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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Scottish TV legends call for major change in industry
This call for wholesale change was made at the conclusion of the first Glasgow Telly Festival. The four-day event was packed with innovative ideas for creating TV programmes, focusing on cooperation, action, and audience input. Glasgow audiences packed into the Telly Festival events (Image: Supplied) Read more: Ricky Gervais' comedy talent search coming to Glasgow with £5k prize The event brought together new and established talent from across Scotland to brainstorm, create, and showcase fresh TV pilots developed in under two weeks. The aim is to reignite interest in Scottish storytelling and push for a more cooperative, dynamic approach to TV production. At the final day of the event, a live reading of six TV pilots was hosted by Carol Smillie. The reading featured well-known actors such as Shauna MacDonald, Joe McFadden, Maureen Beattie, Robin Laing, Kim Allan, and Cal MacAninch. TV presenter Carol Smillie hosted the grand finale event of the festival (Image: Supplied) Joe McFadden and Shauna Macdonald performing at the festival (Image: Supplied) Audience members were given the chance to vote for their favourite pilot via the Studio Head app. Over the course of the weekend, 55 'One Minute Pilots' - short, creative pitches - were filmed by Glasgow's actors, writers, and directors and screened at venues throughout the city, highlighting the breadth of local talent. The festival kicked off with a lively panel discussion, chaired by STV's Laura Boyd, and featuring beloved Scottish TV figures including Colin McCredie, Sanjeev Kohli, Jane McCarry, and director Michael Hines, who shared their experiences and visions for the future of Scottish broadcasting. The full cast of writers, directors and actors who created and performed six new TV pilots live at the festival (Image: Supplied) Read more: River City did not pass value for money test, BBC Scotland boss tells MSPs Festival founder Claire Duffy, a Scottish author, producer, and screenwriter, said the event was both a celebration of local creativity and a rallying cry for change. She said: "We've had an incredible weekend enjoying the work of the wonderfully talented TV creatives we have in Glasgow and Scotland. "We've shown that a new way of doing things can exist – but most importantly, we've proven without a shadow of a doubt the incredible appetite that exists for Scottish stories and talent. "Audiences are waiting, we just need to take action and work together to produce the brilliant telly they deserve. "I'll be coming back down to earth for a while after such an amazing weekend and would like to thank everyone who has supported this first-ever Glasgow Telly Festival. "In many ways, the hard work starts here. "Scottish TV has been in crisis for a long while, but from crisis comes opportunity and it's time to grab that with both hands. "The Glasgow Telly Festival will only grow from here – as Carol Smillie said yesterday, the Hydro beckons!" Viewers can continue to watch and vote for pilots on the Studio Head website and catch up with the festival's events on the Handbag Studios website.
Glasgow Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
World Championship Scotch Pie Awards success for Glasgow
Many of the city's leading establishments bagged the prestigious accolades in several categories at the event, which marked its 25th anniversary on Saturday, May 10. The awards ceremony took place at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. The competition had a total of 539 entries from 88 companies, with each entry judged by 50 industry experts on taste, appearance, smell, and texture. Categories spanned from iconic scotch pies to football pies, macaroni pies, sausage rolls, vegetarian savouries, and more. Among Glasgow's winners were Beefcake Cafe, who took bronze in the vegetarian savoury category for their Provençale-style vegetable pie, and McGhee's Family Bakers, who scooped bronze in the 'Lighter Options' category for their 'Skinny Scotch Pie'. Cooper Quality Butcher Limited (Image: Supplied) Pars Foods Ltd demonstrated their prowess in the Football Pie & Savoury category by claiming the silver for their delicious Scotch Pie supplied to Queen's Park, as well as the bronze for their steak & gravy pie supplied to Stirling Albion. Pie Sports Ltd also made the city proud with their golden win in the Football Pie & Savoury category for their Chicken Chasni Pie served at Partick Thistle Football Club. Carol Smillie, who presented the awards to the winners, said: "I am always thrilled to be part of the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, celebrating the incredible talent and dedication of Scotland's butchers, bakers and pie makers. "Every year, I am amazed by the passion and craftsmanship that goes into creating these delicious pies, and it's fantastic to see both familiar faces and exciting new talent taking part. "The high standard of entries proves that the industry continues to thrive, with more professionals than ever showcasing their skills. 'Congratulations to all of this year's winners, your hard work and commitment to quality truly deserve to be recognised." The Apple Pie Bakery (Image: Supplied) The awards event was launched at Hampden Park with football legend Kris Boyd and saw the inauguration of the Scottish Bakers' 'Pieoneers' campaign recognising 25 years of craftsmanship in Scotland's pie industry. The contest was designed to celebrate these culinary accomplishments and the individuals who work to maintain the nation's culinary heritage. Lesley Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Bakers, said: "This year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 25 years of the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards. "It's a true testament to the passion, skill, and dedication of our butchers, bakers, and pie makers who continue to set the standard for quality and innovation in our industry. "Our winners should be incredibly proud - to stand out in such a fiercely competitive field is an outstanding achievement. "We're delighted to celebrate Scotland's pie makers, our 'Pieoneers', who keep our rich culinary heritage alive while pushing the craft forward." More information about the award winners can be found on the Scotch Pie Awards website.
