Latest news with #Greenock-born
Scotsman
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
How the last train home inspired a Fringe show…
The last train home is many things to many people – for Edinburgh-based comedian, Jay Lafferty, it's an insight into life, and inspiration for her latest Fringe show… Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Some people will cut their night out short to avoid it, whilst others are happy to embrace the unique experience that is the last train home. But for Greenock-born and Edinburgh-based comedian Jay Lafferty, taking the last train from Glasgow to Gourock one night last year proved to be an inspiring experience. 'I was visiting family back home in Greenock with my husband and young son last summer and, because I'd had a gig in Glasgow, I found myself on the last train home. It was the 'summer of hope', the Euros were about to kick off and everyone in Scotland – especially my fellow passengers – believed that this was the year that Scotland would bring home the trophy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There was a bit of a party atmosphere on the train, most people were laughing, singing, and trying to keep their night out going a wee bit longer. It felt quite special – and uniquely Scottish. I don't think the last train from an English city would've had the same vibe' says Jay. Jay Lafferty's show Ooft! will be at The Stand this August 'It felt like Scotland in miniature, and the more I looked around the more I could see. There were the obvious party people, but also some distinct personality types and wee dramas. There was the organised person who'd stopped at the chippy on the way to the station and who was inadvertently driving everyone nearby with the smell of their fish supper. "There was female friendship in action, as a crying woman with tear smudged make up was comforted by her pal who was raging on her behalf. There were even a couple of pre-teen kids who were simultaneously freaked out and fascinated by what was going on around them and who were trying to politely get out of talking to the friendly drunks in the seats nearby' says Jay. 'At the time I didn't think too much about it – it was just your typical last train home, but as I was putting my new Fringe show together, I kept thinking about that journey more and more, and about how it reflected a lot of the things I wanted to talk about in my show.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As a comedian gigging across Scotland – and beyond – Jay is no stranger to late night travel, 'it's fascinating, especially when you've been working and are one of the few sober people on the train' says Jay 'you see every aspect of life on there and I often find myself making up stories about the people around me, which is probably part of the reason that journey inspired my show' says Jay. A late night train journey inspired Jay Lafferty's new Fringe show 'The last train is the only place where all types of people and every generation – from those who are old enough to know better, to random kids who should be at home asleep and who are trying to ignore the tipsy folk who are trying to befriend them – are all having the same experience. The vibe and the mood are uniquely Scottish and it's something I'm really looking forward to introducing to people who've never had the pleasure of experiencing it for themselves' says Jay. It's not just late night travel and Scottish life that have inspired Jay this year, she's also got plenty of stories about being the Mum of a young son, 'I've noticed so many huge differences between my own upbringing and that of my son' says Jay 'for example, my son comes home from nursery singing about consent and boundaries – whereas the songs my generation, were things, like 'The Farmer Wants A Wife' which pretty much endorses the patriarchy. I think it's great to see these differences and it gives me real hope that Gen-Alpha is going to save us all; but obviously as a comedian, it's a great source of material as well.' As you'd expect from a regular panelist on BBC Radio Scotland's Breaking the News, Jay won't be shying away from big topics and societal issues such as misogyny and the rise of influencers such as Andrew Tate. 'I think it's an important issue that can't be ignored and I hope that by making jokes about it I can help show just how ridiculous some of the attitudes we're seeing really are'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jay is back at The Stand Comedy Club this year, taking to the very stage where she performed her first solo Fringe – Mockingjay – back in 2015. 'It feels right to be back on the stage where it all began ten years ago, The Stand is such a special place to perform and to be there during their thirtieth anniversary year makes it even better' says Jay. Not only is 2025 the tenth anniversary of Jay's first solo Fringe show, in January this year she made her debut on Radio 4's News Quiz. 'I think every comedian dreams of being on News Quiz' says Jay 'so I'm thrilled that I'm now able to tick it off my bucket list!'. Jay Lafferty: Ooft! 31st July – 25th August (not Monday 11th) 17:00 (1 hour) Stand 1 at The Stand Comedy Club, 5 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EB
Glasgow Times
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Martin Compston and pal to axe popular show after 3 years
Martin Compston and Gordon Smart will stop recording their podcast, Restless Natives. The duo revealed that they are unable to 'fulfil their recording schedule' for the podcast due to work commitments, The Scottish Sun reports. READ MORE: TV star pictured partying with Celtic team after Cup Final READ MORE: Celtic-daft Martin Compston to star in new thriller series It is understood that Greenock-born Compston, 41, is currently in Dublin, Ireland, filming for a new Paramount+ series. Meanwhile, Smart, 45, is splitting his time between hosting BBC shows in London and Manchester. Martin Compston and pal to axe popular show after 3 years (Image: Supplied) Smart said: 'Restless Natives is going on a hiatus. 'The diaries have finally imploded trying to get us together with his filming and my radio and telly stuff. 'So Wednesday and Friday this week will be the last podcasts.' READ MORE: Martin Compston and famous pal spotted at Glasgow restaurant Compston is known for starring in hit shows and films, including Line of Duty, Sweet Sixteen, and The Wee Man.
RTÉ News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Joe Schmidt's swipe at Lions 'southern hemisphere' centres
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has taken a swipe at the British and Irish Lions by describing Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu as a "southern-hemisphere centre partnership". Aki and Tuipulotu, who were born in New Zealand and Australia respectively, form a midfield partnership for Friday's tour opener against Argentina in Dublin and Schmidt has seized the opportunity to highlight their switch of national allegiance. Aki qualified for Ireland through residency in 2017, and became an Irish citizen in 2024, while Tuipulotu is able to represent Scotland because of his Greenock-born grandmother. "A southern-hemisphere centre partnership that will be pretty formidable," said Schmidt at the Wallabies squad announcement for their forthcoming match against Fiji. "I coached Bundee for several years and know him really well and respect him massively as a player. He's a great contributor to the team environment. "I've only had glancing conversations with Sione but again, by all accounts a champion bloke. "You don't get to be captain of a national team without being a great bloke and really professional in those high-performance environments. They are real athletes, those two together, so that'll be really interesting." The number of overseas-born players in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad has been a talking point ahead of the tour Down Under. Ireland's James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman qualified for their nations through residency, while Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen can represent Ireland through family. Lions attack coach Richard Wigglesworth responded to Schmidt's barb by declaring everyone in the squad has earned the right to be there. "I don't know if they are questioning their commitment. Everyone has earned the right to pull on the Lions jersey," Wigglesworth said. "They are, to a man, incredibly proud to be here. It is not your background or how you have got here, it's what sort of player you are and what sort of man you are. We have got great men and great players."
Glasgow Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Celtic-daft Martin Compston to star in new thriller series
Paramount+ UK & Ireland announced it has commissioned a new thriller-mystery series, which will star Greenock-born Compston and Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Calum and Emily. 'The Revenge Club' will be a 'darkly witty and gripping' thriller based on the upcoming debut novel The Othello Club by J.D. Pennington. READ MORE: Martin Compston to star in 'exciting' new thriller show set in Glasgow READ MORE: Martin Compston celebrates big birthday - but reveals 'worst thing' about it The series follows six strangers brought together by a divorce support group, each reeling from betrayal and heartbreak, who quickly transform from therapy-seeking victims into architects of exquisite retribution. The show will also star several other famous faces, including Meera Syal, Sharon Rooney, Douglas Henshall, Chaneil Kular, Amit Shah, Aoife Kennan, Rob Malone, Niamh Walsh, Wil Coban, Christina Bennington, and Eoin Duffy. (Image: Supplied) Alison Jackson and Jess Connell executive produce for the UK division of Gaumont. Outside the UK & Ireland, the series is produced by Gaumont in association with Fremantle, who also handle international sales. The series has been created for television by Gabbie Asher (Sanctuary, The Tattooist of Auschwitz) who also serves as an Executive Producer alongside J.D. Pennington, with episodes written by Matt Jones (The Split) and Adam Usden (Lupin). Tim Kirkby (Don't Forget the Driver, Fleabag) is the lead director alongside Daniel O'Hara (The Red King, Stay Close) and Margot Gavan Duffy serves as the producer. The Revenge Club was commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell, Deputy Chief Content Officer, UK, and Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, for Paramount+ UK & Ireland. On the new series order, Cardwell said: 'The Revenge Club (w/t) is a sharp, stylish and darkly funny thriller, brought to life by a brilliant cast and an exceptional creative team. "We're thrilled to be part of this gripping project and to champion it as a standout addition to our expanding slate of bold, original UK content.' On the announcement, Gaumont UK's Jess Connell added: 'We've loved working with Gabbie on this sharply observed emotional thriller that will resonate with anyone who's ever had their heart broken. "We're delighted to be partnering with both Paramount+ UK and Fremantle to bring this beautifully engaging book to screen.'
Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Soccer Aid's Martin Compston's professional football career before he left for acting
The Scots Line of Duty star is starring in the Soccer Aid line-up, however, this isn't the first time he's laced up his football boots... Before he was a huge star in the likes of Line of Duty and Mayflies, Martin Compston was actually a professional footballer. The Scots actor is mostly known for playing a waistcoat wearing DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama. The 41-year-old, is set to play Soccer Aid at Old Trafford this evening in the Rest of the World against England, with former Italy star Leonardo Bonucci among his team-mates. He's not the only Scots actor on his team either, as Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd is also set to take on England. However, before Celtic daft Compston turned to acting, he was actually a pro footballer. In his early football career, he had stints with Aberdeen and Morton. The Greenock-born star even played two senior matches for Morton at the end of the 2001/02 season, but without much success. His first appearance resulted in a 4-0 defeat against Alloa Athletic, while his second – another 4-0 defeat, this time against Queen of the South – saw Morton relegated from the Scottish Second Division. Speaking on his pal Si Ferry's famous football podcast, Open Goal, Compston opened up about his brief football career. He explained that he was first spotted while playing in a Scottish underage cup final against a Celtic side which included future Man Utd star Darren Fletcher. After a stint with his hometown club, he was signed by Aberdeen where he played alongside future Premier League star Dean Windass. Compston even captained the Aberdeen youth team for a short period, but the actor knew when his time was up at the club. He told Si: "I remember I was captain at a game and one of the top scouts came down, and we got beat off an East Kilbride select, I went, 'That's that f*****!'" After his time at Aberdeen, Compston found himself back at Morton in the Scottish Second Division. "It just wasn't a good time to be at the club," the actor admitted. "They'd just gone down to the second division and we were struggling. "It was a mad time. We were full-time the YTS [Youth Team Scholarship] players. There was only three or four of us cleaning 40 pairs of boots and cleaning the stadium. "The first team were coming in training at night. There was a lot of hanging about. I felt more like a cleaner than a football player. "I made my debut when I was 17," Compston recalled. "We were away to Alloa. I knew they were only going to pitch me in if we were well up or well down. "I felt terrible, Alloa were winning 2-0 with 40 minutes left and they put a third one in and I was like, 'You beauty.' "The last game of the season, we had to win to stay up and we were playing Queen of the South who had to win to win the league. It was a sell-out, 14,000. The atmosphere was unbelievable." The day didn't go to plan however, he added: "There was some b******... at half-time, I knew I was going on. So I'm spraying balls about. "It smashed somebody and he's run on and rugby tackled me. The stewards were just all laughing. It was nerve-wracking. It was Scottish second division football but it's like, 'You've done that.'" Compston began acting during his football career after he bagged a lead role in Ken Loach's film 'Sweet Sixteen' while still with Morton. "It worked out perfect," Compston explained. "I'd just finished my exams and I'd got my Morton contract. The auditions were at the end of the year. "I went to [Morton manager] Peter Cormack and asked if it was alright to miss a couple of days of pre-season. We filmed it in the close season. He said, 'You're a fit boy, you'll be fine.' I finished filming and went back to Greenock Morton. "I remember being gutted because in the programme notes, the players were asked who's their favourite actor and not one of them said me. I thought one of them, for a joke, would throw my name in there!" Despite Loach being impressed by Compston's acting ability, the director advised him to keep in at his football career. He decided against Loach's advice and auditioned for a Heartbeat spin-off called The Royal. He had been sent the wrong script but still got the part and from then on his mind was set. "That was a big wake-up call," Compston said. "They don't know who I am. They hadn't seen Sweet Sixteen. To get that, I said, 'OK, I'm alright at this.' "Morton weren't going through the best of times. I was driving up the road one day, passing Cappielow [Greenock Morton's stadium] and I just went in and said [to manager Dave McPherson], 'I think I'm going to give this acting a crack.' He said, 'Sorry to lose you,' but I didn't find it too hard to be honest." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. 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