Brian Ferguson

✈️ Ready for take-off: My behind the scenes feature on the making of The High Life - the National Theatre of Scotland’s stage musical adaptation of the short-lived Scottish airline sitcom. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2589566...

“As the tension ramps up, it’s literally edge of the seat stuff & I can guarantee you this – the release, when it comes, will have you punching the air.”
Read The Herald’s 5-star verdict on Glasgow Film Festival curtain-raiser Everybody to Kenmure Street.
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/258...

'Trainspotting 30 years on - and Begbie’s macho moustache is still a work of genius Thirty years ago this week, a bomb went off under British cinema’s posh, romcom-obsessed, boringly London-centric derrière. So how does…

Trainspotting at 30: It’s not tough to love Danny Boyle’s film. Yes, it creaks a bit. Who doesn’t? But it feels almost as fresh and audacious now as it did when it blew a hole in the fortress wall and allowed a horde of Caledonian talent through the breach. @heraldscotland.bsky.social

NEW: A new “Race Across the World” live experience is to be staged on the streets of Edinburgh.
Full details: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2588054...

Scottish Opera’s The Great Wave delivers bold portrait of Hokusai Opera, The Great Wave, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. A compact, but comprehensive, art exhibition over two floors of the Festival Theatre foyer is…

Scottish Opera review: There are very good performances, notably from Chloe Harris and Luvo Maranti, and especially from tenor Shengzhi Ren who, like bass Edward Hawkins, doubles two roles. @scottishopera.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social @brianjaffa.bsky.social

Graham Norton: Moving the TV Festival from Edinburgh 'would be madness’ The chat show host has hailed the Fringe as a unique 'one-stop-shop' for talent hunters.

“From my point of view, the fact that the TV Festival and the Fringe are on at the same time, could not have been more important. That is how I got my break into broadcasting.”
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2586783...

'There is a bit of unfinished business' - Ian Rankin on the return of John Rebus A double birthday celebration is on the cards for fans of the celebrated detective.

“It feels like there is a bit of unfinished business. I've not quite got to the core of this guy yet.”
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2586384...

Big-budget Gaelic drama returns as Hebridean murder mystery secures vital funding Sorcha Groundsell will return as an island detective on the hunt of a serial killer.

🎥 Exclusive: Scotland’s first big-budget Gaelic drama has been greenlit for a second series - as its producers revealed ambitions for the murder mystery thriller to become the Hebridean equivalent of Shetland. 🎥
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2586025...

Nicola Sturgeon reveals plans to write 'chunky new chapter' to update her memoir The former First Minister is yet to start working on the updated instalment.

“I have not started writing it yet and I am not entirely sure what is going to contain.”
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2585850...

Here are 10 movies I think you need to see at this year's Glasgow Film Festival The Glasgow Film Festival starts and ends this year with a Scottish flavour, thanks to Felipe Bustos Sierra’s opening film Everybody to Kenmure…

There is a there is a world of cinematic delights coming to this month's Glasgow Film Festival - here's 10 to get you started by @teddyjamieson.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social @brianjaffa.bsky.social @glasgowfilmfest.bsky.social @glasgowfilmtheatre.bsky.social

Forget Edinburgh Festivals for a moment, closure of this Glasgow theatre is a tragedy The last week has seen the sudden closure of one of Scotland’s most important arts venues, Not the CCA, which had been an accident waiting to…

Theatre 118, a grassroots Glasgow theatre company, was given just seven days to move out of its premises @neilcooper.bsky.social @brianjaffa.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social

🎟️ The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a mere six months away & I’m already on the hunt for ideas for stories and features to write for The Herald. If you’re working on a show, venue or project you think I may be interested in don’t hesitate to get in touch. Feel free to DM. 🎟️

NEW: Creative Scotland warns it will not “rush” into the reopening of the CCA building following the collapse & closure of the long-running culture venue last week
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2582723...

Creative Scotland put almost £800,000 into CCA ahead of sudden closure Ministers were alerted to impending insolvency 10 days before staff were told.

Exclusive: Creative Scotland handed over almost almost all of the CCA’s annual funding in the months running up to its sudden collapse & alerted the Scottish Government to its impending insolvency 10 days before staff were told the plug had been pulled.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2582519...

Exclusive: Building work finally underway to turn Edinburgh’s former Royal High School into a £70m National Centre for Music, opening put back a year till summer 2028, 92% of funding in place, Scottish Government & council asked to bridge gap: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2580238...

Any election promises from the SNP on culture will ring extremely hollow unless the national arts companies see some of the much-hyped £100m new investment pledged by ministers more than two years ago.

Shona Robison comes under fire from SNP MSPs over 'inexplicable' arts funding snub Pressure mounts on ministers for rethink over treatment of national companies worth £60m to the economy.

This has got humiliating u-turn written through it like a stick of rock.
How can the Scottish Government promise to invest £100m in culture then leave its national companies on standstill funding? Excruciating stuff. SNP & Green MSPs can see its crackers.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2580052...

Five Scottish bands and musicians you need to watch out for this year Here are five Scottish acts to watch out for in the year ahead, coming soon to a boutique fest near you or a sticky-floored music venue

These five Scottish acts will be coming soon to a boutique festival near you – or, more likely, a sticky-floored music venue somewhere. @heraldscotland.bsky.social @brianjaffa.bsky.social

Glasgow's CCA: Police should stay away from weekend protest Arts centre bosses have asked Police Scotland to stay away from the protest, following a tense stand off between demonstrators and officers last…

👀 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2578634...

EXCLUSIVE: National Galleries has secured £56m worth of backing from the Scottish Government for a major new culture centre on Edinburgh’s waterfront.
Full details: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2576993...

SNP accused of 'eroding' Scottish culture over 'inexplicable' funding blow Scottish arts industry leaders raise concerns over 'knock-on effect' of surprise snub for national arts companies.

NEW: The SNP has been accused of “eroding” Scottish culture over its “inexplicable” treatment of five national arts companies. Industry leaders have raised fears about the “knock-on effect” of leaving the flagship organisations on standstill funding.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2576676...

Arts chiefs demand Angus Robertson showdown over 'inexplicable' funding snub National dance, music, opera and theatre companies left 'baffled' at treatment by Scottish Government.

Scotland’s national arts companies are livid at their treatment.
"We are bitterly disappointed at the announcement of standstill funding to our entire portfolio, which represents an effective cut. This decision has left us baffled.”
My exclusive story: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2576340...

Huge thanks to everyone who has snapped up a Herald subscription in the last few days. Our January sale offer runs till the 29th - don’t miss out!
Remember, you can find all our round-the-clock coverage of Scottish arts & culture right here: www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/a...

🔥 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay tickets have gone on sale five months earlier than last year - with organisers reporting global in the event at an “all-time high.” They say the city’s seven-week winter festival attracted an overall audience of more than 3M. 🔥
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2575206...

Police charge man for drone-flying offences during Edinburgh's Hogmanay party A ban had been imposed on flying drones within a mile of Edinburgh Castle during the new year celebrations.

My first exclusive of the year!
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2573394...

'I spent a year watching Scottish theatre - here are my highlights' It has been a classic year for Scottish theatre - here are my highlights

2025 was a vintage year for Scottish theatre - here's our pick of the bunch @heraldscotland.bsky.social @brianjaffa.bsky.social @ntsonline.bsky.social @dundeerep.bsky.social @pitlochryft.bsky.social

📰 Right folks, I never ask for much, as you know, but since it’s (almost Christmas)…
The Herald is up for Hold The Front Page’s hotly-contested Front Page of the Year title for this cracker & you can help us win! 📰

Read on and get involved! www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2025/news/ch...

Catch them while you can, folks!

This really is essential reading. These findings are absolutely appalling. The Scottish Government, which is obsessed with micro-management in my experience, has completely taken the eye off the ball on what has been going on in one of its most important agencies.

Another spoiler: The Scottish Government is spending around 10 times as much on bringing the Tour de France to Edinburgh as it currently does on the Fringe, which is the biggest cultural event in the world, but is not regarded as a “major event” according to official criteria.