outlander, as well as five grandchildren.
Yonnie said: 'Dad died peacefully at home, and not in hospital, which is what he wanted.
'He had people beside him and he just literally took a deep breath and passed away.
'Dad had been determined to make it to 100, as he wanted his telegram from the King, but sadly it wasn't to be.
'But he was still driving until six weeks before falling ill and had also filmed a video for the Veterans charity Erskine in his back garden, which he did in one take. He was a performer to the end.'
Bobby Hain, MD Audience, at STV said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear that Glen Michael has passed away.
Most read in News TV
"Glen was a wonderful performer and personality and we know that many viewers will have very fond memories of him.
"He was an STV legend, with Glen Michael's Cavalcade a particular favourite for children across Scotland during its 26 year run.
"Our thoughts are with his family at this time and we send them our deepest condolences.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I went to the ‘world's best waterpark' just three hours from the UK and it's like being on another planet
DESPITE most of my friends having never heard of it, the indoor waterpark Aquascope has been named the 'best waterpark in the world' - so I had to find out for myself. Eight miles north of Poitiers in France, there are three things that make this water park stand out from the crowd. Advertisement 5 Aquascope has 8 waterslides, a wave pool and immersive zone with an aquatic cinema Credit: ©JL AUDYFUTUROSCOPE 5 Another attraction is the lazy river Credit: ©JL AUDYFUTUROSCOPE Firstly, Aquascope is an indoor attraction – an absolute blessing for us in the 35C heat in France at the time so no chasing everyone around with the factor 50. It is also is on the same site as major French attraction Futuroscope, if you wanted more theme park elements. But by far the most appealing thing about Aquascope is that it combines its hardcore water features with truly impressive tech effects, so it feels, in the words of my youngest, 'like you're swimming around inside a cool video game'. Think lights, screens and cascading colour and you're on the right lines. Advertisement Read More on Holidays Picture the scene. Two spiral stairways, each signposting a route to the top of a different slide. Everyone carries their inflatable rafts up (depending on the slide, there are four-seater inflatables, two-seaters; one-seaters; mats with handlebars; and slides that you don't need any accessory for). You can even watch through the transparent tubes, showing you the people ahead of you squealing down. We counted eight slides in total, each offering a completely different thrill. Advertisement Most read in Family Exclusive Scots waterpark crowned 'best in the country' to reopen in weeks 5 There are lots of ride from high thrills to smaller slides Credit: ©JL AUDYFUTUROSCOPE We loved 'Alien' (a tube raft race with some serious skids and swirls) and 'Sprint' (like head-first bodyboarding). 'Quick' was exactly as it sounds, a short sharp bolt with one free-fall funnel stretch. After four goes, I lost count of how many times we waited in line for that one. The most adrenaline-pumping? For us, that was a toss-up between 'Spiral', a 130m of giddy twists, nail-biting speed, and deep-pool plunge. Advertisement And 'Rocket', where you step inside a space capsule and count down to lift-off when the floor disappears beneath your feet. The most impressive thing about Aquascope was that in addition to the crazy slides there's a totally different change of pace and vibe at Aquascope's Abysses-de-Lumière, an underworld of fairytale caves and canyons. One minute you're swimming right up to a massive, mesmerising screen, then meteors crash around you, then you feel like you're swimming underwater with cute sea creatures. 5 The waterpark makes you feel like you're on another planet Credit: Lucy Shrimpton/Aquascope Advertisement There's a lazy river too that carries you along in floats beneath a magical sky . There is also an outdoor section with a hotel-style pool where I managed to get my sun-lounger fix for a while. Little ones meanwhile will be in their element in the minis zone with water maze, overhead soakers and a musical grotto. As for Futuroscope next-door, that was surprising, because if you thought that a virtual-reality ride couldn't be as exhilarating as a rollercoaster, Futuroscope will make you eat your words. Advertisement In 'Extraordinary Journey' for example you whizz at breakneck speed around all the world's sights, sounds and even smells without leaving your seat. It's just one of Futuroscope's 40 experiences, some of the type you'd expect at a theme park ('Destination Mars' your rollercoaster, brand-new 'Mission Bermuda' your aqua-flume),. We couldn't get enough of Tornado Chasers (flee the storm before it swallows you!) and Robot Dance (its arm throwing you around to the DJ's beat drop). The verdict? For us the combination of speed and special effects was a winning formula and so worth the drive. Advertisement If my grown-up kids AND my 58-year old husband had to be dragged away (the biggest kid of all), that tells you pretty much everything you need to know, right? Here's More About Where To Stay and Eat at Aquascope... Drive: via Stay at: Ecolodgées Hotel, serene cabins designed to restore peace after the day's high-energy. Eat at: the Space Loop restaurant scoring high on fun factor. Order food on your table's screen then wait for it to land via mini rollercoaster. For further details including pricing, restrictions, app etc. visit OR you can fly to Nantes from the UK, taking around 1h25, with Aquascope around two hours from there 5 Aquascope in France is one of the best in the world - and looks otherworldly Credit: ©JL AUDYFUTUROSCOPE
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Legendary 90s kids show coming to streaming for first time ever – after launching the careers of TV's biggest stars
AN ICONIC 90s kids show is coming to streaming for the first time ever. The popular show made multiple cast members 4 Byker Grove is coming to streaming for the first time Credit: ITV/STV 4 The popular kids drama launched Ant & Dec's careers Credit: Alamy 4 Jill Halfpenny featured on Byker Grove early in her career Credit: Rex Features Classic episodes of Byker Grove will be available to stream for free on STV Player and ITVX. Ant & Dec featured prominently in the series, playing best friends P.J. and Duncan. The streaming services have partnered with Ant & Dec's production company Mitre Studios - which owns the rights to Byker Grove - in order to relaunch the series. Viewers across the UK can stream it now on STV Player and on ITVX from later this year. Read more on kids' shows Ant & Dec's characters, PJ & Duncan were among the most popular and enjoyed chart success with eight Top 20 singles - including Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. Having launched on BBC One in 1989, Byker Grove fast became an after-school viewing staple for teenagers . The series takes place in Byker, Newcastle - while following the lives of young people at local youth club, the Grove. During its run, Byker Grove tackled social issues such as abortion, drug addiction and homophobia. Most read in News TV In 1994, it also featured the first gay kiss on UK children's TV - when character Noddy Fishwick kissed his friend Gary Hendrix. Past cast members also include Jill Halfpenny, who featured from 1989 to 1992. Watch as Ant and Dec bring back their classic 90s Byker Grove roles - live on I'm A Celeb In addition, Byker Grove follows another legendary British drama, Brookside onto STV Player. The streaming service Richard Williams , STV's Managing Director, Audience: Video & Technology , said: 'Just when you thought the 90s revival might have been slowing down, we've only gone and brought back one of the seminal TV shows of the decade. 'Byker Grove was an integral part of so many British childhoods and we're delighted that those original viewers – now of a slightly more mature vintage – can relive all the nostalgic action on STV Player. Ant and Dec's incredible career ANT McPartlin and Declan Donnelly met on the set of Byker Grove in 1990. The two went on to have chart success under their characters' names - including their 1994 No1 smash hit They haven't looked back since then, going on to present some of the most popular shows on TV. Here's a rundown of some of their most popular shows - plus one "dud". The Ant & Dec Show - this late afternoon kids' entertainment series ran from 1995-1996 for 17 episodes Friends Like These - the Geordie pair hopped channels again, landing on BBC One to present this game show from 1999 until 2001 I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - the reality TV show began in 2002, with Dec presenting all 23 seasons, even one Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway - this show also began in 2002, but the lads said the PokerFace - Ant and Dec created this game show which aired from 2006-2007. with a top prize of £1million. Britain's Got Talent - the TV series began in 2007 with the pair's backstage antics loved by fans. They also took part in silly competitions on Red Or Black - the show only aired for Ant & Dec's Limitless Win - the pair had "And if any Gen Z viewers want to find out who really started the baggy trousers trend, look no further than Byker Grove!' Craig Morris, Managing Editor, ITV Channels & ITVX , said: 'We are so excited to bring this iconic coming-of-age series to ITVX , marking the first TV appearances of two ITV stalwarts. "Relive all the great moments with us later this year.' Ed Sleeman, MD at Mitre Studios added: 'We're delighted to be teaming up with ITVX and STV Player to give a new generation of viewers the opportunity to watch this iconic series from the start and to see where it all began for Ant & Dec.' 4 The duo met playing fictional friends PJ and Duncan Credit: Rex
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Extra.ie
The Swell Season's Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová: 'We're singing from a different place, because our relationship has deepened and broadened'
I may have a face for radio, but one of my highlights last year was getting to serve as roving reporter on the Hot Press and Virgin Media One TV show, Uprising. Over four seriously action-packed episodes, I think we did a pretty good job of reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of the current Irish music scene. From Denise Chaila, Hozier and The Academic to The Coronas, Nell Mescal and Pillow Queens, everybody played their hearts out and gave good quote. None more so than Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, AKA The Swell Season, who invited us to their Dublin reunion show in Vicar Street. What was supposed to be a quick chat for the cameras turned into an hour-long epic during which Glen and Markéta reflected on their remarkable Oscar-winning, Simpsons-cameoing career together. To celebrate the July 11 release of their third Forward album – our man John Walshe credits it with having 'a surfeit of beauty' – here's how it all went down… STUART: Glen, Vicar Street has some special memories for you, doesn't it? GLEN: With The Frames, we did like one night in Whelan's, then two nights, then three and then five. It was then that we stepped up to Vicar Street, which is this kind of grander, broader room. Ever since we came here – God, I can't remember what year that was – we started doing shows around Christmas, and it became a real thing. Actually, I couldn't remember if The Swell Season had done Vicar Street before… MARKÉTA: Yeah, I thought so, but I've had three children since, and my memory is not what it used to be! S: You also chose to rehearse for your tour here. G: Yeah, we love the room. It's a very comfortable place and in the middle of Dublin, so everyone can be kind of close by. There's a lovely thing that happens where people turn up early at like two o'clock in the afternoon, and we'll throw the doors open and let them come in to the soundcheck. It's fascinating to watch a band figure stuff out with the crew, like the lights and the sound and all of the discussion that goes on. It's almost like breaking the fourth wall. You're kind of semi-performing because you know that there are people there who are interested. S: I saw about six people come in who I assumed were your family. They were hugging each other and generally behaving like kids at Christmas. Is it muscle memory with the old songs or do you have to do a bit of rehearsing to remember the subtleties? M: Some songs are definitely just engraved in my memory. 'Falling Slowly' being the top one on the list. Other ones take a little bit of rehearsing, and then there are some that need way more rehearsing. It's nice not to rely on muscle memory because sometimes when you're performing, you go on autopilot, which is undesirable. You really want to stay present as much as possible. But also, one gig is worth five rehearsals, wouldn't you say? Advertisement G: For sure. You learn through your mistakes. At a gig, the audience may not notice you've made a mistake, but sometimes you'll misstep a lyric or… Markéta's songs tend to move around a lot chordally, and time-wise, they shift. During them, I'm super-alert because I don't want to get it wrong. But it's those moments where you do get it wrong that are like, 'You're never going to get that wrong again!' It's beaten straight into you. S: With the older songs, do you stick religiously to the original versions, or do you find them subtly or quite profoundly changing? And do they mean different things to you now? G: Yes to all of those! The songs do change. Also, they change with the personnel. Like we have a new drummer no,w and Joe from The Frames on bass. Whenever we play something as an ensemble, it takes on a different feeling. And, of course, we're singing from a different place, too, because our relationship has deepened and broadened. Sometimes there's a bit of sadness in a lyric, but I like to take that now and transform it into the positive of things. And there are certain songs we wrote back then that are actually just too sad. Yesterday, I suggested a son,g and Markéta just said 'No!' And I totally understand why, like, 'We're not going there!' S: So The Swell Season is a total democracy? G: It now is. Before, it was me kind of leading the way, because during Once, I was helping Mar with her songs, and then she was contributing to mine. Whereas now it's gone to another place where Mar's songs are really strong. She comes in with them, they're done. I'm like, 'Wow!' and do my best to try and keep up. S: I heard you rehearsing a beautiful new song, 'The Answer Is Yes'. How was that conjured up? M: I was sitting at the piano and just thinking, 'I'd love to write a song for me and Glen to sing together.' One that sort of summarises what has happened during all these years and where we are now, kind of celebrating that in a way which is personal but at the same time universal. It was one of those songs that came very quickly. I sent Glen a voice memo of it, sort of half-written, and was like, 'Can you work on this with me?' But he was busy at the time, and I just went and finished it. G: I was on tour in LA with Eddie Vedder when you sent that to me. I decided to write a song in response, which was 'Only Love Remains'. The lyrics were something like: 'Despite the fire damage and the broken nose / The heartache and the broken home / Only love remains, only love.' It was a bit of a fun kind of thing, like all of the (metaphorical) punch-ups. So we said, 'Why don't we try to finish these songs off and sing them on the tour?' I was to write the second verse on 'The Answer Is Yes', but the next time I got in touch with Mar, she'd finished it. So then I decided I'd go to Iceland and stay in Mar's place with her, Mio and the kids and finish the two songs. We sat down and said, 'Here's how my one goes.' By the end of the day we'd racked up 18 bits of songs. I was like, 'Ah, okay.' That creative thing only happens with Mar. I remember the first time I sat down with Mar and sang her a song. It would have been one for The Frames. She said, 'Did this happen to you?' I was like, 'Well, no.' And she said, 'Well, why are you singing it?' And I went, 'Bam!' Make your work about your life. S: To me, 'The Answer Is Yes' sounds like a companion piece to 'Falling Slowly'. The lives you've lived since… M: That's a really great compliment, thank you. S: It also reminds me in the best possible way of ABBA in their gentler moments. Are you an ABBA fan? Advertisement M: Yeah, of course. S: Amongst the pop bangers, they had some amazingly raw songs. G: Yeah, oh, that's very kind. M: They do what Glen was just mentioning now. They draw on their own personal close experiences – and in that sense, they become universal. There's a great strength to that. G: And when the lyric is true, it lands. S: The punters can tell, can't they? G: Listeners are very intelligent. Advertisement S: Another lovely thing you do is have up-and-coming acts support you. How did you discover Leah Moran, who's playing tonight, and Dylan Harcourt, who's on tomorrow? M: Leah is somebody I saw busking on Grafton Street in December when I came over. She was there with her gloves on, playing the guitar. She has this kind of Billie Eilish vibe, and I thought she was very talented. I was also impressed by how committed she was because it was freezing, you know? I was doing a bit of Christmas shopping and kept walking back and forth. I ended up taking a photograph of her and posting it so we connected through Instagram. The talent on the streets of Dublin is overwhelming. G: For the last ten years, we've been doing the Christmas Busk on Grafton Street, and then it moved to the Gaiety. Every time Dylan would come with a bunch of his mates. His songs are just getting better and better and better,r and I'd love to see him get discovered on a broader level. S: What I love about the busk is that, whether you're an unknown or a global superstar, everyone's treated equally. G: Yeah, you've got Bono, who's probably the most famous musician in the country, if not the world, hanging out with Dylan. Or he's hanging out with myself or Hozier. One year I was like, 'Who's the fella in the red hat? God, he's brilliant!' and somebody said, 'His name is Dermot Kennedy.' Fair play to Bono, he would often-times invite us all back to his to hang out with him. We'd all go back and sit and have a sing-song. S: It's unbelievably been nineteen years since the release of your The Swell Season debut. What are your overriding memories of making it, Mar? M: The friendships between myself and Glen and (Once film director) John Carney and our friend David Cleary, who took the stills. I remember those moments of grabbing a cup of tea or a slice of pizza around Grafton Street, and just having chats about movies and music. It was such a different environment from my day-to-day. I was in high school in a small town and to be in Dublin doing a creative project with these artists was mind-blowing. I kept pinching myself that this was happening to me. S: Writing 'Falling Slowly', did you know it was special? G: It's a good question because there are songs you write where there's almost a slight embarrassment. Where I go, 'Is this any good? Is it a bit cheesy?' I love 'Falling Slowly' and I'll stand by and fight for it, but you could imagine a boy band singing it almost. You've written a song that is a little bit out of my normal kind of safety space. It was in the Czech Republic that Markéta played piano on it. I remember going in to your parents and playing it to them after we recorded it. Mar sang this note on the chorus – 'Take this sinking boat and point it home / We still have time.' She went 'time' and I went 'time'. I went up for that falsetto and there was just something in the moment… John Carney heard us play it in Whelan's and was like, 'I've got a whole scene for that song' which was the Walton's piano shop one. You get a sense sometimes with a song or an idea where you go, 'This doesn't feel like it's coming from me.' I don't know what I'm trying to say, but it feels like it's kind of from a different place. M: It was like a gift, really, because it arrived so quickly. All of a sudden, it was just there, and we were really excited by it. It was like, 'Wow!' Especially for me, it was one of the first songs we'd written together. The really telling thing was to hear people's responses to it. We'd played it at the concerts in Czechia that summer and people always mentioned 'Falling Slowly'. It really touched them in some way. I've come to sort of know and spot the songs that really resonate. G: There's a touch of 'lightning in a bottle'. It's just another simple song you've come up with, but it has a little something that sparks, it lands. S: What were your initial reactions when John Carney came to you and said, 'I've got this idea for a film called Once'? G: John's a brilliant mind and has loads of ideas. So when he comes and says, 'I have an idea for a film', you're like, 'Yeah, of course you do. Because you always have an idea for a film.' Anyway, he says, 'I have this idea, it's called Busker.' That's what Once was originally called. 'It's about a busker who meets this Eastern European woman who's selling flowers on the street.' We were going through this thing where a huge influx of Eastern Europeans were coming into Ireland. There was a bit of poetic licence because Markéta's character was a bit more Romanian than Czech. Although Czechia could be considered Eastern Europe, it's Central Europe. M: It was okay because I wasn't playing a Czech, I was playing a girl. Her nationality wasn't really important. S: Does winning an Oscar and appearing on The Simpsons feel a bit surreal? M: Yeah, absolutely. G: 100% When someone says it to you, you're like, 'Oh, wow, that's mental!' I remember we were playing in Tucson, Arizona with Calexico and got a call from The Simpsons saying, 'Matt's written a little spoof. Do you guys want to jump on a train and come up and do it?' Do you remember that train ride? It was an overnight train to Los Angeles. When we got there, they were all just sitting around, and we did a read-through. It was fantastic. Then we went down to the recording studio, read through it again a couple of times and then got back on the train. S: I've spoken to a couple of Oscar winners who say their memory of the night is very hazy. Again, is there something in particular about it which sticks in your mind? M: Definitely the moment when our names were called out. From that point on, it was like a new mode got activated. We were already so joyful to be there and get to play that song. Standing on that stage, it was definitely the high point of our life. Advertisement G: Markéta had said to me earlier on in the day, 'Look, on the crazy off-chance that we do end up winning, you say a couple of things and I'll just go 'thank you.' When the moment came, I was like blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't know what I said. And then we were pulled off stage; Markéta didn't get to speak. Jon Stewart came over and was like, 'Come on, come with me.' And he pulled Mar away from me. Suddenly, while I was hugging janitors, she was on the other side of the stage and gave this most incredibly eloquent 'thank you' speech. You were brilliant. Fair play to Jon Stewart, it was a sweet thing to do. S: A few years ago, when I was interviewing Billie Eilish at Electric Picnic, she was uber nervous because she was meeting this guy called Glen Hansard backstage. She was quoting chunks of Once, which she'd watched a zillion times on the tour bus, to me. Billie asked,'Is he nice' and I said, 'Yeah, he's a decent skin.' How did you two get on? G: We had an absolute ball. I'd gotten a call basically asking, 'Do you want to come down?' from her mother. I was like, 'Oh man, really? That's incredible. Can I bring my niece?' Because my niece was just freaking out. By the time we got down to the Picnic, there were about eight of us. We all went in, and Finneas and Billie were just so sweet. Big hug, photos. It was a bit like meeting me and Mar during that crazy Once period. They were kind of rabbits in the headlights, but they were also quite grounded,d and their parents were with them. Billie was like, 'We just met Barbara Broccoli. She asked us to do the Bond song!' Which is funny because Barbara produced Once on Broadway. Billie said she'd grown up listening to Mar's songs, 'The Hill', 'If You Want Me' and 'Say It To Me Now'. She was like, 'You guys are the first music I heard.' And Finneas was, 'Yep, I was a huge fan and playing your music constantly in the house.' S: Guys, you collaborated last year on a Ukrainian Action fundraising single called 'Take Heart'. What's the background to that? G: Again, I was on the West Coast of America with Eddie Vedder and the Earthlings. We got news that Russia had invaded Ukraine and were all in shock. It felt like the world was about to end in a way. We didn't really know how to respond. I just sat down with my guitar… Whenever I'm confused or lost, I usually go to my instruments. It's where I find solace. At the same time, I picked up my phone and there was a post from Patti Smith on Instagram from a few days previous. She was on stage in one of her amazing, shamanic, wild modes and said, 'People, take heart, it will get better.' I remember going, 'Oh, wow, that's a great line.' So, I began to muse on that on my guitar. And then when it became a song, I reached out to Patti and asked her, 'Would it be okay?' And she said, 'Did I say that? I was probably just in a moment. You're more than welcome to it. Take it with my blessing.' I was at home one night in Dublin and there was this great documentary about Aslan. Christy had reached out to people at the Red Cross and put together a band of Ukrainian singers to sing 'Crazy World'. I asked Christy – actually, it was the last conversation we had – about putting me in touch with the Red Cross people he'd spoken to and we managed to get three young women to come in and sing the 'Return to me, return to me, return to me unharmed' verse in Ukrainian. The song is kind of a prayer to those who are going to fight from their loved ones. The Ukrainian spirit's really something. They came and sang and afterwards I asked Markéta for some pointers – where the song worked and didn't work. I remember sending it to Bono who said, 'What about this for an end?' And he sent me this beautiful melodic line. He said, 'Don't put my name on it.' So he's on the track but not named. M: I just thought it was a lovely gesture. My family were hosting a family of Ukrainian refugees at their place these past couple of years. Czech people felt a huge need to reach out and try and help because it's easy for us to imagine being the ones in that position. If it can happen in Ukraine, it can happen anywhere.
