Brian Ferguson

We’ve now published 12 exclusive reads since Monday morning and we’re not done yet!

Check them out and feel free to spread the word to anyone you know working in Scottish film and TV, or thinking about a career in the industry.

Here’s why now is the perfect time to explore the future of an industry which is aiming to be worth more than £1 billion by 2030.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551323...

🎥 Catch up here with everything we’ve published so far during The Herald’s week-long in-depth series on the future of the Scottish screen industry. 🎥
www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

🎥 Launching today and running all week in The Herald: a deep dive into the future of the Scottish screen industry. 🎥
Here’s why we are doing it:
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551323... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

If new Scottish Government funding can be found to secure the future of all those below, plus the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow and the Edinburgh book festival, it can certainly be found to secure the future of Cumbernauld Theatre.

The treatment of Cumbernauld Theatre by Creative Scotland & the Scottish Government is truly shameful & would simply not have happened to a venue in Edinburgh.
Contrast with recent lifelines for King’s Theatre, Filmhouse, Summerhall, Traverse, poetry library. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2550562...

"I am so fed up with this circular firing squad and I fear for the future of our creative scene."

Some essential reading in this opinion column from Marissa on Scottish cultural organisations and the growing pressure they are coming under from activists and campaigns.

Scottish Government promises Edinburgh it will 'underwrite' Tour de France costs Scottish capital's contribution will be 'capped' at £1.7m under proposed host agreement.

You will hear a lot more from me on the unacceptable secrecy surrounding the cost of bringing the Tour de France to Edinburgh. All we know is that city taxpayers are already facing a £1.7m bill. Scottish Government just shutting down questions. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2543828...

The new Scottish musical 'too ambitious' for Scotland's theatres goes to London Transatlantic stage show spanning several centuries has been eight years in the making.

Musicals are filling seats in Scotland’s theatres like never before - but very few of them are actually made in Scotland.
Now one of Scotland’s most acclaimed new musicals is finally getting an extended run - in London.
www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

The new Scottish musical 'too ambitious' for Scotland's theatres goes to London Transatlantic stage show spanning several centuries has been eight years in the making.

Musicals are filling seats in Scotland’s theatres like never before - but very few of them are actually made in Scotland.
Now one of Scotland’s most acclaimed new musicals is finally getting an extended run - in London.
www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/2...

50 years of Journalism at Edinburgh Napier University Sign up now!

Just signed up for this special event at the Scottish Parliament to mark 50 years of journalism at Edinburgh Napier University - maybe see you there!

☎️📝📇📰🔦📻📺📸🎥🖊️📒⌨️💻📱🥂

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/50-years-o... @edinburghnapier.bsky.social @parliament.scot

It has inspired me to finally watch Brigadoon!

“Edinburgh’s over.”
I’ve checked. It’s still there, laughing at this third-rate patter.

T in the Park 1995 and Glasgow’s Weekend of Mayhem How two parallel worlds reached fever pitch

This kind of stuff has been annoying me for a while but this is probably the worst example yet. T in the Park was staged in Lanarkshire for its first three years, not Glasgow. Come off it.
www.glasgowbell.co.uk/t-in-the-par...

T in the Park 1995 and Glasgow’s Weekend of Mayhem How two parallel worlds reached fever pitch

This kind of stuff has been annoying me for a while but this is probably the worst example yet. T in the Park was staged in Lanarkshire for its first three years, not Glasgow. Come off it.
www.glasgowbell.co.uk/t-in-the-par...

Get your head around this. The Pleasance sold more Fringe tickets for shows this month than the combined audience for Oasis, AC/DC, Sam Fender & Chappell Roan in Edinburgh in August.

Get your head around this. The Pleasance sold more Fringe tickets for shows this month than the combined audience for Oasis, AC/DC, Sam Fender & Chappell Roan in Edinburgh in August.

In case you were wondering, the final number of Fringe shows was 3893 (highest total on record & 147 up on 2024). At least 50 more theatre productions were on this year. The no of venues rose from 262 to 301 year-on-year. Storm Floris led to the cancellation of 138 performances.

NEW: Edinburgh Festival Fringe withstands the impact of Oasis, AC/DC, Sam Fender & Storm Floris. Fringe ticket sales top 2.6m for 2nd year in a row as 3.5m tickets are sold across all events, gigs & festivals in August.
Full story & reaction: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2541482...

Tattoo fireworks finale scaled back as 100 drones are brought in for finale Organisers say they are aware of their responsibilities to be 'good neighbours' in the city.

🎆 Tattoo chiefs bring in 100 drones & low-noise fireworks for 75th anniversary edition to reduce showpiece event’s environmental impact. 🎆
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2540046... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

🎥 Big news: Netflix has commissioned a second series of Dept. Q, the hit Edinburgh-set detective based at FirstStage Studios in Leith. Leah Byrne, Matthew Goode & Alexej Manvelov will all return. 🎥
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2539974... #DeptQ

Another one to add to my growing collection.

Another one to add to my growing collection. @Edinburgh_CC

Edinburgh Festivals: Follow our coverage here This summer, Edinburgh once again transforms into the world’s greatest stage as its legendary festivals return.

☀️ A scorching sunny Edinburgh Festival Saturday on the Royal Mile. It’s so hot a Mr Whippy van has arrived!🍦
Here’s how The Herald team has been covering the festivals season so far!
www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/a...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social #EdFests

'Absolute powerhouse': Tributes paid as Scots comic Gary Little dies Tributes have been paid following the death of Gary Little, a leading light of the Scottish comedy scene

Some very sad news emerging from the Scottish comedy scene tonight.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2539463...

Exclusive: One of Edinburgh’s leading arts festivals is facing demands to issue a public apology after inviting culture secretary Angus Robertson to launch the event.
Full story & reaction: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2539366...

A few other facts.
Summerhall Arts can’t ban anyone from the building as it is not responsible for the whole site, which is privately owned.
The Scottish Government is funding Summerhall Arts & 4 Fringe shows.
Kate Forbes is the minister responsible for Edinburgh’s festivals.

Key facts on Summerhall and Kate Forbes.
Summerhall knew she had been booked to appear in April, well before their Fringe launch.
Summerhall actually selected the Herald Unspun events as a programme highlight in their launch announcement.
Kate Forbes’s name was missing, though.

Exclusive: Edinburgh City Council praises “triumphant” return of Oasis to Murrayfield & praises behaviour of fans. Lord Provost urges band to return - to take in the Fringe.
Full story: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2538791...

“We don’t believe it results in an optimal experience for either concertgoers or Fringegoers, putting unnecessary pressure on an already busy….It results in massively increased demand for travel & accommodation which drives up the prices for everyone.”
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2538379...