Latest news with #Dundonian
The Courier
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee reveals how she got a kiss from idol in front of 70k fans
A Robbie Williams superfan from Dundee has revealed her kiss from the star in front of 70,000 people nearly didn't happen. 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.'
The Courier
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Courier
STEVE FINAN: Why is modern road infrastructure right for everywhere but Dundee?
The last big traffic infrastructure project in Dundee was the construction of the Tay Road Bridge and creation of the inner ring road. The bridge was completed in August 1966, the last dualled section of the inner ring (linking Lochee Road and Victoria Road) opened in September 1975. There's been nothing that could be termed a major investment in the half century since. The city needs an energetic, forceful character to change that. Someone like Sir Douglas Hardie, who fought for the bridge and was never really given the credit he deserved. Much needs done. Dundee has an airport, train station and a poor excuse for a bus station that are ridiculously remote from each other. Dundee FC could do with high-powered help to cut through the red tape around their new ground's junction problems. We have the Swallow Roundabout debacle – which leaves the laughable situation of Glendoick Garden Centre having safer and quicker access from the A90 than Scotland's fourth biggest city. We have the main route serving the whole north-east of Scotland reduced to a single lane bottleneck at the Forfar Road turn-off. Only selfish cyclists – who think their hobby is more important than HGV access to a huge part of the country – think Dundee doesn't need a bypass. Forfar has a bypass. Perth, Brechin, Stirling, Dunblane, Kinross, Ayr, Dumfries, Kelty and Bridge of Earn have bypasses. Aberdeen got an impressive bypass. Edinburgh has had a bypass for 35 years. The village of Glamis (population 1,000) has a bypass. The M8, M77, M73 and M74 – easing traffic through the Glasgow area – have seen almost continual improvements in recent decades, costing hundreds of millions. Why is modern road infrastructure right for all those places but wrong for our city? Dundee never gets anything from Westminster or Holyrood. Let's name names. Trunk roads are managed at national level, so exerting pressure to improve them is a job for MPs. The Swallow Roundabout is in Chris Law's constituency. What are you doing about this, Chris? What do you ever say or do about anything in Dundee? What of our MSPs? Joe FitzPatrick has been virtually invisible his entire Holyrood career. It's pointless asking him. He's been treading water waiting for retirement since he was first elected in 2007. And Shona Robison long ago forgot Dundee put her into her job. None of them will do anything, we must look to the future. Heather Anderson is a prospective Dundee City West MSP. What are her thoughts on a bypass? In a recent interview she stated she was a 'proud Dundonian'. Here's a chance to prove it. Mind you, her time with the Ministry of Secrecy (some call it Dundee City Council) wasn't good training for speaking out on difficult subjects or challenging authority on the city's behalf. This is a godsend for any wannabe MSP. It's an easily understood issue to really get their teeth into. Something the whole city (except self-absorbed cyclists) can get behind. Anyone who wants to represent the city should take note. To any 2026 Scottish election candidate – what's your opinion on a bypass? Your answer could win, or lose, you thousands of votes.
The National
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Natasha Phillips is one of GB's rising stars, and one of its toughest
But they've only served to make Natasha Phillips stronger. There's something unique about endurance runners in that they spend session upon session by themselves with only their thoughts to accompany them. Being in one's own head for such prolonged periods can be a dangerous place for many but although Phillips, who almost exclusively trains alone, does have days when she finds it testing, she has gleaned far more positives than negatives from her solitary training schedule. 'Training on my own can be tough at times,' Phillips says. 'But mainly, it's fine and sometimes, it's actually really nice because it's like enforced meditation. You're forced to think things through and that can be quite important. 'Training alone is also really good for building mental resilience - it gives you an edge so when things do get hard in races, you know that you're mentally strong and that you can get through whatever situation you're in. It builds a lot of discipline and self-motivation as well.' Therefore, it comes as little surprise that Phillips, who only recently turned 20, has a unique mental resilience. Despite only starting to take running seriously in her mid-teens after beginning her athletic life as a swimmer, she's already established herself as one of the most promising young endurance runners in Europe. In the past couple of years, the Dundonian has set British and European U20 half marathon records, as well as winning several senior Scottish national titles. It was her most recent half marathon appearance, last October, however, which was the most impressive of them all. Racing in Valencia, Phillips broke her own British U20 half marathon record, crossing the line in 70 minutes 14 seconds, a time that saw her shoot up the Scottish all-time list to fourth place behind only Eilish and Liz McColgan, as well as Steph Twell. (Image: Bobby Gavin) Being in such exalted company, particularly so early in her career, has been, admits Phillips, difficult to get her head around. 'It feels amazing to have my name alongside people like Eilish and Liz,' she says. 'It's really inspiring, and very cool. Sometimes I really can't believe it, especially being still quite new to the sport. I've been really happy with my results over the past while and but it still feels surreal to be in a list with these athletes.' Last month should have marked a major milestone in Phillips' development when she included in the British team for the European Road Running Championships. Injury thwarted what would have been her GB debut at senior level but having regained fitness, and moved past the disappoint of her withdrawal, Phillips is able to glean a number of positives from her GB selection, regardless of the fact she was unable to race. "I had some inflammation of my knee tendon and so I was absolutely gutted to have to pull out of the Europeans. I was so disappointed but I had to just keep telling myself that I'm only 20 and hopefully I'll have a lot more years at this" she says. "I can't change what's happened so there was no point on dwelling on it. As disappointed as I was at having to withdraw, I'm still am able to take the boost that came from being selected and hopefully I'll have more chances to race in a GB vest in the future.' Phillips has already regained her fitness and will be back racing tomorrow, at the Babcock Shettleston 10k in Glasgow. Her appreciation to be back racing, coupled with the momentum she's built up in recent months, are what's behind her optimism that a fast time is on the cards this weekend. "I love racing in Glasgow and I've run well at this event in the past," she says. "I feel in really good shape and it's a fast course so I'm definitely targeting a PB this weekend, although a lot of that will depend on conditions on the day." Phillips' stand-out performances in recent seasons may have been on the road but this year, she's planning on diversifying by taking a serious tilt at the longer distances on the track. With the 10,000m at the European U23 Championships this summer, as well as the Commonwealth Games next year, major targets for Phillips, she's keen to test herself on the track, and having witnessed her fellow Dundonian, Eilish McColgan, combine the track and road so successfully, she doesn't have to look far to see how well the two can complement each other. 'I'll be racing on the track a lot this summer because I feel like I'm too young to box myself into just doing half marathons,' she says. 'Seeing Eilish combine the track and road so well has been really inspiring. I'm not saying that I'll be as successful as her but it shows that it's possible to do both. 'So it'll be interesting to see how this year goes.'
The Courier
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee star Simon Murray backed to finish season with 'a bang'
Simon Murray has been backed to put any Player of the Year disappointment behind him and finish the season with 'an absolute bang'. More goals would certainly help Dundee's Premiership survival bid in the final three matches of the campaign. They sit two points ahead of Ross County in 11th going into the final week. And more goals could well see Murray finish as the top goalscorer across the entire division. The Dundonian is locked level with Celtic's Daizen Maeda – who won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award – on 16 Premiership goals this season. Finishing top of the tree would see Murray become the first Dundee player since Tommy Coyne in 1988 to win the top scorer award in the top flight. Tommy Coyne is the last Dundee player to finish as top flight top scorer, scoring 33 goals in 1987/88. Chasing Top Goalscorer Manager Tony Docherty is backing his frontman to keep the goals coming in the trio of matches left. 'Simon's goal return has been fantastic,' Docherty said. 'Simon has developed as a player this year. Absolutely no doubt about it. 'People talk about his goalscoring, but his all-round play, his link-up and his understanding of the game has improved so much. 'I think he's really developed as a player this year. Dundee striker Simon Murray has been deadly in front of goal this season. Image: Mark Runnacles/Shutterstock 'I'm sure he would recognise that with giving credit to his teammates as well. 'All the boys went down to support Simon in his quest to be Player of the Year, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be. 'Everyone knows what Simon's like. He's just really pleased to be in the running for it and to get recognised by his peers. 'Knowing Simon, he'll want to finish with an absolute bang in these last three games because he's still chasing top goalscorer. 'We'll do all we can to help him try and get that.'
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Brian Cox blasts Donald Trump 'nonsense' after US President makes latest tariffs demand
The Dundonian acting legend accused of the Trump Administration of "nonsense and a divine ignorance" when it came to understanding how the film industry worked. Brian Cox has blasted Donald Trump after the President called for 100 per cent tariffs to be slapped on films that are made outside of the US. The brash Republican leader claimed the American movie industry was dying "a very fast death" as a result of pictures being produced elsewhere in the world. Cox, the Dundee-born star of Succession, today warned the imposition of levies would be an "absolute disaster" for his upcoming film. He spoke out after Trump said he had authorised US government departments to impose the tariff 'on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands'. The film industry has warned this would impact freelancers in the UK and would be difficult to enact. Cox, 78, said Trump was "not really understanding the point of view of how films are made, and what films cost, (how) the cost of films (has) gone up and the cost of films in America went up considerably". 'So it's not quite right to say Hollywood's being ignored, things have moved on, it's become nationwide in America,' he added. 'It's a kind of nonsense and a divine ignorance on all their parts.' Cox said that US films have 'moved' in a different direction towards other cities such as Atlanta, and away from the previous hub of Los Angeles. He added: 'I've just directed my first movie with a very modest budget in Scotland, we don't make a lot of films in Scotland. 'And the idea of (a) 100% tariff on my film would be a disaster, an absolute disaster.' The Succession star also said the move is 'going to make everything more expensive', and said the proposal had not been 'thought through' by American actor and Oscar winner Jon Voight, who put the plan forward to Mr Trump. Cox, whose upcoming project Glenrothan sees Scottish star Alan Cumming play his brother, said he would 'happily raise' his concerns with the UK Government. When asked about the strong entertainment unions in the US having an effect on the industry going abroad, he said: 'I think that's partially true… everyone's trying to make a film for the (best) amount of money.' Tim Richards, founder and chief executive of Vue, said there had been 'hope' the filmmaking industry, which is now 'scrambling', would escape from tariffs. He added: 'I think the announcement itself probably raised more questions than answers, and with all of these things the devil will be in the details, trying to work out what constitutes a US film, what constitutes a foreign film. 'What are the tariffs and how will they actually be applied to film production, given that it's an art form, it's kind of an intangible item that's not something you can put in your pocket, not something you can drive. And how would they actually do it?' Richards said the industry will 'take some comfort that there will be a further discussion' with Mr Trump in an upcoming meeting. However, he disagreed with the US president's assertion that the American film industry is dying, saying it 'is not', but pointing out it 'got hit hard by the pandemic and then by the (Writers Guild of America) WGA and Sag-Aftra (which represents actors) strikes'. Richards appeared sceptical that it would hit cinemas in a big way, as 'we've been through a pandemic, and we've been through strikes, and we're still here', and said the 'commitment to filmmaking by the studios is unprecedented', citing Amazon MGM Studios increasing its slate of upcoming releases. He also said that US companies filming in the UK will continue as 'there are unique historical, geographical or even topographical locations in the UK, and that's all on top of tax credits', and said the impact will be minimal on foreign films as they 'have never done that well in the US'.
