TED - Eligible - The Scotsman
TED - Eligible - The Scotsman
TED - Eligible - The Scotsman
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SPECTRUM<br />
MAGAZINE<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
MST<br />
O2003<br />
WAN<br />
<strong>TED</strong><br />
SCOTLAND’S TOP 100 ELIGIBLES
MOST ELIGIBLE<br />
It’s time once again to reveal the identities of the most<br />
eligible men and women in Scotland. Get ready to<br />
meet the most fascinating, funny, intelligent and<br />
creative individuals we could find. And despite their<br />
wide range of backgrounds, professions, romantic<br />
histories and hobbies, every one of them has<br />
something in common: none is currently enjoying a<br />
committed, long-term relationship.<br />
1 NEW<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
8<br />
CAMERON STOUT<br />
FISH TRADER, 32<br />
Lives Orkney.<br />
Who he? <strong>The</strong> jovial and well-behaved Orcadian became the most unlikely winner of<br />
Big Brother when he emerged victorious from the fourth series in July. <strong>The</strong> public voted<br />
overwhelmingly for the 32-year-old virgin, who chose the Bible as his one allowed book<br />
for the duration of his stay.<br />
Despite his mild-mannered appearance, Cameron is just as ambitious as his TV<br />
presenter brother, Julyan Sinclair, and says his dream job would be designing cars.<br />
That’s a far cry from his current job as a fish trader for US company North Landing,<br />
which involves travelling to Japan, Africa and New York on a regular basis. Luckily he’s<br />
got a talent for languages. He speaks Norwegian, is also fluent in Spanish and French,<br />
and modestly admits to “a little” Japanese and Italian.<br />
He is currently deciding which fast car to spend his £70,000 prize money on.<br />
Conquests Two long-term relationships which “just didn’t work out”. Recently tabloids<br />
linked him to both his fellow UK Big Brother contestant Steph, and the winner of Big<br />
Brother Africa, Cherise Makubale, but he denies that any relationship exists.<br />
Haunts Currently writes an opinion column for the Sunday Post, but you can also catch<br />
him sporting a rather attractive eye patch as Starkey the Pirate in pantomime Peter Pan,<br />
opening soon in Aberdeen. He’ll also be appearing on top of Mount Kilimanjaro next year,<br />
when he climbs it for an as yet unnamed charity.<br />
Pluses Fast cars, trips to New York (he’s considering buying an apartment there), an<br />
idyllic island home and a man who can say “I love you” in five different languages.<br />
Minuses You may have to invest in some earplugs – apparently Cameron often laughs<br />
and sings in his sleep.<br />
Do Read your Delia Smith. On his BB application form, Cameron’s list of ideal traits in a<br />
woman included a sense of humour like Chandler’s, and culinary skills to match his mum’s.<br />
Don’t Obsess over your health. <strong>The</strong>re’s nothing he hates more than a hypochondriac who<br />
can’t stop talking about herself.
THE MEN<br />
Best in his field: Big Brother<br />
winner and fish trader Cameron<br />
Stout is Scotland’s Mr <strong>Eligible</strong><br />
PORTRAIT ROBERT PERRY<br />
2 NEW<br />
JAMES MCAVOY<br />
ACTOR, 24<br />
Lives London. Born and bred in<br />
Drumchapel, Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Hollywood’s Next Big Thing.<br />
He first came to our attention playing<br />
the middle-class Josh Chalfen in the<br />
television adaptation of Zadie Smith’s<br />
bestseller, White Teeth. Now he’s on<br />
the big screen in cinemas nationwide,<br />
capering through Stephen Fry’s directorial debut, Bright<br />
Young Things. Early next year he’s starring in the drama<br />
series Shameless, which Channel 4 hopes will be one of<br />
its biggest hits for 2004. He also filmed the upcoming<br />
romantic comedy Wimbledon, with Paul Bettany, and<br />
spent this autumn filming Inside I’m Dancing, in which he<br />
plays an Irish teenager with muscular dystrophy. In all,<br />
he’s the veteran of 11 films and ten TV series – not bad<br />
considering he graduated from the Royal Scottish<br />
Academy of Music and Drama just three years ago.<br />
Conquests Newly split from his childhood sweetheart of<br />
nine years, James is free and single.<br />
Haunts Hollywood, any day now.<br />
Pluses James can serenade you with his guitar or leap to<br />
your defence, if need be. We mean that literally – he’s an<br />
acrobat and grade-four fencer.<br />
Minuses He’s often away filming – but when he is around,<br />
you’ll have to fight off the competition. With those big blue<br />
eyes and floppy hair, he’s unlikely to stay single for long.<br />
Do Take him to a Celtic game.<br />
Don’t Freak him out. He’s a bit alarmed at the fan mail he’s<br />
been getting, and – bless him – can’t quite believe how<br />
many James McAvoy websites exist.<br />
3<br />
7<br />
DARIUS DANESH<br />
SINGER, 23<br />
Lives His heart belongs in Glasgow,<br />
but he moves all over the world –<br />
most recently to LA.<br />
Who he? Almost a Popstar, almost a<br />
Pop Idol, Darius finally made it big in<br />
his own right in 2003. Over the past<br />
year, he’s released a double-platinum<br />
album, which was followed by a<br />
sell-out tour, he has appeared in Hollyoaks and written a<br />
book entitled Sink or Swim, describing his experiences in<br />
reality TV. All in all, it looks as if turning down Simon<br />
‘Hear’Say’ Cowell’s record deal in order to take up Steve<br />
‘U2’ Lillywhite’s offer was exactly the right move for this<br />
talented young man. When his second album comes out<br />
in the next few months you won’t be able to leave the<br />
house without seeing his image.<br />
Conquests Darius has been connected with the occasional<br />
model, as well as a student who scared him away by being<br />
“too full-on”, but is currently enjoying the bachelor life.<br />
Haunts Book signings, awards shows, movie premieres,<br />
TV spots, radio interviews… If there’s somewhere he can<br />
be that’s in the public eye, he’ll be there.<br />
Pluses Smart, good-looking, he finally seems to have the<br />
style thing under control. And he has got the potential to<br />
go a very long way.<br />
Minuses He’s constantly on the move and whoever he<br />
ends up with is going to take second place to the music.<br />
Do Compliment him on his acting – he’s on record as<br />
fancying himself as the next James Bond.<br />
Don’t Tell him what you think of his favourite football<br />
team – Partick Thistle.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
9
NEW<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
10<br />
Ready for action: Scotland<br />
rugby player Simon Danielli<br />
(number ten) may have<br />
become a pin-up lately – but<br />
with a degree from Oxford, he<br />
has brains to match his brawn<br />
PORTRAIT DAVID GIBSON/FOTOSPORT
4<br />
DOUGLAS MURRAY<br />
WRITER, 24<br />
Lives? London. Spends summers<br />
fishing on Lewis, his home turf.<br />
Who he? <strong>The</strong> youngest published<br />
biographer in history, he wrote the<br />
bestseller Bosie: A Biography of Lord<br />
Alfred Douglas during his gap year.<br />
Having read English at Oxford, he is<br />
working as a freelance political<br />
journalist and researching a book about Bloody Sunday.<br />
His play, Nightfall, heads to London’s West End next year.<br />
It centres on a real-life dinner party in 1944, when<br />
Swedish diplomat and humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg<br />
tried to persuade his guest, Nazi Adolf Eichmann, from<br />
implementing the Final Solution.<br />
Conquests Admits he’s not great at long-term relationships.<br />
Haunts He’s spending five days a week sitting in on the<br />
Bloody Sunday hearings. He eschews noisy clubs and<br />
pubs, but you might catch him at Bonaventure, a remote<br />
French restaurant tucked away on a cliff in Uigg.<br />
Pluses He’s a talented bassoonist and used to sing choral<br />
music, so will feel quite at home at a prom or the opera.<br />
He also loves Coldplay, and is a “mad” CD collector.<br />
Minuses Too clever by half. Can you match him for<br />
intellectual chit chat over dinner?<br />
Do Say, “Can I be in your play?” <strong>The</strong>y haven’t chosen<br />
the cast yet.<br />
Don’t Make him wear trainers. He can’t stand them.<br />
5<br />
PRINCE WILLIAM<br />
STUDENT, 21<br />
Lives St Andrews and London.<br />
Who he? As if he needs any<br />
introduction! Prince William Arthur<br />
Philip Louis, son of Prince Charles and<br />
the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is<br />
second in line of succession to the<br />
throne. After debating whether or not<br />
to quit the University of St Andrews,<br />
he decided to stick it out and has two years to go. Had a<br />
lavish African-themed 21st birthday party, notable for<br />
being gate-crashed by ‘comedy terrorist’ Aaron Barschak.<br />
Conquests Has yet to step out officially with anyone.<br />
Haunts Local tearooms in St Andrews or at Edinburgh’s<br />
Opal Lounge or Ricks.<br />
Pluses <strong>The</strong> royal stamp of approval.<br />
Minuses A busy schedule of geography lectures, water<br />
polo, football, rugby, and a royal engagements.<br />
Do Take him for fish and chips – he’s a devotee of fast<br />
food, and a fan of cider. What would his granny say?<br />
Don’t Mention Paul Burrell, poisoned letters or small<br />
African antelope. All three have plagued him this year.<br />
6<br />
NEW<br />
3<br />
4<br />
MARTIN COMPSTON<br />
ACTOR, 19<br />
Lives Despite his increasingly global<br />
lifestyle, Martin still lives in the<br />
family home in Greenock.<br />
Who he? A modern-day fairytale made<br />
real. Persuaded by his PE teacher to<br />
attend a film audition, Martin was<br />
plucked from obscurity for the lead<br />
in Ken Loach’s award-winning film,<br />
Sweet Sixteen, turning him into a star overnight. In the past<br />
year he’s appeared on <strong>The</strong> Royal and Rock Face. You can<br />
also catch him playing the part of Ewan in Monarch of the<br />
Glen, a new regular character.<br />
Conquests He’s only 19.<br />
Haunts Red carpets everywhere, or at home in Greenock.<br />
Pluses Has youth and talent on his side; he should go far.<br />
Minuses As he builds success upon success, the chances of<br />
meeting him on neutral ground grow ever smaller.<br />
Do Say, “I love Ken.” Martin has enormous respect for the<br />
director, and says he owes all his success to Loach.<br />
Don’t Mention his early ambition to be a professional<br />
footballer. Martin always dreamed of a life spent on the<br />
pitch. He admits, “It was a bit of a tearjerker when I<br />
handed my notice in.” But he is committed to acting now.<br />
7<br />
SAM HEUGHAN<br />
ACTOR, 23<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who he? After making a hit at last<br />
year’s Festival in Outlying Islands, this<br />
Edinburgh boy appeared at the Royal<br />
Court in London, the Toronto World<br />
Stage Festival and in New York,<br />
before the traditional Traverse trip<br />
around the Highlands and Islands.<br />
Only a week after graduating from the RSAMD this<br />
summer, he began rehearsals for Island at War, a six-part<br />
drama for ITV, due to be aired in 2004. He’s in the<br />
enviable position of having several offers of work for<br />
when the project finishes and hopes to assay the Bard, or<br />
embark upon a “sword and sandal film. Anything with a<br />
sharp object would do”. Hollywood, get ready for him.<br />
Conquests His rising profile has only increased his circle of<br />
admirers, but Sam is “still searching for that perfect<br />
eligible lady”. Just turn to page 22, Sam!<br />
Haunts Any of the “great clubs and pubs” in Soho.<br />
Pluses Check out the “wet long johns” scenes in the<br />
upcoming series and all will be revealed…<br />
Minuses Can you really compete with the actresses,<br />
models and female fans starting to swarm?<br />
Do Buy him a pint while he’s home visiting.<br />
Don’t Moan about the price. Sam’s current complaint is<br />
how much dearer it is in London, compared to Scotland.<br />
8<br />
8<br />
15<br />
LORNE BALF<br />
Composer, 27<br />
Lives LA, London and Inverness.<br />
Who he? A musical prodigy who<br />
composed the theme tune to River<br />
City, Lorne’s a graduate of Fettes<br />
College in Edinburgh. He performed<br />
with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra<br />
and the Edinburgh Symphony<br />
Orchestra whilst still at school,<br />
before going on to study percussion and composition.<br />
He has written hundreds of commercial tracks for TV<br />
and radio, worked as musical assistant to composer Guy<br />
Michelmore, and made his mark with Hans Zimmer in<br />
Hollywood. Has his own music production company,<br />
Metrophonics, that exclusively represents Scottish<br />
composers and just opened a studio in Glasgow. Lorne<br />
has also created his own film company, Fragmented Films.<br />
You will have heard his music on ITV’s William and Mary<br />
with Martin Clunes, the latest Hellraiser film and the<br />
upcoming <strong>The</strong> Night We Called It A Day, starring Dennis<br />
Hopper and Melanie Griffith.<br />
Conquests His main relationship is “with my keyboard”.<br />
Haunts Halo in Edinburgh and the Heathmount, up north.<br />
Pluses Red carpets, A-list stars, swanky film parties – need<br />
we say more?<br />
Minuses <strong>The</strong> man is his music, so be prepared to be pushed<br />
to the sidelines when inspiration strikes or LA calls.<br />
Do Tell him about your recent scientific discoveries.<br />
Lorne loves talking cold, hard logic when he needs a<br />
break from the emotional world of music.<br />
Don’t Be tone deaf.<br />
9 NEW<br />
STEPHEN ANDERSON<br />
DIRECTOR, 27<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? A quiet and modest man,<br />
who is one of the major players in the<br />
Scottish film industry because of his<br />
production company Kelpie Films,<br />
and editing service, the Post Facility.<br />
Born in Edinburgh, he became<br />
interested in film as a child actor.<br />
In the three years since setting up shop, he has worked for<br />
a range of corporate clients and made acclaimed short<br />
films on his own. Chosen as one of 12 representatives of<br />
Scottish production to travel to London for the Best of<br />
Scotland event hosted by Channel 4. Also runs a web<br />
design company, directs the odd music promo and<br />
dabbles in property development.<br />
Conquests An “on-off” relationship with a beautiful<br />
European lawyer from Brussels, but longs to settle down<br />
and share his life with someone full time.<br />
Haunts Enjoys pubs on Glasgow’s Byres Road, “where you<br />
can talk”, and snowy holidays in Europe for skiing.<br />
Pluses A good listener, charming and creative.<br />
Minuses Work, work, and er, more work.<br />
Do Practise your vampire killing. Stephen holds a torch for<br />
teen telly icon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.<br />
Don’t Say, “Are you gay?” During his teens Stephen’s mum<br />
was convinced he wasn’t sexually attracted to women, as<br />
he had many female friends but no girlfriend.<br />
10 NEW<br />
SIMON DANIELLI<br />
SCOTLAND RUGBY PLAYER, 24<br />
Lives Bath.<br />
Who he? Edinburgh-born Simon<br />
started playing rugby at the precocious<br />
age of six. He progressed through the<br />
school teams, was picked for the<br />
county and division teams, and<br />
eventually for England’s schoolboys’<br />
side. While studying at Oxford, he was<br />
awarded two Blues and played for England Students’ and<br />
Under 21s, before opting to play for Scotland last January.<br />
<strong>The</strong> winger hasn’t looked back, and his performance in the<br />
World Cup in Australia is to be applauded.<br />
Conquests Two long-term relationships, but now single.<br />
Haunts Pubs, bars and clubs. Like most rugby players,<br />
Simon is fond of his drink. He likes to get away whenever<br />
possible and recently had a three-week holiday in Florida.<br />
Pluses He has brains to match his brawn.<br />
Minuses Since his muscular torso was beamed via satellite<br />
to the four corners of the globe this autumn, Simon has<br />
become an international pin-up. <strong>The</strong>re’ll be plenty of<br />
ladies waiting to snap him up on his return to the UK.<br />
Do Cook him spaghetti bolognese. It’s his favourite<br />
carb-loading dish.<br />
Don’t Assume he drinks Guinness. Cider’s his tipple.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
11
Finger on the pulse: Jay<br />
Feeney (number 16)<br />
opened Edinburgh music<br />
venue Cabaret Voltaire last<br />
year and it is now one of<br />
the coolest clubs in town<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
12<br />
11 13<br />
CATHAL MCATEER<br />
FASHION DESIGNER, 31<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who he? Runs the fashion agency<br />
Macandi. With designer Zakee Shariff,<br />
he has just launched the menswear<br />
range Folk, in Japan. He’s optimistic<br />
about success: “<strong>The</strong>y welcome new<br />
ideas, new ways and also cherish the<br />
underground.” He originally entered<br />
the industry via a Saturday job at Glasgow shop Ichi Ni San,<br />
and later worked with Nicole Farhi.<br />
Conquests A few good serious relationships.<br />
Haunts Find him on the football pitch – he plays weekly<br />
and wanted to become a professional. In Scotland, he<br />
always hits the golf course.<br />
Pluses A fabulous new wardrobe.<br />
Minuses He describes his style as Taxi Driver’s Travis<br />
Bickle meets Samuel Beckett at the Drovers Inn for<br />
Sunday roast and a chin-wag. Do you dare dress him?<br />
Do Play him Mary J Blige. He’s a huge fan.<br />
Don’t Tell him how fickle fashion is. It’s his lifeblood.<br />
12<br />
14<br />
MICHAEL ANTHONY JACKSON<br />
ENTREPRENEUR AND AUTHOR, 33<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Owner of Wild Day, a multimillion-pound<br />
outdoor equipment<br />
centre with the biggest website of its<br />
kind in Europe. His book Life Lessons<br />
from History’s Heroes, was released in<br />
June and has been listed for the WH<br />
Smith People Prize Literary Award. It<br />
explores the lessons we can learn from the giants of<br />
history such as Alexander the Great. Has also launched a<br />
technology company called Mobiqa, a paperless ticketing<br />
system allowing customers to receive tickets in the form<br />
of bar codes on their mobile phones that are checked via<br />
scanner at the venue.<br />
Conquests Mountains and Munros, mainly.<br />
Haunts At book signings up and down the country.<br />
Pluses He’ll be your very own Mr Motivator and you’ll get<br />
all the latest outdoor gadgets free.<br />
Minuses Cosy nights in will be few and far between. He<br />
has off to New Zealand to spend six weeks climbing<br />
Mount Cook, the highest mountain in Australasia.<br />
Do Be a water baby. This year he’s been scuba-diving in<br />
Zanzibar and is heading off shark-diving (in a cage) soon.<br />
Don’t Ask him about K2. He entered record books for the<br />
world’s highest e-mail, from a height of 6,000m, but it<br />
was a near-death experience he finds hard to talk about.<br />
13<br />
NEW<br />
GLYN PARTRIDGE<br />
ENTREPRENEUR AND CLUB FOUNDER, 44<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Together with business<br />
partner Fiach Maguire, Glyn has been<br />
directing his energies into the launch<br />
of the Hallion, Edinburgh’s first<br />
members-only club. <strong>The</strong> swanky £2m<br />
venue has already attracted a range<br />
of celebrities, including novelist<br />
Irvine Welsh and actor Alan Cumming. But Lancashireborn<br />
Glyn is no stranger to big-budget enterprises – he<br />
made his first million in his mid-20s, while living in the<br />
Middle East during the oil boom.<br />
Conquests Glyn separated from his second wife earlier this<br />
year. He has three children and is currently single.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Hallion and the ski slopes.<br />
Pluses He can make a party happen in minutes.<br />
Minuses Can you keep up?<br />
Do Take him to a gallery. Glyn collects paintings and rugs.<br />
Don’t Say, “I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that<br />
would have me as a member.”<br />
14<br />
5<br />
TONY KEARNEY<br />
ACTOR, 31<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Best known as Scott Wallace,<br />
the graphic designer in BBC<br />
Scotland’s twice-weekly soap, River<br />
City. Tony’s having a great time<br />
portraying this character, and tips<br />
us off that there is some high drama<br />
ahead that is sure to keep us glued<br />
to the series for the foreseeable future. But Tony is no<br />
stranger to the small screen. He was in the Gaelic soap<br />
Machair for six years and has made guest appearances<br />
on Taggart. Or perhaps you recognise his voice from<br />
numerous plays on Radio 4? According to Tony, this year<br />
has been “the fastest in my life” – namely because he has<br />
been out and about at “far too many parties”.<br />
Conquests As luck would have it, he has fared far better<br />
on screen than off. “Scott has been enjoying a torrid,<br />
rampant love life, so I’ve been living life vicariously<br />
through him.”<br />
Haunts Barra, visiting his mum. Back in the Central Belt,<br />
favourite coffee shops include Glasgow’s Café Gandolfi<br />
and Little Italy for some serious engine oil.<br />
Pluses He employs a personal trainer and is well en route<br />
to acquiring a six-pack.<br />
Minuses Unpack your sunscreen, he’s thinking about<br />
selling his Florida holiday home.<br />
Do Say, “Amor y amistad.” Florida might not be on the<br />
cards, but how does the Costa del Sol take you? Tony<br />
PORTRAITS PETE GODDARD; DEE KEARNEY
takes Spanish classes twice a week, with the long-term<br />
plan of moving to sunny Spain.<br />
Don’t Pay your cat more attention than him. He’s not<br />
impressed with people who treat their pets like humans.<br />
15<br />
10<br />
JOHN AMABILE<br />
DESIGNER AND PRESENTER, 39<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? As resident designer for<br />
GMTV’s This Morning, John is a<br />
familiar face on television and loved<br />
by housewives everywhere. He also<br />
appears on Better Homes, with Carol<br />
Vorderman. It was voted Britain’s<br />
most popular design programme, and<br />
a recent series was repeated twice this year. Has also been<br />
pooling resources with Carol Yates. <strong>The</strong> result? A new<br />
design consultancy, ADC, offering fans the chance to set<br />
John loose on their own homes. “We want to make sure<br />
the design-hungry of Scotland get exactly what they<br />
want,” he says.<br />
Conquests Still single – much more eligible.<br />
Haunts B&Q on a Tuesday, when he can browse in peace,<br />
Gamba and Etain in Glasgow, or having a drink with mate<br />
John Leslie, who he has loyally stood by throughout a<br />
difficult year for the presenter.<br />
Pluses A quiet(er) life beckons. He has been to Spain six<br />
times this year to work on a property, and has fallen in<br />
love with the country. “If all else fails, I just want to go<br />
and grow oranges.”<br />
Minuses His home is a constant work-in-progress and has<br />
been streamlined once again. This time it is “cool creams,<br />
glamorous greys, sumptuous silvers and a cheeky splash<br />
of red to match my cheeks”.<br />
Do Take John shopping. He’s quite partial to Gucci.<br />
Don’t Say, “Another Sambucca?” Overindulgence at a<br />
recent charity ball turned John and his table into a ball of<br />
blue flames. “We spent the next day picking cocoa beans<br />
out of our cavities.”<br />
16<br />
NEW<br />
JAY FEENEY<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CABARET VOLTAIRE, 26<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? One of Scotland’s most<br />
original entrepreneurs. After<br />
re-inventing his university radio<br />
station he established Freak Music,<br />
an agency for DJs, live music and<br />
entertainment. <strong>The</strong>n he formed<br />
Dynamic Blue with a group of<br />
talented computer programmers. A year ago, Jay opened<br />
Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh’s Blair Street, a venue that<br />
already has a reputation as the first port of call for music<br />
enthusiasts. Its diverse programme of edgy music,<br />
exhibitions and events reflects his vision perfectly.<br />
Conquests A few “semi-serious” girlfriends, but his pals<br />
are beginning to despair at his single status.<br />
Haunts Cabaret Voltaire is more than just a place of work,<br />
Jay is often down there relaxing.<br />
Pluses Free tickets at one of the coolest venues in town.<br />
Minuses Jay burns the candle at both ends, and you may<br />
have to become a gig regular just to spend time with him.<br />
Do Something crazy. Jay once abseiled down a building<br />
on Princes Street to generate publicity.<br />
Don’t Play with matches. Cabaret Voltaire only narrowly<br />
escaped destruction in last year’s fire, just one day before<br />
it opened.<br />
Love action:<br />
Tony Kearney<br />
(number 14) is<br />
having a ball<br />
playing River<br />
City’s Scott,<br />
and partying<br />
hard off screen<br />
17<br />
18<br />
16<br />
GEORGE MITCHELL<br />
BOOKMAKER, 37<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? A bookie who travels to<br />
wherever the races are: Ascot,<br />
Kelso and Glasgow’s own Shawfield.<br />
Luckily, he doesn’t wear a set of<br />
tweeds, garish gold jewellery or<br />
use old-school hand signals.<br />
Conquests Hopes there might still be<br />
a fine pedigree filly out there for him.<br />
Haunts Dublin every weekend; or at what he reckons is the<br />
best Chinese restaurant in Glasgow – Chow’s.<br />
Pluses Buying a hat for Ascot’s ladies’ day.<br />
Minuses You won’t get any tips. He’s so tired of his friends<br />
pestering him that he refuses to give anything away.<br />
Do Make him take the night off and go somewhere nice to<br />
celebrate his birthday later this month.<br />
Don’t Say, “You’ve really gone to the dogs.”<br />
17<br />
NICK WALTER<br />
POLO PLAYER AND INTERNET DEVELOPER, 31<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Polo star turned project<br />
manager for UniTech, a software<br />
development company. Surrounded<br />
by horses as a kid, Nick won a<br />
scholarship to New Zealand at 18,<br />
where he played on a private polo<br />
team for two years. On his return he<br />
managed the Beaufort Polo Club – where Prince Charles<br />
has played. Decided to get a “real” job, but this year he<br />
also played for Scotland, beating England nine to five.<br />
Conquests Two big loves in the past.<br />
Haunts Iglu or the Opal Lounge when socialising, or the<br />
Dundee and Perth Polo Club on a Wednesday night – Nick<br />
is one of the highest-ranked players on the Scotland squad.<br />
Pluses Just think about those thighs…<br />
Minuses A keen sportsman who also skis and does a bit of<br />
rock climbing, leaving precious little time for romance.<br />
Do Admire his scar from a polo accident.<br />
Don’t Call him a snob. A member of the landed gentry he<br />
may be, but Nick couldn’t be more down-to-earth.<br />
19<br />
DEREK MARSHALL<br />
CHEF, 36<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Chef and partner at Gamba,<br />
and winner of numerous catering<br />
awards. His reputation as one of<br />
Scotland’s best chefs was obvious at<br />
one charity dinner, when someone<br />
bid £10,000 to have Derek cook<br />
in their home.<br />
Conquests Nothing he’ll discuss.<br />
Haunts Taking a busman’s holiday at Rogue in Edinburgh,<br />
his favourite Scottish restaurant. He’s also a big movie<br />
fan, so check the cinema queues.<br />
Pluses <strong>The</strong> best breakfast in bed.<br />
Minuses He works all the time. A hazard of the profession.<br />
Do Cook for him, for a change.<br />
Don’t Ask to see his six-pack. “It’s more of a bag of tatties at<br />
the moment,” which he is fixing at the gym as we speak.<br />
20<br />
STEFAN KING<br />
PUBLICAN AND PROPERTY MAGNATE, 40<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? One of Scotland’s biggest<br />
private leisure operators. Since<br />
taking over the pubs once under Ron<br />
McCulloch’s Big Beat umbrella, his<br />
G1 Group has continued to expand.<br />
This year he added Tusk, Switchback,<br />
the Edge, the Social (in Dundee and<br />
Glasgow) to his belt, refurbished Babez and the<br />
Corinthian, and added a second hotel in Aberdeen. He<br />
has also turned Glasgow’s Grosvenor cinema into an<br />
entertainment complex.<br />
Conquests Your guess is as good as ours.<br />
Haunts Any of his own watering holes.<br />
Pluses Dinners, drinks and visits to glamorous hotels.<br />
Minuses Stefan rarely has the time to enjoy himself.<br />
Do Tell him about your inspired, original idea for a new bar.<br />
Don’t Pick a fight about the Grosvenor cinema. <strong>The</strong><br />
conversion of the 1920s art deco building has been<br />
controversial and plagued by protests from locals.<br />
21<br />
18<br />
19<br />
20<br />
GREIG SCOTT<br />
BUSINESSMAN, 42<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Deals with international<br />
real estate for NCR, an American<br />
company. Because he’s such a man<br />
of mystery, we’re no clearer on this<br />
than we were last year, but we’re<br />
certain it involves jet-setting.<br />
Conquests He meets plenty of highflying<br />
businesswomen (and, one presumes, any number of<br />
comely flight attendants) but no one has caught him yet.<br />
Haunts Atop a mountain peak in Utah – he’s going ice<br />
climbing in December – or heliskiing in Alaska.<br />
Pluses If you love to travel, he can make it possible. An<br />
‘air mile millionaire,’ he’s happy to give away free flights.<br />
Minuses He’s a season ticket holder for Celtic Park, so<br />
if you hate football…<br />
Do Be nice to his golden retriever, Storm.<br />
Don’t Expect a lie-in. He works all hours and there’ll be<br />
conference calls from 6:30am.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
13
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
14<br />
22<br />
NEW<br />
DARREN FLETCHER<br />
FOOTBALLER FOR MANCHESTER UNI<strong>TED</strong>, 19<br />
Lives Dalkeith.<br />
Who he? A Scottish football prodigy,<br />
Darren is a phenomenally talented<br />
midfielder who turned professional in<br />
February 2001. His star is on the<br />
ascendant at Manchester United,<br />
where he has played since catching<br />
the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson. He has<br />
been compared to David Beckham and Lothar Matthaus,<br />
the captain of the 1990 German side that won the World<br />
Cup. Will he give Scotland a chance of reaching Euro<br />
2004? Here’s hoping.<br />
Conquests At the tender age of 19, plenty lies ahead.<br />
Haunts Old Trafford, obviously, or the Rowan Tree Bar<br />
in Mayfield.<br />
Pluses A salary of £400,000 a year, which he doesn’t<br />
hesitate to splash out on his nearest and dearest – Darren<br />
bought his sister a Mini Cooper for her 18th birthday.<br />
Minuses His head is firmly on his shoulders at the<br />
moment, but will fame and fortune lead him astray?<br />
Do Say, “Great goal!”<br />
Don’t Think it’s all Footballers’ Wives. Playing a real-life<br />
Chardonnay isn’t the way to win Darren over.<br />
23 NEW<br />
CRAIG CHALMERS<br />
SINGER, 22<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Although failing to make<br />
it to the final ten on Pop Idol, this<br />
Corstorphine boy is en route to a<br />
successful career. Nicky Chapman<br />
admitted that judges felt he was<br />
guaranteed success anyway. Craig<br />
became interested in performing after<br />
entering karaoke competitions on holiday, wowing the<br />
crowds with Michael Jackson songs. Answering an ad for<br />
a vocalist placed by strip group G Force, he became the<br />
first non-stripper they hired in more than a decade. He<br />
performs with them all over Edinburgh – clothes firmly on<br />
– although he took time out to compete in Pop Idol and<br />
has just finished touring with the other contestants.<br />
Conquests Two long-term relationships since age 15.<br />
Haunts Musical venues around the country.<br />
Pluses Cute, charming, ambitious, he can take you out to<br />
all the hippest parties before serenading you to sleep.<br />
Minuses Did we mention ambitious? He’s an intelligent<br />
self-promoter, so weekends are pretty full until 2010.<br />
Do Make a donation. He gave all his profits from Pop Idol<br />
appearances to the Moonbeam charity.<br />
Don’t Mention VAT returns. As a self-employed<br />
businessman, he hates poring over the books.<br />
24<br />
NEW<br />
GRAEME NEILSON<br />
FALCONER, 30<br />
Lives Bearsden, Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Graeme had embarked on a<br />
career in the hotel industry when an<br />
ex-girlfriend bought him a falconry<br />
lesson. Despite a fascination with<br />
birds of prey, he assumed that “only<br />
very special people” were able to<br />
work with them professionally. But<br />
three and a half years ago he joined their ranks, after<br />
binning work as duty manager at Turnberry Hotel. A year<br />
ago he founded Strathblane Falconry, on the grounds of<br />
the Strathblane Country House Hotel.<br />
Conquests Several “love affairs” in the past.<br />
Haunts You’re most likely to find him wandering the<br />
countryside around Strathblane. Look for a small speck<br />
in the sky following along after him.<br />
Pluses It’s not just the falcons that are in great shape.<br />
Minuses Graeme admits that spare time is a rarity, plus<br />
he’s already in love with several other “birds”.<br />
Do Tell it like it is. He’s a no-nonsense chap looking for a<br />
down-to-earth gal. Oh, he prefers brunettes.<br />
Don’t Become starstruck. Graeme’s served millionaires on<br />
the Royal <strong>Scotsman</strong> train, and played golf with Michael<br />
Douglas and Jack Nicholson during his hotel career, but<br />
keeps quiet about any famous visitors to the falconry.<br />
Cheers: Craig Harkness<br />
(number 28) mixes business<br />
with pleasure as brand<br />
manager for Tennents<br />
25<br />
NEW<br />
ATTA YAQUB<br />
ACTOR/COUNSELLOR, 24<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? <strong>The</strong> unlikely star of Ken<br />
Loach’s latest production, Ae Fond<br />
Kiss, Atta’s only previous acting credit<br />
was as the king of the jungle in a<br />
school production of <strong>The</strong> Lion, the<br />
Witch and the Wardrobe. A part-time<br />
model since the age of 17, he has been<br />
seen on the catwalk for Red Or Dead at London Fashion<br />
Week and in campaigns for the Royal Bank of Scotland and<br />
Cruise. Atta prizes his education above all else, however,<br />
and studied for a BSc in technology and business studies at<br />
Strathclyde, then a post grad in information management.<br />
He works for a youth counselling agency, helping black<br />
and ethnic children work through a range of problems,<br />
from drug abuse to incest. He was head-hunted by the<br />
organisation after they saw his work with the local football<br />
team Glasgow Ansar – Arabic for ‘to help’. <strong>The</strong> group now<br />
has sponsorship from local businesses, and has won oodles<br />
of trophies at an amateur level.<br />
Conquests One long-term relationship so far.<br />
Haunts Wherever there’s “a good vibe, good music,<br />
good company”.<br />
Pluses Tall, dark and handsome, with a big heart.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s not an insincere bone in his body.<br />
Minuses If his current CV is anything to go by, you’ll<br />
soon have to compete with Hollywood’s A-list.<br />
Do Take him out for sushi. Atta’s a recent convert and<br />
can’t get enough.<br />
Don’t Say you never want children.<br />
26<br />
NEW<br />
DOUGIE ANDERSON<br />
TELEVISION PRESENTER, 27<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who he? Co-presenter of Channel 4’s<br />
RI:SE with Kate Lawler, every weekday<br />
morning. It’s getting axed at the end of<br />
the year, but Dougie has plenty of<br />
projects up his sleeve, which –<br />
surprise, surprise – he can’t give away<br />
just yet. This involves more work for<br />
Channel 4 and his own ideas for new TV shows. Since<br />
graduating from Queen Margaret College in Edinburgh<br />
with a degree in communication studies, Dougie has barely<br />
paused for breath, presenting T in the Park for BBC<br />
Scotland, a BBC2 music show, plus Boys & Girls and <strong>The</strong><br />
Game. Looks like there’s lots more to come.<br />
Conquests Describes his history as “run of the mill”.<br />
Haunts Catch him at a Hibs match or watching stand-up<br />
comedy at any of the London clubs.<br />
Pluses Showbiz hasn’t gone to his head.<br />
Minuses Snap him up quick or he might disappear to NYC.<br />
Do Say, “Wasn’t Columbo the best detective ever?”<br />
Dougie’s such a fan he even wrote a song about him.<br />
Don’t Squish him into a window seat. His lanky frame<br />
causes massive problems on public transport and in the<br />
cinema, so if he’s getting fidgety mid-film, you know why.<br />
27 24 22<br />
RICHARD MCLELLAND<br />
DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE, 26<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Richard markets Red Bull in<br />
Scotland’s bars and nightclubs, which<br />
might seem a strange career choice<br />
for a former English and philosophy<br />
student. Working for a company<br />
called Liquide, his job takes him all<br />
over, but lately he’s been doing a lot<br />
of “cocktail consultancies”. You’ll more than likely find<br />
him in places such as the Metropolitan bar, testing lethal<br />
concoctions of champagne, vodka and Red Bull.<br />
Conquests Currently single but this might not last –<br />
he also featured as an ‘eligible’ in last month’s New<br />
Woman magazine.<br />
Haunts In Glasgow’s Rococo or Rogano, or, more<br />
probably, at a Red Bull event. <strong>The</strong>se take place<br />
everywhere, from the Tall Ship in Glasgow harbour<br />
to Austria’s ski slopes.<br />
Pluses A cool pad: he has just bought a converted church,<br />
which he describes as “old, but modern on the inside”.<br />
Minuses Also a part-time model, so you’ll have to fight<br />
off competition from numerous ‘laydees’.<br />
Do Take him on a city break. He tries to head out of<br />
Scotland at weekends to “do something different”, but<br />
usually ends up in Manchester.<br />
Don’t Ask him what kind of music he likes. Richard writes<br />
and produces his own. Is it indie? Is it rock? Who knows?<br />
He doesn’t.<br />
PORTRAITS ALAN PEEBLES; IAN RUTHERFORD
30 38<br />
PHILIP HOWARD<br />
TRAVERSE THEATRE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, 40<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? <strong>The</strong> creative mind behind<br />
the Traverse <strong>The</strong>atre, currently<br />
celebrating its 40th anniversary.<br />
Philip trained at the Royal Court<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre in London before becoming<br />
associate director at the Traverse in<br />
1993, then artistic director from<br />
1996. He has helped turn the theatre into a major player,<br />
with a single-minded commitment to new writing and an<br />
increased international profile. Philip himself directed<br />
several Fringe Firsts and London transfers, and is about to<br />
embark on Cuttin’ a Rug, the second part of John Byrne’s<br />
infamous Slab Boys trilogy. An intelligent risk-taker, there<br />
are few discussions about the future of the Scottish arts<br />
scene that do not involve his input.<br />
Conquests An international man of mystery – notoriously<br />
loyal and private.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> new booths in the Traverse bar, slogging it out<br />
at the Caledonian Hotel gym or flat on a table at Robert<br />
Stone <strong>The</strong>rapeutics – “for the best massage ever”.<br />
Pluses Philip’s stamina keeps him going into the wee small<br />
hours. He is always energetic, lively and full of quietly<br />
witty chat.<br />
Minuses His success is due to hard work, and he is out of<br />
town more and more with the Traverse’s increasingly<br />
heavy touring schedule.<br />
Do say “I really loved your last show!”<br />
Don’t say “Are you casting for the next one?”<br />
28<br />
One to treasure: Jeremy<br />
Gow (number 32) is one<br />
of Scotland’s finest and<br />
very modern antiques<br />
restorers, who believes<br />
antiques are there to be<br />
enjoyed, not hidden away<br />
24<br />
CRAIG HARKNESS<br />
BRAND MANAGER, 31<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? After joining Tennents as a<br />
sales trainee seven years ago, Craig<br />
has flourished. Now brand manager,<br />
he was part of the team that launched<br />
tripTych and enjoyed himself at this<br />
year’s tenth T in the Park. Has also<br />
been involved in creating the new<br />
Tennents adverts, set in India and Iceland.<br />
Conquests <strong>The</strong> odd fling this year, but still happily single.<br />
Haunts Craig reckons he’s “settled down a bit”, and now<br />
claims to favour the cinema or Café Gandalfi over a night<br />
down the pub.<br />
Pluses Tickets to any musical act going, and a cracking<br />
sense of humour.<br />
Minuses He’s currently trying to give up smoking and is<br />
at the “fidgeting” stage.<br />
Do Take him to the gym. Craig hasn’t been since February<br />
and needs someone to lend him some willpower!<br />
Don’t Forget to say “Awwwww”, when he flashes pictures<br />
of his new nephew Aaron. He’s a very proud uncle.<br />
29 26<br />
AAMER ANWAR<br />
LAWYER, 35<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Works for Beltrami,<br />
Scotland’s biggest criminal defence<br />
firm. He has had what he calls a<br />
controversial year, representing<br />
everyone from alleged terrorists and<br />
the Vampire, to asylum seekers at<br />
Dungavel. Indeed, he is one of<br />
Scotland’s premier human rights lawyers, and has been a<br />
keen activist for the anti-war movement, representing all<br />
the anti-war protesters arrested in Scotland this year.<br />
Conquests He’s not giving much away. Every few months<br />
Aamer’s mum asks when he’s going to settle down, so if<br />
you do end up as his other half, you’ll have the most<br />
grateful mother-in-law ever.<br />
Haunts All over. On the slim chance that he’s not out<br />
spreading the word, look for him at Glasgow’s Sub Club.<br />
Pluses Instant legal advice and a brand new flat to share.<br />
Minuses He’s on call 24/7.<br />
Do Be his gym buddy. He has yet to use his membership.<br />
Don’t Be a Tory.<br />
31<br />
NEW<br />
CRAIG WRIGHT<br />
SCOTLAND CRICKET CAPTAIN, 29<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Like most men, Craig’s love<br />
of cricket began when he was a wee<br />
boy, but he’s lucky in that he’s<br />
making a successful career from it<br />
now that he’s grown up. After<br />
graduating from Glasgow Caledonian<br />
University, he spent four winters<br />
playing and coaching in Australia. But he’s home now,<br />
and as Scotland’s cricket captain, he’s gearing the team up<br />
for the second season in the national cricket league next<br />
summer, when he hopes they’ll gain World Cup<br />
qualification – and, one day, international status. He’s also<br />
the newly appointed marketing manager for Scottish<br />
cricket, and as such is busy raising the sport’s profile. It<br />
looks like he’s succeeding, since the team has just signed a<br />
deal with Lloyds TSB Scotland.<br />
Conquests “Nothing to write home about. Still waiting for<br />
Kylie to knock at my door.”<br />
Haunts If he isn’t on the cricket pitch he’ll be dividing his<br />
time between Edinburgh and Glasgow, or popping home<br />
to Arran to visit his parents.<br />
Pluses Pimms, sunshine and the sound of leather on<br />
willow – that’s what cricket’s all about, isn’t it?<br />
Minuses Unless you’re a die-hard fan, you’ll be hard<br />
pressed to catch his every game – the team has played in<br />
Canada, Holland, Ireland and Sharjah, and the players<br />
will be sweating it out in Dubai in February.<br />
Do Offer him a round of golf. All that cricket means his<br />
swing gets a little rusty.<br />
Don’t Light up in front of him. This 6ft 4in sportsman is<br />
extremely health-conscious (and rightly so) and won’t<br />
appreciate a smoker.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
15
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
16<br />
32<br />
NEW<br />
JEREMY GOW<br />
ANTIQUES RESTORER, 38<br />
Lives Forfar.<br />
Who he? One of Scotland’s finest<br />
antiques restorers, whose 18-year<br />
career has seen him working in<br />
Europe and Australia. Fluent in<br />
French. Now based a little closer to<br />
home, he divides his time between<br />
restoration and teaching Britain’s<br />
only ‘introduction to antiques’ course. Believes antiques<br />
should be used, not locked away.<br />
Conquests He’s keeping schtum.<br />
Haunts Jeremy is in demand by museums and stately<br />
homes around the country. You’re most likely to find<br />
him in Forfar, however, where he lives just down the<br />
road from his parents.<br />
Pluses Ruggedly handsome, a passion for history, good<br />
with his hands and isn’t short of gorgeous furniture.<br />
Minuses Not so hot at other aspects of decorating. When<br />
asked how he created the colour of his dining room, he<br />
admitted, “I threw together all the paint I had left over.”<br />
Do Admire his prized continental furniture.<br />
Don’t Wax lyrical about the merits of Ikea.<br />
33 32<br />
JAMIE HERIOT MAITLAND<br />
FILM PRODUCER AND ENTREPRENEUR, 25<br />
Lives Moved “back to the land” this<br />
year, to the family estate in Perthshire.<br />
Who he? A cowboy with blue blood,<br />
he spent a year on Australian ranches<br />
and almost failed to return. After a<br />
couple of years in the stockmarket,<br />
he decided the rat race wasn’t for him<br />
and is now forging a career in film<br />
production and business. Among his rural development<br />
initiatives, he is working on the creation of a UK centre for<br />
extreme skateboarding and BMX-ing. He is still involved<br />
in the world of horse training and plays polo regularly.<br />
Conquests His is a life as yet untouched by any kind of<br />
serious relationship. Admits he’s “not one to commit”.<br />
Haunts Tends not to adopt one place for too long.<br />
Pluses An easy-going lad who considers himself a good<br />
listener, Jamie prefers to find a woman who’s also a pal.<br />
Minuses He treasures his time alone and can be a<br />
little unpredictable, so don’t try holding him to a<br />
romantic schedule.<br />
Do Say, “Let’s go to Outer Mongolia this weekend.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s nothing Jamie likes better than spontaneity.<br />
Don’t Say, “Let’s move to London.” He’s far too in love<br />
with the Scottish countryside.<br />
34<br />
27<br />
OLI NORMAN<br />
ENTREPRENEUR, 26<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? An entrepreneur whose<br />
company, Dada, holds the golden<br />
ticket for all the glamorous<br />
gatherings in the UK. Originally a law<br />
graduate from Edinburgh University,<br />
Oli worked as a lawyer, then took off<br />
to Singapore and Thailand, where he<br />
worked in a shipping company handling multi-milliondollar<br />
takeovers. Back in Scotland, he became an ideas<br />
man with Ideal World Productions, creating and writing<br />
programmes for television before setting up his own<br />
company. Dada now conducts many of the major launch<br />
parties throughout Scotland. Oli’s stamp on an event is a<br />
sure recipe for a venue’s success.<br />
Conquests “None of your business. Modesty is a virtue.”<br />
Haunts “It’s who you’re with, not where you are.”<br />
Pluses Access to the hottest parties in town, with a<br />
successful, charming gent as your date.<br />
Minuses Unsociable working hours and competition<br />
from beautiful socialites.<br />
Do Say, “Were you on TV?” Oli was a contestant on Five’s<br />
series <strong>The</strong> Mole, and keeps in touch with his team mates.<br />
Don’t Be scared of exercise. <strong>The</strong> best way to spend time<br />
with Oli is to join him when he’s indulging in a bit of<br />
snowboarding in Glencoe or kite surfing in Spain.<br />
35<br />
NEW<br />
JEREMY PURVIS<br />
MSP, 29<br />
Lives Galashiels, in his constituency –<br />
Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale.<br />
Who he? Cutting a stylish dash in<br />
the chamber, he is Scotland’s bestdressed<br />
MSP, with sharp-tailored suits<br />
and a neat line in ties from Turnbull<br />
and Asser. Has worked in London and<br />
Brussels, and is a former aide to Sir<br />
David Steel. With business partner Sam McEwan, he set<br />
up and ran a communications consultancy in Edinburgh<br />
before being elected to the Scottish Parliament this May,<br />
for the Lib Dems. He is the youngest constituency MSP.<br />
His other passions are classic cars – he drives a 1972<br />
Jensen Interceptor – and painting, which he calls “the best<br />
way of getting away from it all”.<br />
Conquests Too much of a gent to say.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> city’s art galleries and fine local restaurants.<br />
Pluses His star is on the rise. He also has a quirky sense of<br />
humour and impeccable taste. Spend weekends touring<br />
the countryside before settling in to good home cooking.<br />
Minuses Divides his time between the Borders and<br />
Edinburgh, so you’ll only get him for half the week – plus<br />
you have to share him with 50,000 constituents.<br />
Do Fake an interest in classic cars.<br />
Don’t Say, “What’s a Jensen Interceptor?”<br />
36<br />
NEW<br />
JOHN MITCHELL<br />
FARMER, 24<br />
Lives Lanarkshire.<br />
Who he? Runs a 3,000-acre farm<br />
with his brother and dad. Early<br />
diversification helped along a<br />
successful farm business, which<br />
includes Scotland’s first wind farm.<br />
But his talents stretch beyond the<br />
farm gate – at this year’s Young<br />
Farmers Talent Quest he sang and danced in front of<br />
3,000 people and won the award for best individual.<br />
Conquests A ladies’ man by nature, he’s still looking for<br />
the right gal to share his life on the farm.<br />
Haunts Catch him wakeboarding on Loch Lomond, on a<br />
night out in Glasgow or Edinburgh, or in Chamonix.<br />
Pluses A natural entertainer with his feet on the ground.<br />
Minuses John’s driving might leave you a little queasy.<br />
Do Buy him a bottle of Buckfast. He is from<br />
Lanarkshire, after all.<br />
Don’t Expect to get him via mobile phone. It’ll be lost<br />
in the fields somewhere.<br />
37 35<br />
NICK HADDOW<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER, 36<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who he? <strong>The</strong> international fashion<br />
photographer is famous for stopping<br />
traffic in Edinburgh with his risqué<br />
Goddard campaign. Last month he<br />
broke into British Vogue – having<br />
already worked for its Australian,<br />
Greek and Spanish counterparts. He<br />
is best friends with Laura Bailey, but despite finding his<br />
life glamorous, hasn’t forgotten his Glasgow roots.<br />
Conquests Too busy behind the camera to catch the eye<br />
of anyone special.<br />
Haunts Try the tennis court. He plays three times a week.<br />
Pluses A great party-goer who will burn up the dancefloor.<br />
Minuses Can you match him for fashion? Nick shops for<br />
clothes in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges or in New York.<br />
Do Be naughty – he loves cheeky chappies. And a bottle<br />
of Italian red wine will go down a treat.<br />
Don’t Say, “Shall we have a look in British Homes Stores?”<br />
38 29<br />
COLIN BARR<br />
BAR OWNER, 43<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Colin has an eye for spotting<br />
a niche in the market, and has been<br />
setting trends in Glasgow’s bars for<br />
more than a decade. His Republic<br />
Bier Halles, two European-style<br />
eating and drinking venues in<br />
Glasgow, will be joined by a third,<br />
PORTRAIT IAN RUTHERFORD
Pluses Happy, easy-going and sociable, Roger can cook<br />
you dinner in a castle, take you climbing the Stelvio Pass<br />
in the Alps, or pour you champagne in his seaside cottage.<br />
Minuses You’ll have to compete with his near-obsession<br />
for all things motor-related, and environmentalists in<br />
particular should steer clear, as “they would have to be<br />
very broad-minded to accept eight mpg on race days”. Oh,<br />
and his taste in interior design may leave something to be<br />
desired. Roger is still hoping that 1980s kitchens and<br />
purple bathrooms will make a comeback.<br />
Do Compliment him on his roaring engines. Roger<br />
currently owns a BMW motorsport car and a bright<br />
yellow Ducati SuperLight motorbike.<br />
Don’t Say “What was that noise?” Roger lives in a haunted<br />
tower at Finavon Castle, and is good friends with the<br />
ghosts sharing his space.<br />
41 NEW<br />
on Sauchiehall Street, next March. But his latest venture<br />
is Salty Dog, a new cocktail bar and restaurant serving<br />
“beach-style seafood” that’s due to open in Princes Square<br />
on 27 November. He has fingers in a few other pies too,<br />
with property in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.<br />
Conquests Since separating from wife and fellow eligible<br />
Kelly Cooper, Colin has remained single, and settling<br />
down again is really “the last thing” on his mind.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Republic, Bloody Mary’s or the Zinc bar.<br />
Pluses A keen chef, Colin will cook every night of the<br />
week if you let him. A favourite is baked sea bass with<br />
rosemary, sea salt and lemon.<br />
Minuses It’s hard to keep him from talking about work.<br />
Do Compliment him. He has lost two and a half stone<br />
this year – although he is still partial to the odd pint<br />
of Staropramen.<br />
Don’t Ask to have a quiet night in. Having been a “social<br />
recluse” for the past two years, Colin is back in action.<br />
39<br />
NEW<br />
BRENDAN SUGARS<br />
CHEF, 30<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Head chef at Fishers in the<br />
City, in Edinburgh. Brendan<br />
(otherwise known as Dan) is a<br />
Geordie, but came to Fishers six years<br />
ago from a job in the Borders, working<br />
at Tillmouth Park Hotel in Coldstream.<br />
He’s been at the branch on Thistle<br />
Street since its opening two and a half years ago. This year<br />
the restaurant was runner-up for best newcomer of the<br />
year, awarded by the Scottish Chefs Association.<br />
Conquests “Not too bad” a love life, with one or two<br />
serious relationships in the past.<br />
Haunts Watching football – he’s a big Newcastle fan. You<br />
Fast mover: Psychiatrist<br />
Roger A Blake (number 39)<br />
lives in a haunted castle and<br />
has a penchant for racing cars<br />
might catch him doing the odd cooking demonstration,<br />
but he’s too shy to tackle very many.<br />
Pluses Beautifully prepared food whenever you want it.<br />
Minuses When will you see him? Brendan works every<br />
weekend and three or four nights a week.<br />
Do Ask about Thailand. He’s heading there on a<br />
three-week holiday, and has been upping his chilli<br />
tolerance in anticipation of a strong red curry.<br />
Don’t Stare. He still finds the open-plan kitchen at<br />
Fishers a tad off-putting.<br />
40 NEW<br />
ALAIN BAXTER<br />
ROGER A BLAKE<br />
PSYCHIATRIST, 32<br />
Lives Finavon Castle, Angus.<br />
Who he? Now working in Tayside as a<br />
psychiatrist for older people suffering<br />
from dementia, depression and<br />
schizophrenia, Roger landed his first<br />
job while still at school. He moved<br />
from the peat bogs, through the<br />
cheese factory, past bar-tending to<br />
Edinburgh medical school, where he trained as a general<br />
practitioner. He became a member of the Royal College of<br />
Psychiatrists earlier this year. A man of many names –<br />
Dr Dodge, the Admiral, Baron Blake of Finavon – Roger<br />
breaks the stereotype for his profession by being a bit of<br />
party animal, and is always up for “revelry” with friends<br />
who share his need for speed down at the racetrack.<br />
Conquests Has had “various and diverse” relationships<br />
and remains open-minded about finding his Mr Right.<br />
Haunts Any racetrack in the country. You’ll often spot him<br />
through clouds of smoke at Crail drag strip or in the sand<br />
traps at Knockhill. “Any pub nearby is also a fair bet.” Has<br />
also been seen silently drifting through Kelty town centre<br />
after running out of petrol on occasion.<br />
ROLLO CAMPBELL<br />
TRAIN DRIVER, 28<br />
Lives Bedford.<br />
Who he? Last year, Rollo jacked in a<br />
high-flying job at a marketing agency<br />
in London to become a train driver.<br />
He hadn’t always hankered after<br />
Thomas the Tank Engine, but city<br />
life was getting him down and a<br />
conversation over a pint led him to<br />
Thameslink. He currently works a four-day week with five<br />
days off every three weeks, allowing plenty of time for<br />
him to dabble in property development and invest in art.<br />
Conquests Several long-term relationships attest to the<br />
fact that he’s not commitment-shy, though settling down<br />
is looking iffy. “<strong>The</strong> older I get the harder it’s going to be.”<br />
Haunts Born and bred in Midlothian, Rollo is fond of<br />
Edinburgh. You’ll find him tucking into a plate of seafood<br />
at Fishers or Skippers, or in a pub in the Old Town.<br />
Pluses Not a workaholic. He’s more likely to whisk you up<br />
a Munro or away skiing than volunteer for extra shifts.<br />
Minuses As part of his year-long training scheme he still<br />
has two eight-hour exams to get through.<br />
Do Buy him a pug dog. He loves their crazy mannerisms.<br />
Don’t Crack any Fat Controller jokes.<br />
42 41<br />
SKIER, 29<br />
LivesAviemore.<br />
Who he? Britain’s top alpine skier. <strong>The</strong><br />
son of a British ski-team couple, Alain<br />
climbed on to his first set of skis at<br />
the age of four. This year his Olympic<br />
Bronze was reinstated by the Court of<br />
Arbitration. With his sights on the<br />
next Olympics, he’s training harder<br />
than ever. Became the first Briton to win a Europa Cup -<br />
skiing’s answer to the Champion’s League. Also appeared<br />
in the BBC series Superstars. Tune in on November 20 to<br />
catch what’s guaranteed to be a nail-biting final.<br />
Conquests Alain’s a bit of a man-about-town.<br />
Haunts Aviemore, the Cairngorm ski slopes or training in<br />
Austria. He spent the summer skiing on Europe’s<br />
shrinking glaciers and returned to the Alps to open his<br />
World Cup campaign in Austria last month.<br />
Pluses Incredibly fit, dedicated and well-travelled.<br />
Minuses A punishing training regime.<br />
Do Call him ‘the Highlander’. It’s a favourite nickname.<br />
Don’t Deprive him of fresh air. He gets withdrawal<br />
symptoms if he’s away from the mountains too long. ➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
17
That’s entertainment:<br />
Not afraid to strut his stuff,<br />
there’s more to farmer<br />
John Mitchell (number 36)<br />
than meets the eye<br />
PORTRAIT ROBERT PERRY<br />
43 NEW<br />
BRAD STEVENS<br />
BAR OWNER, EVENTS ORGANISER, 32<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? Serial entrepreneur who<br />
started in sales and marketing on<br />
newspapers. Went on to found a<br />
clothing shop, then a publishing<br />
company, he moved into event<br />
management and during one festival,<br />
organised a party notable for its array<br />
of Asian food and drinks. From this, Glasgow’s Bar Soba<br />
was born – now one of the city’s trendiest locales. Many<br />
Glasgow venues follow in Soba’s footsteps and now in<br />
those of the Local – his newest venue in the city centre.<br />
Brad’s ambitions don’t stop there: he envisages continued<br />
expansion throughout the UK. Expect big things. 46<br />
Conquests “Let’s just say the job has its perks.”<br />
NEW<br />
Haunts His bars, and Sketch in London or China White. RICHARD BRAIDWOOD<br />
Pluses One of Scotland’s wildest party boys.<br />
Minuses Unsocial working hours.<br />
Do Say, “Vodka Martini straight up with a twist.” Brad<br />
prides himself on knowing everything about cocktails.<br />
Don’t Take him on at pool. With a table in his apartment<br />
and several in his bars, you may get more than you<br />
bargained for.<br />
44 NEW<br />
ALEX BUCHANAN<br />
JOURNALIST AND PUBLISHER, 26<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? A motoring writer and<br />
freelance journalist. He and pal<br />
Gordon Clark formed Drive Media,<br />
and bought the magazine Catering In<br />
Scotland. <strong>The</strong>ir first issue is hot off the<br />
press, and they’re launching the<br />
Catering In Scotland awards.<br />
Conquests Newly single; admits his workload is a problem.<br />
Haunts Nipping out of his flat to borrow milk from Ricks<br />
bar at 3am, or walking his dog in Queen Street Gardens.<br />
Pluses You’ll cruise town in a spanking new car every<br />
week – Alex test-drives them all the time.<br />
Minuses Finding a window in his diary is tough.<br />
Do Help train Jack, his beloved five-month-old Border<br />
terrier puppy.<br />
Don’t Scratch his Alfa Romeo.<br />
45<br />
44<br />
MURRAY FARQUHARSON<br />
BUSINESSMAN, 33<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who he? General manager of the<br />
systems integration at Graham<br />
Technology, Scotland’s largest<br />
privately owned software company.<br />
Conquests Engaged once but “failed<br />
at the final hurdle”.<br />
Haunts Glasgow’s west end or out on<br />
the water. He spent last summer yacht racing, and took<br />
part in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Or, scuba diving in Asia.<br />
Pluses Affectionate and romantic, loves parties and travel.<br />
Minuses Hasn’t “managed a quiet night in<br />
this millennium”.<br />
Do Be prepared to get wet.<br />
Don’t Hassle him about the startlingly bright hue of his<br />
kilt socks. Just don’t go there.<br />
SOFTWARE ENGINEER, 28<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? Involved in the development<br />
and support of the world’s number<br />
one software for traffic planning,<br />
Quadstone Paramics. Spends at least<br />
three months of the year travelling.<br />
Owns properties in the capital and is<br />
contemplating buying in Spain.<br />
Conquests “I don’t kiss and tell.”<br />
Haunts His work involves socialising “in some of the best<br />
restaurants and clubs in the world”.<br />
Pluses Successful with a bit of a wild streak.<br />
Minuses Is thinking of moving to New York.<br />
Do Shake your thang. He’s involved in a re-mix group.<br />
Don’t Say, “Did you see EastEnders?” He says, “TV is crap.”<br />
AINSLIE HENDERSON<br />
47 NEW<br />
DANIEL BEE<br />
PR GURU, 30<br />
Lives Born Edinburgh, lives London.<br />
Who he? Works for Avalon, which<br />
manages, promotes and makes telly<br />
for the likes of Jenny Éclair, Harry<br />
Hill and David Baddiel. His big<br />
project at the moment is the West End<br />
run of Jerry Springer; the Opera, first<br />
seen at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.<br />
Pluses A charmer and a looker with great connections.<br />
Minuses Surrounded by a bevy of beautiful babes.<br />
Do Say, “Pass the haggis.” He throws a popular Burns<br />
supper – the last was attended by Cat Deeley and<br />
gatecrashed by Boy George.<br />
50<br />
Don’t Shout, “Foul!” He plays in a media football team. NEW<br />
ALEX CLARKE<br />
48 PHILOSOPHER, 27<br />
NEW<br />
RICHARD O’CONNOR<br />
COMPANY DIRECTOR, 35<br />
Lives Stockbridge, Edinburgh.<br />
Who he? A founder of Scotland’s<br />
second-largest entrepreneurial<br />
network, he’s expanding the<br />
Weentrepreneurs concept, and<br />
hoping to branch out of the Central<br />
Belt. He’s also a co-founder of<br />
Ambergreen Internet Marketing, a<br />
company that specialises in search engine marketing, and<br />
he’s also a director of the software company Maximedia.<br />
Conquests “I’m far too well brought up to kiss and tell.”<br />
Haunts Bars near his George Street office.<br />
Pluses Full of enthusiasm and a real lust for life, with<br />
a wonderful sense of humour. And tall – 6ft 5in.<br />
Minuses He might exhaust you.<br />
Do Say, “Do you know...?” A social animal who’s very<br />
well connected, Richard is bound to share some mutual<br />
acquaintances with you.<br />
Don’t Say, “I can’t.” <strong>The</strong>re’s no such word as ‘can’t’<br />
in Richard’s vocabulary.<br />
49 NEW<br />
SINGER/SONGWRITER, 24<br />
Lives Brought up in Denholm, in the<br />
Borders, but now lives in London.<br />
Who he? Became a household name<br />
last year by coming fourth in the first<br />
series of BBC1’s Fame Academy.<br />
Finishing his debut album, written<br />
with Saul and Mark from the band<br />
James, and is on the brink of signing<br />
a new publishing deal. Definitely one to watch.<br />
Conquests Recently split from long-term girlfriend.<br />
Haunts Lives in Maida Vale but hangs out in Camden by<br />
day and “nowhere too pretentious or swanky” by night.<br />
Pluses Passionate and open.<br />
Minuses Can be a real mummy’s boy, with a tendency<br />
to want everything done for him. Plus, he is also<br />
extremely forgetful.<br />
Do Be honest. He hates people who aren’t straight<br />
with him.<br />
Don’t Say, “Are you that guy from Fame Academy?” and<br />
expect him to make all the conversation from then on.<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who he? One of the few remaining<br />
Scottish eccentrics, he spends as<br />
much time as possible in his family<br />
home, a 15th-century tower in the<br />
Ettrick Valley writing screenplays.<br />
Does a bit of modelling, too,<br />
including posing for Mario Testino.<br />
Conquests Still looking for Rapunzel.<br />
Haunts Libraries in London and Edinburgh.<br />
Do Ask him to tell you about Filthy McNasty’s, that great<br />
creative cult bar in London. He used to work there.<br />
Don’t Pry too much. <strong>The</strong>re’s a lifetime of personal poetry<br />
and diaries stashed away somewhere.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
19
Star turn: Despite interviewing<br />
Hollywood celebs and attending<br />
film premieres, Jenni Falconer<br />
(number one) is still not averse<br />
to a pint down the local
THE WOMEN<br />
1<br />
JENNI FALCONER, 27<br />
TELEVISION PRESENTER<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who she? As co-presenter of GMTV’s Friday show<br />
Entertainment Today, Jenni’s job involves interviewing the<br />
top Hollywood stars. <strong>The</strong> Glaswegian’s first official<br />
encounter was with Clint Eastwood, her best was Tom<br />
Cruise and chances are she’ll have charmed the pants off<br />
any big shot of the moment. It’s all thanks to her<br />
appearance on Blind Date in 1994, which led the former<br />
language student to a series of jobs in television. She’s<br />
presented Big Country, Holiday, We Can Work It Out and<br />
Drop the Celebrity and was posted Down Under to give<br />
daily GMTV reports on this year’s I’m a Celebrity – Get Me<br />
Out Of Here.<br />
Conquests Justin Timberlake famously asked her out live<br />
on air and gave her his number – but she was going out<br />
with someone else at the time and turned him down.<br />
With that two-year relationship now behind her, she’s<br />
2<br />
1<br />
NEW<br />
DAWN STEELE<br />
ACTRESS, 28<br />
Lives Glasgow<br />
Who she? We know and love Dawn as<br />
Lexie, the housekeeper-turned-Lady<br />
in Monarch of the Glen. <strong>The</strong> Sunday<br />
night series has gone from strength<br />
to strength, routinely attracting<br />
some eight million viewers. Keen to<br />
move on from her role as ‘sexie<br />
Lexie,’ Dawn’s been busy broadening her portfolio with<br />
other projects too. Her recent BBC series, <strong>The</strong> Key, a<br />
Scottish historical drama penned by the redoubtable<br />
Donna Franceschild, in which she played union leader<br />
Mary Corrigan, received critical acclaim. Not content to<br />
rest on her laurels, she’s also branching into theatre, and<br />
appears in John Byrne’s <strong>The</strong> Slab Boy Trilogy at<br />
Edinburgh’s Traverse <strong>The</strong>atre from November until<br />
January. “I want to get that fright again,” she says,<br />
“where you’re standing at the edge of the stage<br />
absolutely sh**ing yourself before you go on and<br />
wondering why you put yourself through it.”<br />
Conquests Archie, Laird of Glenbogle? You mean, it’s not<br />
real life?<br />
Haunts Bamboo, St Judes and Cube. When she’s not<br />
holed up in Ardverikie Estate in Invernesshire filming<br />
Monarch, Dawn is quite the holiday jet-setter. She’s just<br />
returned from a safari in Kenya. Last year’s big<br />
destination was Australia.<br />
Pluses Free haircuts – Dawn used to work in a<br />
hairdressing salon.<br />
Minuses Monarch of the Glen means she’s based in a<br />
Portakabin in the Highlands for seven months of the<br />
year. Long term, she’s planning to move to London.<br />
Do Buy her a Justin Timberlake CD. She’s a major fan<br />
and even named her car after him. And do tip<br />
generously – like all the best actresses, Dawn used to<br />
work in a restaurant (Glasgow’s Rogano) and knows<br />
first hand what it’s like to be a waitress.<br />
Don’t Miss the opportunity to show her around<br />
Edinburgh now she’s performing at the Traverse. Having<br />
lived and worked in Glasgow for most of her life, Dawn’s<br />
new to the capital.<br />
enjoying every minute of singledom, although she claims<br />
her younger brother “has more success than me”.<br />
Haunts Premières, launches and VIP parties are part and<br />
parcel of the job, but she’s not averse to a pint in her local<br />
either. When in Glasgow, she’ll head to mate Kelly<br />
Cooper’s bar or to Quigley’s, Fire Bird and a selection of<br />
drinking holes along Byres Road.<br />
Pluses Gorgeous with a figure to die for. Being a bit of a<br />
sports fanatic obviously helps – an hour on the ski<br />
machine and a 5km run form part of her daily routine.<br />
Minuses She’s go, go, go and you’ll have to match her for<br />
speed. Black marks if you take longer to get ready than<br />
she does and woe betide you if you need your hand held<br />
at a party.<br />
Do Buy her something red. Jenni’s superstitious and<br />
believes it brings her luck.<br />
Don’t Ask who was her favourite interviewee. She can’t<br />
stand the question. And if you’re eating crisps, do it very,<br />
very quietly.<br />
RI:SE and shine: Nothing stops TV presenter Edith Bowman (number four)<br />
3 NEW<br />
SUSIE STODDART<br />
RACING DRIVER, 20<br />
Lives Born and bred in Oban and<br />
based in Northampton – to be near<br />
Silverstone, naturally.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> world’s top female<br />
racing driver. Last month, Susie made<br />
headlines when she became the first<br />
woman to make the final of the<br />
McLaren Autosport award, the most<br />
prestigious young drivers’ competition in the UK –<br />
designed to find the F1 stars of tomorrow. She’s now<br />
taking part in the British Formula Renault Championship,<br />
the most competitive single-seater championship in the<br />
world. Susie also advises leading car manufacturers such<br />
as Mercedes, Audi and Vauxhall on their new models, testdrives<br />
new models and gives presentations at launches. It<br />
all started when she was just eight, after her dad gave her<br />
a couple of laps kart racing at Knockhill – and now there’s<br />
no stopping her.<br />
Conquests Too busy burning rubber to have a boyfriend,<br />
but she’s not ruling it out.<br />
Haunts Oban’s seafood restaurant Eusk and Mondo’s<br />
nightclub.<br />
Pluses Life’s not all jumpsuits and high-speed cars. Join<br />
her for a holiday on the beach in Dubai or Majorca and on<br />
the ski slopes in Val Thorens.<br />
Minuses During racing season she’s a reluctant teetotaller.<br />
But you could buy her a drink next month, when she’ll be<br />
going wild for her 21st birthday party on December 6 –<br />
the day before the winner of the McLaren Autosport<br />
award is announced.<br />
Do Play Christina Aguilera’s ‘Fighter’ or Madonna’s ‘Ray of<br />
Light’. Both hit the spot.<br />
Don’t Race her. Susie has her sights set on Formula 1 by<br />
2006. You’ll fare better behind the wheel of her Golf TDI.<br />
4 NEW<br />
EDITH BOWMAN<br />
TV AND RADIO PRESENTER, 28<br />
Lives Despite being born in Fife and studying at Queen<br />
Margaret University College in Edinburgh, she has<br />
relocated to London for work.<br />
Who she? If you missed her on Channel 4’s breakfast show<br />
RI:SE, and you’re not currently tuning into her Radio One<br />
show, then you’re surely bound to make her acquaintance<br />
when she hosts Channel 4’s upcoming show Ex-Rated, a<br />
clone of Temptation Island. Since leaving RI:SE, she’s<br />
going from strength to strength, receiving strong reviews<br />
and settling in for a long career in media.<br />
Conquests Edith’s private life mostly stays that way.<br />
<strong>The</strong> only real exception is her friendship with Kylie’s<br />
ex, James Gooding. Despite the rumours, she maintains<br />
that they are “just good friends”.<br />
Haunts She’s constantly on the run, engaging in weird and<br />
wacky stunts to drum up the figures for her radio show.<br />
You’ll definitely have seen her at Glastonbury.<br />
Pluses Somebody who knows what she wants, she’s got<br />
the charisma and looks to be a television presenter, plus<br />
the charm and wit to hold her own on the radio. And she<br />
definitely knows how to have fun, as the photos of her<br />
larking about with <strong>The</strong> Darkness clearly prove.<br />
Minuses Another one who’s wedded to her job. Goodness<br />
knows where her career will take her next, but she won’t<br />
hesitate for a moment when the next opportunity opens up.<br />
Do Say something that’s both outrageous and amusing.<br />
Don’t Ask about her friendship with Cat Dealy. <strong>The</strong>y’re<br />
sick of all the lesbian rumours, and remain best mates. ➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
23
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
24<br />
5 NEW<br />
9 NEW<br />
ALISON MCRAE<br />
ZEVI WATMOUGH<br />
TV PRESENTER, 33<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Born in Aberdeen and<br />
raised in the Highlands, Zevi is one of<br />
the biggest successes to emerge from<br />
the BBC New Talent Competition of<br />
2000. Graduating from Edinburgh<br />
University with a degree in English,<br />
she was working in recruitment when<br />
the BBC named her a finalist, so she chucked her job to<br />
work at the Press & Journal’s Inverness office. It was there<br />
that she heard she had won. Within months, she was<br />
presenting Artwork Scotland. Zevi has covered the goings<br />
on backstage at Scottish Opera’s Wagner Ring Cycle,<br />
attended the Venice Biennale and, by the time you read<br />
this, will have done a live broadcast from the MTV Europe<br />
awards in Edinburgh. She also joined <strong>The</strong> Art Show on<br />
BBC Radio Scotland last year.<br />
Conquests Believes she will meet ‘the one’ when the time Good karma: Marketing consultant Helen Briggs (number 43) does yoga every day<br />
is right, and has been single now for over two years.<br />
Haunts Loves socialising over dinner at the Tower in<br />
Edinburgh or Rogano in Glasgow, and attends art 7<br />
openings all the time.<br />
NEW<br />
Pluses You’re ensured tickets to all the latest cultural RACHAEL STIRLING<br />
events with a slim, sassy brunette on your arm.<br />
ACTRESS, 26<br />
Minuses Known for her “very healthy appetite”, so eat fast<br />
Lives London.<br />
or her fork will come creeping over to your plate.<br />
Who she? You’ll remember her from<br />
Do Send flowers; Zevi’s a sucker for bright pink roses.<br />
Tipping the Velvet, which made her<br />
Don’t Insist on talking about a film the second you leave<br />
every gay woman’s pinup. Has also<br />
the cinema. One of Zevi’s favourite ways to unwind is to<br />
starred in Five Little Pigs, a Hercule<br />
visit the cinema, and her pet hate is people who begin<br />
Poirot TV drama screening on 30<br />
dissecting the show as soon as it’s over.<br />
November (“it’s brilliant – I get<br />
hanged”), and the yet-to-be-released<br />
6 Framed, a dark, controversial film about paranoia. Now<br />
NEW<br />
LINDSAY BANNERMAN<br />
BUSINESSWOMAN, 30<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she One of Scotland’s most<br />
influential businesswomen. Born in<br />
Glasgow, she was educated in Hong<br />
Kong, Durham and at Newcastle<br />
University before working her way up<br />
the sales ladder in the personal<br />
finance industry. She set up the<br />
websites CallCentreVoice.com and ContactSkillsVoice.com,<br />
providing a forum for those involved in the call centre<br />
business. Noting a gap in the market, she launched<br />
NewBusinessVoice.com 18 months ago, a forum for<br />
discussing ideas and “war” stories. Customised versions<br />
have been produced for such organisations as the Scottish<br />
Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and<br />
Stelios Haji-Ioannou of Easyjet fame is a regular visitor to<br />
the site. She recently became the youngest ever director on<br />
the board of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and<br />
picked up the award for New Business of the Year at the<br />
National Business Awards of Scotland.<br />
Conquests Single for just over 12 months.<br />
Haunts BamBu, Opus, the Attic or the Dining Room.<br />
Learning to sail, so check out the Clyde on sunny days.<br />
Pluses Friends don’t call her “the networking queen” for<br />
nothing. You’re guaranteed quality laughs and chat, plus<br />
at 6ft tall, she’s “no retiring wallflower”.<br />
Minuses You’ll have to make an appointment to see her.<br />
Do Keep your passport up to date – after living in the<br />
Orient for six years, Lindsay returns as often as possible.<br />
Don’t Cook her crème brûlée. She creates new recipes to<br />
relax, but also out of necessity, due to lactose intolerance.<br />
performing in Wilde’s A Woman Of No Importance in<br />
London until January, in order to learn from seasoned<br />
pros such as Prunella Scales and Samantha Bond. Not<br />
that she needs much expert guidance – a history of art<br />
graduate from Edinburgh University, Rachael gets sound<br />
advice from her mother, Dame Diana Rigg. Her father is<br />
the Scottish landowner Archie Stirling.<br />
Conquests Recently split with her soulmate and boyfriend<br />
of two years, DJ John Lycett Green.<br />
Haunts Los Angeles from January – until then, try her<br />
dressing room at the <strong>The</strong>atre Royal or her Victorian<br />
cottage in west London, which she’s busy decorating.<br />
Pluses A Hollywood star in the making, she took several<br />
months off after Tipping the Velvet, claiming that “life<br />
outside work is just as important”.<br />
Minuses Since wearing nought but bodypaint and a dildo<br />
for TTV, she has had to fend off many dubious offers.<br />
Do Take her riding. She’s a natural.<br />
Don’t Call her Tiff. She’s mistaken for actress Martine<br />
McCutcheon all the time.<br />
10 NEW<br />
CLAIRE BRADY<br />
8 NEW<br />
PORTIA SIMPSON<br />
GAMEKEEPER, 24<br />
Lives Aberdeen, for now.<br />
Who she? One of Scotland’s few<br />
female gamekeepers. Spent two years<br />
working at the Ardverikie estate<br />
(which features in Monarch of the<br />
Glen) and just finished a stag season<br />
at Letterewe estate in Carn More,<br />
near Inverness. Starting work at<br />
Conholt estate, west of London. Modelling also beckons.<br />
Portia has been asked to endorse Barbour clothing.<br />
Conquests Nothing to speak of.<br />
Haunts Crawling across sodden heather.<br />
Pluses Drab? Nah. She always wears make-up.<br />
Minuses No chance to impress her with fine wining and<br />
dining. Her most recent accommodation lacked electricity,<br />
and she bunked down to read each night by candlelight.<br />
Do Cook her venison, which she adores. And be outdoorsy.<br />
Don’t Be queasy. Disembowelling deer is part of the job.<br />
And no smelly feet, she hates that in a man.<br />
PR, 33<br />
Lives West End, Glasgow.<br />
Who she Originally from Dunoon,<br />
Alison has had a wide and varied<br />
existence. She became the first<br />
woman to study architecture at<br />
Trinity College, Cambridge, before<br />
working in tourism – she pioneered<br />
Sail Scotland and the Argyll &<br />
Islands Food Initiative, among other projects. Oh, and<br />
she studied e-commerce at Harvard University. She<br />
spends much of her spare time racing yachts around the<br />
Scottish coast, and two years ago left the security of a<br />
well-paid job to go diving in Australia. Upon her return,<br />
she set up Blue Toucan, an arts and tourism project<br />
management company.<br />
Conquests A few long-term relationships, but no one has<br />
impressed her enough to distract her from work.<br />
Haunts Always “trying out new places”, but favours the<br />
Wee Chip in Glasgow, and the Living Room in Edinburgh.<br />
Or catch her at any of the major sailing events.<br />
Pluses Energetic and ambitious, Alison is an adventurer in<br />
the truest sense of the word. You’ll never be bored.<br />
Minuses Alison hasn’t achieved her goals by doing things<br />
by halves, and maintains extremely high standards for<br />
herself and others.<br />
Do say “Voulez-vous couchez avec…” Alison is proficient<br />
in French, and has been described by friends as the<br />
“Scottish Sophia Loren”.<br />
Don’t Be afraid to try new things. Alison is an<br />
accomplished musician and an aspiring artist, practices<br />
yoga regularly and recently started dance classes.<br />
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPER, 29<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Arrived in Edinburgh from<br />
England, ten years ago to study<br />
psychology. She fell in love with the<br />
city, graduated with a 2:1 and landed<br />
a job as a department research<br />
associate. She earned an MSc in<br />
human ecology, writing her thesis on<br />
people’s psychological relationship with nature, using<br />
Arthur’s Seat as the subject matter. Was business manager<br />
for Robin Harper MSP before taking her current job with<br />
Community Business Scotland Network on the Bridge to<br />
Social Economy project. Has held many posts in charitable<br />
organisations and runs a monthly networking event for<br />
people interested in sustainability issues. Recently<br />
awarded a Donella Meadows Fellowship award for her<br />
work in sustainable development. Not surprisingly, she is<br />
heavily involved with the Scottish Green Party, and<br />
handled the production of their manifesto during the last<br />
PORTRAITS IAN MACNICOL; GAVIN RODGERS
election – all on top of her full-time job. Also an<br />
accomplished piano player and artist.<br />
Conquests Claire’s last serious relationship was more than<br />
four years ago. A few “flings” since but no one special.<br />
Haunts Loves wandering up and down Arthur’s Seat, to<br />
“breathe the mountain air”, but try the Bongo Club in the<br />
evenings. She recently appeared there as the incognito<br />
piano player La Mysterieuse.<br />
Pluses She’s intelligent, beautiful, talented, and a<br />
passionate campaigner for ecological and social justice<br />
with a wide circle of friends in high places.<br />
Minuses You’ll have to offer more excitement than any of<br />
the above to commandeer this girl’s time.<br />
Do Keep fit. Claire fractured three vertebrae during a<br />
snowboarding accident and now practises yoga and<br />
walks at least four miles a day.<br />
Don’t Say, “Slow down!”<br />
KEIRA MACDOUGALL<br />
ENTREPRENEUR, 27<br />
Lives West end, Glasgow.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> daughter of a Scottish<br />
entrepreneur, Keira has inherited her<br />
father’s get up and go, and was<br />
educated at Dollar Academy before<br />
gaining a degree in marketing. <strong>The</strong><br />
owner of KJM Management, a<br />
specialist legal and pharmaceutical<br />
recruitment company, she also runs an events/training<br />
company and is a major shareholder in one of the UK’s<br />
largest financial software houses. A finalist for this year’s<br />
Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and a finalist in the<br />
Rachael Stirling (number<br />
seven) wore just gold<br />
paint in a recent TV role<br />
11 NEW<br />
Naked ambition: Actress<br />
Shell Live Wire Business Growth Challenge. Has also<br />
raised over £100,000 for charity over the last six years.<br />
Conquests Couldn’t possibly say as she’d “get into too<br />
much trouble”, but is “not averse to finding Mr Right”.<br />
Haunts In the VIP section of the Tiger Tiger club, Bar<br />
Budda in Glasgow or the Living Room in Edinburgh. On<br />
the party A list, and attends many black-tie charity events.<br />
Pluses Knows all the right people. Good fun, always up for<br />
a laugh and will try anything once.<br />
Minuses Constantly buzzing with ideas, so you will<br />
undoubtedly come second to the wonderful world of<br />
entrepreneuring. This gal’s just getting started.<br />
Do Make her laugh and try to surprise her. And you need<br />
to keep fit, she is in the gym at 6.45am every morning.<br />
Don’t say How much you’re worth. Keira finds it “soooo<br />
off-putting – if I want something I will work to be able<br />
to get it myself!”<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
25
12 NEW<br />
ROSIE KANE<br />
MSP, 42<br />
Lives Glasgow, where she’s an MSP<br />
for the Scottish Socialist Party.<br />
Who she? None other than the gal<br />
sworn in to parliament in – gasp! –<br />
jeans. She’s the MSP sentenced to<br />
community service for protesting<br />
against nuclear submarines at<br />
Faslane. She’s the MSP who protested<br />
against swearing allegiance to the queen and wrote on<br />
her palm, “My oath is to the people” when she was sworn<br />
in. She’s the MSP who wants us to stop using the word<br />
‘ned’ because it’s hurtful and disrespectful. She’s the MSP<br />
who protested against ill-treatment of asylum seekers at<br />
Dungavel and in Berlin, and took an asylum seeker into<br />
her home. And she’s the MSP who appeared in <strong>The</strong> Vagina<br />
Monologues at the Fringe. One thing she’s not is meek,<br />
mild and quiet. Well, she wasn’t until September, when<br />
doctors ordered her to lower the volume a little, or<br />
permanently damage her vocal cords.<br />
Conquests Rosie’s love life is not open to the public, but<br />
she has two daughters from a previous relationship.<br />
Haunts When not in parliament, you’ll find her protesting<br />
at Dungavel, Faslane or anywhere else that triggers her<br />
sense of injustice. She has already declared that the<br />
community service she’s currently doing won’t stop her<br />
returning to future demonstrations against Trident.<br />
Pluses Strong social conscience, always willing to help<br />
people, and always has something fascinating to discuss.<br />
Minuses Passionate, yes, intellectual, no. Rosie admits to<br />
having only ever read five books – and she can get a bit<br />
carried away when you disagree with her.<br />
Do Tell her how much you care.<br />
Don’t Tell her it’s the Conservatives you care about.<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
26<br />
13 8<br />
RHONA CAMERON<br />
COMEDIENNE, 38<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who she? Musselburgh born and bred,<br />
this comedienne has been riding the<br />
wave of her success in I’m a Celebrity,<br />
Get Me Out of Here! and we’ve seen<br />
her as the narrator in the Rocky<br />
Horror Show and as a guest on Friday<br />
Night with Jonathan Ross and Ant &<br />
Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. A performance as Judy<br />
Garland on Stars in <strong>The</strong>ir Eyes was followed by <strong>The</strong><br />
Luvvies, a spoof award show for LWT, and a second series<br />
of game show Russian Roulette. She has been touring<br />
extensively to sold-out crowds. It’s all part of promoting<br />
her autobiographical book 1979: A Big Year in a Small<br />
Town, based on her teenage diaries. Candid and revealing,<br />
it discusses her sexuality, being bullied and sexually<br />
assaulted, and the death of her beloved adoptive father.<br />
Conquests <strong>The</strong> infamous relationship with Sue Perkins – of<br />
Mel and Sue – is well over, and Rhona is happily single.<br />
Haunts Book now for her next Scottish performance at<br />
Glasgow’s Tramway <strong>The</strong>atre at the end of November.<br />
Pluses Intensely loyal, passionate and affectionate<br />
underneath the rough exterior, but…<br />
Minuses …has a prickly temper and aggressive nature.<br />
Do say “Nice shoes.” She believes it is important to look<br />
good on stage, and after a long quest is ecstatic over<br />
finding the perfect footwear for those stints of standing.<br />
Don’t Ask her about 1969, when she was crowned the<br />
Rosebud Princess. Stop sniggering – she was only four!
Twinkle toes: Dancer Diana<br />
Loosmore (number 17)<br />
wants to snare a <strong>Scotsman</strong><br />
– one who doesn’t mind<br />
her singing in her sleep<br />
14<br />
NEW<br />
MORAG CALDER<br />
ACTRESS, 26<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Plays nurse Ruth Rossi in<br />
BBC1’s River City. Not long ago she<br />
was a real A&E nurse in Glasgow’s<br />
Victoria Infirmary. She applied to be<br />
an extra and “fell into acting”,<br />
claiming it’s “the best job” and,<br />
“a million times better than nursing”.<br />
Conquests Single for the last two and a half years.<br />
Haunts Out most weekends with Tony and Alison, her<br />
colleagues on River City, at Tusk in Shawlands, Bamboo,<br />
and the Metropolitan bar for cocktails.<br />
Pluses This bubbly brunette from Barra is lots of fun.<br />
Minuses She’ll ruin all the good bits in ER and Casualty<br />
by pointing out any inaccuracies.<br />
Do Take her somewhere hot. This year she’s been to<br />
Palma, Corfu and on a Caribbean cruise.<br />
Don’t Hog the remote control. It’s a pet hate.<br />
15 5<br />
disaffected teenagers.<br />
Don’t Ask for film premiere invites.<br />
17 NEW<br />
DIANA LOOSMORE<br />
DANCER, 29<br />
Lives Glasgow’s west end.<br />
Who she? A modern dancer with the<br />
Scottish Ballet, the sunny Aussie has<br />
danced her way from Brisbane and<br />
Sydney to London, and arrived in<br />
Glasgow at the start of the year.<br />
Conquests Single, but excited by the<br />
prospect of snagging herself a wee<br />
Scottish lad – preferably dark and unshaven.<br />
Haunts Air Organic for breakfast, lunch and dinner (does<br />
this girl cook?) and Oblomov for a sneaky glass of wine<br />
after work. As for a coffee fix, try the Offshore Café.<br />
Pluses Extremely loveable, feisty, funny and always right.<br />
Minuses A tendency to sing the wrong lyrics to songs<br />
when she’s fast asleep.<br />
Do Keep her laughing, call her, bake her a cake and paint<br />
her a picture.<br />
Don’t Try too hard.<br />
PORTRAIT IAN MACNICOL<br />
DIANE MAIN<br />
ARTIST, 35<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? A fine artist and creative<br />
spirit extraordinaire. Her paintings<br />
have wide inspirations, “from the<br />
looming landscape of the skies, to<br />
psychedelic colour blips”. Teaches life<br />
drawing and painting at Glasgow<br />
School of Art, and has been working<br />
on interior design projects and a range of children’s<br />
T-shirts. Summer holidays were spent at the Findhorn<br />
community, but the highlight was visiting Peru, where<br />
she walked the Inca Trail, camped in the City Above the<br />
Clouds, and practised her fire-dancing skills.<br />
Conquests Divorced from comedian Phil Kay, she enjoyed<br />
“a lovely friendship with a Dutch gentleman”, but is too<br />
busy for anything serious.<br />
Haunts Prefers visiting friends to heading out on the town.<br />
Pluses A laid-back, funky, quirky woman.<br />
Minuses You may become just one more project.<br />
Do Swot up on the Himalayas. She’s keen to visit soon.<br />
Don’t Mention interest rates, as Diane is currently in the<br />
process of selling her house.<br />
16 28<br />
GILLIAN BERRIE<br />
FILM PRODUCER, 37<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Producer and co-founder of<br />
Sigma films. Her biggest triumph to<br />
date was working as associate<br />
producer on Young Adam. She also<br />
runs casting agency Big Fish, and<br />
founded Film City Glasgow, a “media<br />
cluster development” that will provide<br />
space for Scottish film-makers and facility companies.<br />
Conquests “Mind your own business.”<br />
Haunts Cannes, of course, but when she’s home look for<br />
her in the Kelly Cooper Bar.<br />
Pluses She works hard and plays hard, she’s one of the boys.<br />
Minuses Never chills out, always on the go.<br />
Do Volunteer. She runs Starfish, a charitable organisation<br />
providing access to media and film facilities for<br />
18 NEW<br />
COLETTE SADLER<br />
CHOREOGRAPHER, 29<br />
Lives Glasgow and Paris.<br />
Who she Recent recipient of an SAC<br />
Creative Scotland Award, to “explore<br />
and redefine the boundaries between<br />
visual art and new dance”, she’s a<br />
choreographer, performer and<br />
teacher. A freelance dancer since<br />
1995, she won a place with the<br />
acclaimed Spanish-based Vincente Saez Company,<br />
becoming the first Scot to do so. Fluent in French and<br />
Spanish, she toured with them for three years, also making<br />
her first dance film. On her return, she founded Body<br />
Document, which has performed at the Tramway and the<br />
Festival Fringe. Now preparing a solo show for the<br />
international festival the National Review of Live Art.<br />
Conquests Has dated a variety of men – a photographer,<br />
an architect, and a Sylvester Stallone lookalike.<br />
Haunts Café de l’Industrie, Paris, where she is working.<br />
Pluses As a dancer, Colette is in great shape, and<br />
recommends using the occupation as a chat-up line, as<br />
“it really gets men’s imaginations going”.<br />
Minuses You’ll have to be equally fit to keep up.<br />
Do Invite her for a spin on your Harley – she’s a sucker for<br />
a man on a motorbike.<br />
Don’t say “I’d like you to meet my mum…” Her experience<br />
with Spanish men and their mums means that she has<br />
had her fill of controlling mamas.<br />
19 NEW<br />
KAHLEEN CRAWFORD<br />
CASTING DIRECTOR, 24<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> youngest casting<br />
director ever, she works at Big Fish<br />
Casting. A graduate of Glasgow<br />
University’s film and television<br />
department, her portfolio includes<br />
Young Adam, Wilbur Wants to Kill<br />
Himself, and the second series of ➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
27
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
28<br />
➤ Book Group. Now working with Ken Loach.<br />
Conquests Three wonderful, stable relationships, but<br />
currently single.<br />
Haunts King Tut’s, the Riverside Club and CCA in Glasgow.<br />
Pluses Catch her in action at a hip hop dance class.<br />
Minuses She’s always scanning crowds for new faces.<br />
Do Pledge your support – and a couple of million quid, if<br />
you’ve got it – to Scottish films.<br />
Don’t Lose your temper in an audition. She and Des were<br />
nearly attacked when an actor got “exceedingly angry<br />
over a misunderstanding”. Happily, he calmed down.<br />
20<br />
NEW<br />
TANYA BUCHANAN<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER, 29<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Helps run Sporting Estates,<br />
which stage manages weekend parties<br />
in Scottish castles and country houses,<br />
with George Goldsmith. Over the<br />
years she has played host to Atomic<br />
Kitten, Blue, Gary Barlow and brands<br />
such as Rolex. Now organising venues<br />
for next year’s golf Open at St Andrews. Briefly worked as a<br />
model, gracing such glossies as Harpers & Queen and<br />
Country Life. Named one of Elle’s 50 most beautiful women.<br />
Conquests Separated last November, but snap her up<br />
quickly, because she admits that “people have started to<br />
come out of the woodwork”..<br />
Haunts A passionate rider, you’ll find Tanya charging<br />
around John Muir Country Park or along an East Lothian<br />
beach every day after work. She has qualified for the<br />
British National Dressage Championships, so if you really<br />
want to earn brownie points, offer to drive her horsebox.<br />
Pluses Got a 40th birthday party, a Burns Night supper or<br />
corporate weekend to organise? Tanya can get you access<br />
to some of the most magical venues in Scotland.<br />
Minuses Feigning illness is nigh on impossible. She is a<br />
qualified occupational therapist with seven years’ practice.<br />
Do Ask her to sing a bit of Carole King. She hopes to<br />
release an album next year. Watch this space.<br />
Don’t Take her shopping – it’s her “epitome of a bad day”.<br />
Taffeta dresses are not her thing. Try wellies instead.<br />
21<br />
2<br />
LULU<br />
SINGER, 55<br />
Lives International.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> Glaswegian singer who<br />
has been making us all ‘Shout’ for 39<br />
years. Voted Britain’s Most Promising<br />
Newcomer in Showbusiness by<br />
Melody Maker in 1965, she has toured<br />
with Roy Orbison, acted with Sidney<br />
Poitier, won the Eurovision when it<br />
still had kudos, and swapped quips with Dudley Moore –<br />
all before the age of 23. Over the next four decades, her<br />
star has waxed and waned but never died. Awarded an<br />
OBE in 2000. Though she recently collected a doctorate of<br />
music from the University of Westminster, Lulu has had a<br />
quiet year – and who could blame her?<br />
Conquests Divorced both Bee Gee Maurice Gibb and<br />
hairdresser John Frieda; single now for eight years.<br />
Haunts Hanging out with Posh and Becks or Elton John.<br />
Pluses Pint-sized, but fizzier than a bottle of champagne.<br />
Minuses <strong>The</strong> paparazzi.<br />
Do Keep it stylish. Lulu has received numerous ‘best<br />
dressed’ awards, and always looks fabulous.<br />
Don’t say “Shouldn’t you be retired by now?”<br />
22<br />
LAURA MCINNES<br />
EVENTS ORGANISER, 34<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Her firm Lollipop, is behind<br />
most of the country’s big gigs,<br />
festivals, concerts or corporate dos.<br />
Organised this year’s tour for Fame<br />
Academy contestants, bussing them to<br />
Glasgow, Dublin and London in a<br />
single day. She spent four days in<br />
Australia with Bon Jovi, and has orchestrated concerts for<br />
Craig David, Darius and James Dean Bradfield.<br />
Conquests Admits to adoring Johnny Depp from afar.<br />
Haunts Firebird in Glasgow, or any music festival.<br />
Pluses A concert’s sold out? Laura can fix it.<br />
Minuses Travels a lot. It’s part of the job.<br />
Do Take her pole dancing. She had a wonderful time with a<br />
bikini-clad man wearing a cowboy hat this year – until the<br />
halogen lights at the bottom of the pole burnt her ankles.<br />
Don’t Mention diva Grace Jones, whose nonstop requests<br />
for oysters and champagne at tripTych made her “the<br />
most difficult person I’ve ever worked with”.<br />
23<br />
21<br />
13<br />
LYNN FORBES<br />
BUSINESSWOMAN, 39<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? After working as a bar<br />
manager she started the Basement<br />
with her brother, on Broughton<br />
Street. Three years later they set up<br />
the Smoke Stack restaurant and<br />
catering company. <strong>The</strong>n, fancying a<br />
change, Lynn decided to turn one of<br />
her hobbies into a business and created the Bachelor Pad<br />
– a shop selling funky, retro furniture. This year, she went<br />
online with the venture. Brother and sister also opened a<br />
second restaurant, Smoke Stack On <strong>The</strong> Water, which is<br />
proving enormously popular.<br />
Conquests Thought one relationship “would come to<br />
something”, but became happily single not long ago.<br />
Haunts Any one of her successful businesses.<br />
Pluses Your own personal interior designer.<br />
Minuses With such an independent spirit and heavy<br />
workload, she’ll expect you to be able to look after<br />
yourself – and may well stand you up should she hear<br />
of a great bargain.<br />
Do Get your tool belt on. Lynn is in the process of<br />
re-furbishing her apartment, and is desperately looking<br />
for a good plasterer.<br />
Don’t Say, “How about dinner at the Smoke Stack?”<br />
CLAIRE CHAPMAN<br />
FILM EXECUTIVE, 39<br />
24 NEW<br />
FIONA LAMONT<br />
MARKETING EXECUTIVE, 25<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Marketing executive at the<br />
Townhouse Company, a collection<br />
of luxurious hotels; the Bonham,<br />
Channings, the Edinburgh Residence<br />
and the Howard. She has been there<br />
less than a year, after graduating with<br />
a degree in hospitality from Robert<br />
Gordon University in Aberdeen, and working as trainee<br />
manager at the Bonham. Not a fan of the job’s long shifts,<br />
she jumped at the chance to move into marketing.<br />
Conquests One long-term relationship.<br />
Haunts Try Halo or the Living Room in Edinburgh.<br />
Pluses Bubbly, energetic, friendly and honest.<br />
Minuses A gentle reminder every now and then would be<br />
helpful. Fiona admits to being dippy and “a bit blonde”.<br />
Do Have a cute kitty. She loves cats but hasn’t got any<br />
of her own at home.<br />
Don’t Ask her if anyone famous has stayed at the hotels.<br />
She has taken a vow of silence.<br />
25<br />
31<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Head of production at<br />
Scottish Screen, Claire is responsible<br />
for promoting Scotland as a film<br />
location. In fact, she has just returned<br />
from escorting culture minister Frank<br />
McAveety around LA, with a view to<br />
enticing Hollywood to our fair shores.<br />
This year’s projects have included Young Adam and Wilbur<br />
Wants to Kill Himself. Look out for Dear Frankie and One<br />
Last Chance next year. Claire started in theatre, producing<br />
shows for both the Fringe and the West End. She began<br />
her movie career at Renaissance Films, and was executive<br />
producer on Rogue Trader before setting up her own<br />
film consultancy.<br />
Conquests Work doesn’t leave much time for relationships.<br />
Haunts Film festivals. Cannes, Toronto, Locarno, Rotterdam<br />
– she has done them all. When in Glasgow, try St Jude’s,<br />
where the film crowd hangs out, or the Kelly Cooper Bar.<br />
Pluses Despite her glitzy, glamorous lifestyle, Claire has<br />
PORTRAIT IAN MACNICOL
her feet firmly on the ground.<br />
Minuses She is forever travelling or working late at<br />
the office.<br />
Do Explore the Highlands with her. Claire has only been in<br />
Scotland a year and still needs to be shown the sights.<br />
Don’t Say, “Introduce me to Ewan McGregor.”<br />
26 27<br />
LADY SIAN BIDDULPH<br />
PA, 41<br />
GILL MILLS<br />
RADIO AND TV PRESENTER, SINGER AND DJ, 31<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Tune into Radio 1 Scotland<br />
at 8pm on a Thursday, and you’ll<br />
catch her co-hosting the Vic and Gill<br />
show. Gill also presents T in the Park<br />
on BBC1, writes for <strong>The</strong> <strong>Scotsman</strong> and<br />
various glossy magazines and runs<br />
Hooverdam, a venture promoting<br />
Scottish-based musicians for international soundtrack<br />
collaborations. Her club night, Period, starts at the Sub<br />
Club on 17 November, and – as if that’s not enough – she’s<br />
also juggling book development deals and US-based<br />
projects. Phew.<br />
Conquests Just split from the boyfriend she thought was<br />
‘the one’, so she’s starting over.<br />
Haunts Stravaigin and Nice ’n’ Sleazy for drinks, and the<br />
basement of Selfridges, where she could “spend days”<br />
running up her credit cards.<br />
Pluses Room service, champagne and king-size beds when<br />
you least expect it. Gill’s a big fan of playing tourist and<br />
checking into hotels in her own home town.<br />
Minuses She has got satellite television, but you won’t be<br />
allowed to watch it. She only uses it to listen to the radio.<br />
28 NEW<br />
DR RHONA COUSIN<br />
DOCTOR, 28<br />
Bridle party:<br />
Horse-lover<br />
Tanya Buchanan<br />
(number 20)<br />
says shopping<br />
is the “epitome<br />
of a bad day”<br />
29 NEW<br />
CARA GILLESPIE<br />
27 NEW<br />
Do Buy her a Celtic season ticket. She usually manages to<br />
make it to the game by hustling her various contacts, but<br />
it’s always “a last-minute scramble”.<br />
Don’t Take her to a coffee shop. Life’s too short.<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Works for Edinburgh’s new<br />
Hallion club. Originally Sian Gibson-<br />
Watt, she was born in Wales and is a<br />
descendent of inventor James Watt.<br />
Starting off with political intentions,<br />
she stood for the council in the<br />
Harbour ward during the last Scottish<br />
elections. She was unsuccessful, but is still heavily<br />
involved in the political scene. Formerly married to Lord<br />
Biddulph, they divorced two years ago and she moved<br />
from Makerstoun House near Kelso to live in Edinburgh<br />
with her two young sons.<br />
Conquests Nothing serious since separating. Looking for<br />
someone to sweep her off her feet.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Hallion – obviously – Oloroso, the Dome at<br />
weekends, Number 80 Queen Street and her local caff.<br />
Pluses She’s always singing. Sian trained to be an opera<br />
singer – until she discovered she had “a beautiful voice<br />
but no talent musically”.<br />
Minuses Two cute kids means any holidays are childorientated,<br />
unless you can persuade her to run away for<br />
an adults-only weekend.<br />
Do Buy her fresias, her favourite flower.<br />
Don’t Express political indifference.<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? A doctor at the Royal<br />
Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh. Rhona<br />
is based in psychiatry but has spent<br />
the past three years on rotation,<br />
taking a turn at everything medical –<br />
from A&E to surgery. A graduate of<br />
the St Andrews/Manchester<br />
programme, she is originally from Campbeltown, Kintyre.<br />
She has just returned from a year-long trip that combined<br />
work and travel to far-flung locations, which included<br />
“being on call from the beach” at a rural hospital in New<br />
Zealand. That sounds nice, but as the only doctor on call,<br />
she was forced to endure countless long nights on her<br />
own – it got a bit lonely.<br />
Conquests A few serious relationships and a few that<br />
were just “lots of fun”. Snap her up before next summer,<br />
when she’s set to be a bridesmaid for the third time...<br />
Haunts Last year found her in the Amazon jungle and<br />
hiking the Inca Trail. This year, look for her at restaurants<br />
in Edinburgh’s New Town, such as Cafe St Honore.<br />
Pluses An outgoing girl who loves to party.<br />
Minuses Doctors’ hours are long. She sometimes works<br />
right through from Friday night to Monday morning.<br />
Do Be an adrenalin junkie. She’s been diving, canyoning,<br />
sea-kayaking, mountaineering, jet-boating and skiing.<br />
We’re tired just thinking about it. You could also feed her<br />
West coast scallops - she can’t get enough of them.<br />
Don’t Stay glued to the sofa. At the weekend, she likes to<br />
gt out of Edinburgh and do things.<br />
ENVIRONMENTALIST, 32<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? An Irish lass, Cara has been<br />
living in Scotland since 1990, when<br />
she arrived to study politics at<br />
Edinburgh University. Most of her<br />
professional life has been spent<br />
working for women’s organisations,<br />
primarily Rape Crisis, where she<br />
successfully raised enough money to ensure the group’s<br />
survival for the foreseeable future. After some sterling<br />
work during May’s election campaign, Cara was hired as<br />
the parliamentary group co-ordinator (aka chief of staff)<br />
for the Scottish Green Party, with responsibility for<br />
managing the delivery of their parliamentary agenda,<br />
staff and budgets. A committed feminist and equally<br />
ardent environmentalist, Cara insists she’s “no PC<br />
stereotype” and dislikes “preachiness” in others.<br />
Conquests Single for more than three years after ending a<br />
six-year relationship.<br />
Haunts A keen walker, you’ll find her around the Wester<br />
Ross hills, or in any number of Highland pubs enjoying a<br />
well-earned lager.<br />
Pluses A loyal friend with a social conscience who enjoys<br />
life’s simple pleasures.<br />
Minuses Admits she’s “a bit of a perfectionist”.<br />
Do Say, “An toir thu dhomh pÿg?” (Will you give me a<br />
kiss?) Cara is studying Gaelic, to learn more about the<br />
place names when she goes hill walking.<br />
Don’t Say, “Is that a non-renewable fuel?” About to sit her<br />
motorbike licence test, Cara is planning to “buy a<br />
seriously big bike and turn up to Green conferences<br />
wearing leather”.<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
29
30<br />
39<br />
YVONNE TAYLOR<br />
ANTI-FUR PROTESTER, 32<br />
Lives<br />
Edinburgh.<br />
Who she?<br />
Campaigns co-ordinator for the<br />
Edinburgh branch of Advocates for<br />
Animals. A vegan, her life revolves<br />
around her work. She has travelled<br />
extensively and donned various<br />
costumes for the cause. At the Paris fashion shows she<br />
jumped on stage behind John Paul Gaultier with a banner<br />
exclaiming ‘Fur Kills’, before being bundled off. No<br />
stranger to jail cells, she was recently arrested in<br />
Aberdeen for protesting outside a meat expo dressed as a<br />
cow. Her biggest victory was the closure of Glasgow’s Zoo<br />
after 18 months of campaigning.<br />
Conquests Married to her work.<br />
Haunts Favours Black Bo’s, as they allow her dog Misty<br />
inside. A former laboratory beagle, Misty, was rescued by<br />
the McCartneys and is “the most eligible bitch in Scotland”.<br />
Pluses An exciting life full of travel and adventure.<br />
Minuses Can’t say no to an animal in need.<br />
Do Take her to Glasgow. A perfect day this year involved<br />
vegan cheesecake from the 13th Note Café then a visit to<br />
Gig on the Green to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers.<br />
Don’t Tell her you’re a butcher.<br />
31<br />
35<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
30<br />
ANNIE LENNOX<br />
SUPERSTAR, 48<br />
Lives London, New York, Spain.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> daughter of an<br />
Aberdeen shipyard worker, Annie’s<br />
talents for music were spotted at the<br />
age of four. All grown up, she formed<br />
the Eurythmics with former beau<br />
Dave Stewart. Hundreds of songs<br />
later, she’s been a phenomenal<br />
international success and her latest album, Bare, has been<br />
the British success of the year in the US, hitting number<br />
four in the charts. She is performing ‘Into the West’, the<br />
theme song for <strong>The</strong> Lord of the Rings: <strong>The</strong> Return of the<br />
King, the soundtrack of which goes on sale this month.<br />
Conquests Twice divorced, with two school-age kids.<br />
Pluses That voice. It is perfection.<br />
Minuses Keeping up with her chameleon appearance –<br />
although she has toned it down of late.<br />
Do Buy her a hamburger and chips. Despite her lean,<br />
muscular figure, Annie’s not afraid to eat.<br />
Don’t Mention fish fingers. One of her first jobs was in a<br />
frozen fish factory.<br />
32<br />
38<br />
CAROL SUMMERS<br />
BUSINESSWOMAN, 27<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Works for the drinks giant<br />
Diageo as premium development<br />
manager, looking after accounts such<br />
as Gleneagles and Oloroso, and<br />
brands such as Tanquery Ten and<br />
Johnny Walker Gold.<br />
Conquests Too busy.<br />
Haunts Pubs on Bath Street, Strata, the Art House.<br />
Pluses A “ridiculously large” booze cabinet.<br />
Great catch: Kahleen<br />
Crawford (number 19)<br />
is Scotland’s youngest<br />
casting director and is<br />
currently working with<br />
none other than Ken Loach<br />
Minuses A self-confessed “celebrity nerd” and a sucker for<br />
trashy magazines.<br />
Do Cook her a nice Sunday roast. And comment on her<br />
lovely tan – she keeps St Tropez in business.<br />
Don’t Buy her a drink from a rival brand. It’s against<br />
company policy.<br />
33 NEW<br />
HEIDI CULLEN<br />
BRAND MANAGER, 31<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? <strong>The</strong> ultimate adrenalin<br />
chick, promoting all kinds of ways to<br />
risk life and limb in her job as brand<br />
manager of adventure sports for<br />
VisitScotland. Her work involves<br />
surfing in Tiree, mountain biking in<br />
the Borders and dog-sledding in<br />
Aviemore, and she’s constantly touring the country learning<br />
about the latest crazes. Edinburgh born and bred, she<br />
worked in media sales before becoming marketing<br />
manager at Tiso. Along the way, she made backpacking<br />
trips to South America and Australia. Her career with<br />
VisitScotland began a year ago, after her latest jaunt down<br />
under, where she worked as a jillaroo at a cattle ranch.<br />
Conquests Two noteworthy former loves, but single for<br />
about a year.<br />
Haunts This party animal enjoys hanging out with pals<br />
behind the bar at the Fish Tank, or enjoying a big bowl of<br />
mussels at the Shore in Leith.<br />
Pluses Full of energy and fun, she can take you diving in<br />
Australia or kayaking in the Highlands.<br />
Minuses She’s away from home a fair bit, and you’ll have<br />
to be up for a challenge to join in. Also, thanks to her time<br />
as a jillaroo, she knows how to perform a castration.<br />
Do Buy a camper van. Heidi’s looking for a boyfriend to<br />
drive through the Outback with, sleeping under the stars.<br />
Don’t Say, “I’m down here!” At 5ft 10in, she likes them tall.<br />
PORTRAITS ALAN PEEBLES; IAN MACNICOL
34<br />
KELLY COOPER<br />
FASHIONISTA, 42<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Scotland’s very own It girl,<br />
blonde bombshell, and uber-stylist. If<br />
there’s a commercial or fashion<br />
campaign that needs a touch of gloss,<br />
she’s called in. She styles the fashion<br />
pages for the Herald magazine with<br />
photographer David Eustace, and<br />
also has a popular Glasgow club named after her.<br />
Conquests Separated from husband and fellow eligible<br />
Colin Barr, with whom she has two children.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Kelly Cooper Bar, of course. Or glamorous<br />
parties around the world: most recently, Kelly jetted off to<br />
LA for the Dressed to Kilt fashion show, a glitzy event held<br />
to promote Scottish design and culture.<br />
Pluses A little black book to die for. If the party’s worth its<br />
salt, Kelly probably helped organise it.<br />
Minuses She never says no to a job – and you’ll rarely<br />
catch her having a night in.<br />
Do Congratulate her on her supermum powers. With two<br />
school-age kids, Kelly’s an expert at juggling work and<br />
motherhood.<br />
Don’t Ask for stories about such celebrity pals as Bobby<br />
Carlyle or Michelle Collins. Kelly would never tell tales.<br />
35<br />
10<br />
43<br />
RUTH MILLAR<br />
ACTRESS, 28<br />
VRNDA DAKTOR<br />
VISUAL ARTIST, 28<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? An artist who believes<br />
herself extremely lucky to be making<br />
a living doing what she loves best.<br />
After moving up from London at 19<br />
to study at the Glasgow School of Art,<br />
she decided to stay put because of the<br />
city’s atmosphere. Since graduation<br />
she has received sponsorship from private patrons and<br />
commissions from the Tramway. She has worked in a<br />
variety of mediums, including performance art and film.<br />
One short film’s in the can and she’s hard at work on the<br />
next. Vrnda is modest and private, and has gained a great<br />
deal of respect from the Scottish art world along the way.<br />
Conquests “Never you mind!”<br />
Haunts Hanging out in Glasgow’s west end. Also keen on<br />
capoeira – the martial art that is also a dance – as well as<br />
yoga and swimming, but prefers a good sauna.<br />
Pluses Small and perfectly formed, Vrnda’s unique<br />
perspective on the world is both refreshing and charming.<br />
Minuses When it comes to important decisions, she’s sure<br />
of what she wants. Ask her to decide something minor,<br />
and she’ll dither until dawn.<br />
Do Take her to the movies. Especially if they’re French.<br />
Don’t “Pick your nose!”<br />
37 NEW<br />
DR NICKI COLLEDGE<br />
DOCTOR, 44<br />
39<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
NEW<br />
Who she? A hospital doctor trained in JUDITH CRAIG<br />
Edinburgh who specialises in<br />
geriatric medicine and the training of<br />
junior doctors.<br />
Conquests In love with her car.<br />
Haunts Edinburgh festival venues,<br />
Fopp, the Cameo movie house, and<br />
anywhere involving food. You may spot Nicki on a golf<br />
course, but never pounding a treadmill in the gym.<br />
Pluses She can get ready to go out in under 15 minutes<br />
(though she says she may look like it).<br />
Minuses Heavy use of chocolate as a mood-enhancer.<br />
Do Suggest food and wine in faraway locations. Male<br />
support also appreciated on all matters involving<br />
technology – so, if you’re a computer boffin, you could be<br />
in with a shot.<br />
36 NEW<br />
Don’t Propose anything involving physical hardship,<br />
isolation, or prolonged absence from the shops.<br />
38 NEW<br />
Lives London.<br />
Who she? Ruth Millar’s acting career<br />
goes from strength to strength. She<br />
has appeared in Footballers’ Wives,<br />
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and opposite<br />
Ewan McGregor in Solid Geometry.<br />
This year she has been on television<br />
in Sweet Medicine, the BBC drama<br />
Roger Roger, and ITV’s Serious and Organised. She also<br />
shot the short film Oban.<br />
Conquests Who knows? She’s not saying.<br />
Haunts Glasgow’s St Jude’s is a safe bet, when she’s in town.<br />
Pluses A very brave girl – she got naked with Ewan<br />
McGregor. On film, that is.<br />
Minuses She is always being pestered, because boys just<br />
love her. You’ll have to be extra attentive to keep Ruth all<br />
to yourself.<br />
Do Say, “Roger Roger.”<br />
Don’t Mention Pasty Faces, a film it’s best that everyone<br />
forgets about.<br />
HELENA GALLAGHER<br />
RADIO PRODUCER, 33<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Helena hails from the<br />
beautiful Arranmore island<br />
(population 600), off Donegal. She<br />
considers her upbringing with mum<br />
and six siblings to be “the most<br />
precious time”, perhaps because at<br />
age 12 she attended a Loreto convent<br />
Sound proposition: Not only is<br />
she the producer of cool radio<br />
programme Air, Helena Gallagher<br />
(number 38) also loves football<br />
boarding school, from which she was suspended in her<br />
final year. Next, she joined the BBC in London in 1990,<br />
transferring to BBC Radio Scotland after seven years. For<br />
the past two years, she has worked for Radio 1 in<br />
Scotland, and produces Air, their alternative music<br />
programme. A keen traveller, she’s journeyed solo to<br />
Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam and Bali,<br />
where she surfed, rafted, climbed glaciers, and partied.<br />
Conquests “Nothing of any consequence.”<br />
Haunts Pressure at the Arches, as well as the Sub Club and<br />
King Tut’s in Glasgow are all favourites.<br />
Pluses That lilting Irish accent, plus she’s a footie fan and<br />
regularly works on Off <strong>The</strong> Ball and Sportscene.<br />
Minuses A self-confessed “retail therapy habit”.<br />
Do Take her for “chilled-out weekends by the sea”.<br />
Don’t Say anything chauvinistic – she might hit you.<br />
SPONSORSHIP MANAGER, 32<br />
Lives<br />
Edinburgh’s New Town.<br />
Who she?<br />
Despite being brought up in<br />
Peterhead, Judith works for a festival<br />
of culture, which she admits is “an<br />
unlikely journey”. Being sponsorship<br />
manager for the Edinburgh<br />
International Festival is “a slice of heaven”. She’s able to<br />
meet great people from the business community and<br />
artists from around the world. Prior to taking up her<br />
culture-vulture mantle, Judith worked in PR in Paris and<br />
Dublin. But her heart belongs to the performing arts, and<br />
most evenings out involve trips to the theatre, concerts<br />
and chic Edinburgh eateries. Always up for weekend trips<br />
to Europe, she loves learning new languages. When she’s<br />
at home, she curls up with her German grammar book.<br />
Conquests Lost her heart to Jean-Claude on a school<br />
exchange trip, which started a trend for foreigners. “A<br />
gorgeous accent still takes the legs from under me.”<br />
Haunts Lives near Broughton Street, Edinburgh’s ‘East<br />
Village’ and often socialises in the area. During the<br />
summer, you can find her serving and volleying at her<br />
local tennis club.<br />
Pluses Surely she’s ready to try some home-grown talent?<br />
Minuses You’ll be forever forking out for weekends in<br />
Paris, Berlin etc.<br />
Do Say, “Wie heissen Sie, liebling?” (What’s your name,<br />
darling?)<br />
Don’t Say, “Come and meet my folks in Turiff.”<br />
➤<br />
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
31
NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
32<br />
40 NEW<br />
42 NEW<br />
EMMA OLERAM<br />
AMANDA CLARK<br />
STAGE MANAGER, 34<br />
CATERER, 42<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? Originally from London,<br />
with Swiss and Indian parents, Emma<br />
studied drama at Aberystwyth before<br />
doing teacher training. She has never<br />
faced a classroom, as she soon found<br />
work as a stage manager, before<br />
returning to Wales to study stage<br />
management officially at Cardiff. Having caught the<br />
“opera bug” early – her mum’s a fan – Emma was ecstatic<br />
to become one of Scottish Opera’s three assistant stage<br />
managers in 2001.<br />
Conquests Nearly moved to Switzerland for love,<br />
but single for the past two years.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Station Bar in Glasgow.<br />
Pluses Creative, talented and up for a laugh.<br />
Minuses When your job begins as others are leaving<br />
theirs, it’s not easy to maintain a normal social life.<br />
Do Read her a bedtime story. Emma is an avid collector of<br />
children’s books by Diana Wynne Jones.<br />
Don’t Say, “Opera? It’s rather loud, isn’t it?”<br />
41 NEW<br />
COSIMA SEMPILL<br />
ART STUDENT, 20<br />
Lives Glasgow.<br />
Who she? A third-year student at the<br />
Glasgow School of Art, Cosima’s great<br />
passion is ceramics. She’s in the<br />
studio long hours, and though she<br />
has no fixed plans beyond her degree,<br />
she’ll be using it in some capacity to<br />
“make beautiful things”. Her greatgreat-grandfather<br />
was Glasgow Boy Sir John Lavery.<br />
Conquests Former dates had a tendency to emigrate.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> studio, her local student union, or the CCA.<br />
Pluses An invite to South Africa, if you’re lucky – Cosima<br />
lived in Cape Town until she was ten, and has family there.<br />
Minuses You’ll have to shout to get noticed. She spends<br />
most of her time wearing headphones.<br />
Do Ask her to paint for you. Cosima does lots of big<br />
canvases for her mother, an interior designer, who uses<br />
them to decorate clients’ homes.<br />
Don’t Mention hot, scratchy kilts. She spent the summer in<br />
one touring the US with her dad, promoting Tartan Card,<br />
a range of tartan-designed credit cards.<br />
KITTY DOUGLAS-HAMILTON<br />
SOCIALITE, 27<br />
Burning rubber: Don’t challenge<br />
Susie Stoddart (number three)<br />
to a race – she hopes to be<br />
driving in Formula 1 by 2006<br />
Lives Stirling.<br />
45 48<br />
Who she? Amanda has spent 22<br />
years cooking for every occasion. ROSEANNA CUNNINGHAM<br />
Her internet catering company,<br />
MSP, 51<br />
www.cooksconnect.com, feeds those<br />
at sporting events, christenings,<br />
parties, weddings and funerals. She<br />
has also whipped up delicacies for<br />
royalty and for Dame Diana Rigg.<br />
Conquests Married twice with two sons. In the words of a<br />
friend, she’s outgoing, oversized, outspoken, outrageous.<br />
Haunts Sushi restaurants, Hyde’s bar or skiing in Glenshee.<br />
Pluses An amazing house in Bridge of Allen converted<br />
from two cottages, with floorboards from the Usher Hall.<br />
Minuses Her requirements are specific: Strong, Humorous,<br />
Independent and Tall – but not resembling the acronym.<br />
Do Get naked. Amanda once catered for a naturist<br />
wedding reception.<br />
Don’t Mention leek and potato soup. An emergency stop<br />
in Kelso town square spilled eight pints of it down the<br />
back of her neck and all over the car.<br />
43 NEW<br />
46 40<br />
HELEN BRIGGS<br />
MARKETING CONSULTANT/YOGA TEACHER, 35<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? An energetic, enthusiastic,<br />
free spirit and contented soul who<br />
believes that life is an extraordinary<br />
mystery. Left behind a successful<br />
corporate career to start her own<br />
consultancy business in marketing<br />
and business development. But<br />
because life is also about balance, she spends a significant<br />
amount of time teaching yoga.<br />
Conquests “Some tough acts to follow!”<br />
Haunts Still testing out a range of Edinburgh venues.<br />
Pluses Perfect if you like a quiet start to the day, as she<br />
spends her first two hours practising yoga.<br />
Minuses Doesn’t stay in one place very long. Working on a<br />
new venture, which may take her to warmer climes.<br />
Do Try to persuade her to stay in Edinburgh – though,<br />
with winter setting in, the Caribbean is looking more<br />
and more appealing.<br />
Don’t Say you’re too busy because you’re working late.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re is so much more to life.”<br />
44 NEW<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? A blonde aristocrat<br />
who has recently returned to her<br />
native land following adventures<br />
in Europe and beyond. She is<br />
well-connected and culturally<br />
adept, and is now contemplating<br />
embarking on a PhD in<br />
contemporary architectural history.<br />
Conquests Both the famous and nameless. Currently<br />
looking forward to a Highland fling.<br />
Haunts Has lived in Paris and Italy and has spent time<br />
in Istanbul and Kathmandu, as well as the US.<br />
Pluses Can drive a JCB.<br />
Minuses Doesn’t have an ordinary driving licence, so<br />
she may need a chauffeur.<br />
Do Say, “Come here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!”<br />
Don’t Ask her to purr.<br />
Lives Perthshire.<br />
Who she? Deputy leader of the SNP<br />
and MSP for Perthshire. Born in<br />
Scotland, her family moved to<br />
Australia when she was eight and<br />
she vowed to return. That happened<br />
when she was 25, and she dove<br />
head-first into local SNP politics.<br />
Conquests Brian Taylor? <strong>The</strong> BBC journalist rushed up<br />
after her fiery speech at this year’s SNP conference and<br />
blurted, “That was sex, pure sex!”<br />
Haunts Pounding the streets of Perth and Kinross.<br />
Pluses If you’re in trouble, Roseanna can help. She was<br />
once a practising solicitor.<br />
Minuses A self-confessed Star Trek addict. Oh dear.<br />
Do Bring Aussie wine to the table.<br />
Don’t Start an argument. She’ll win.<br />
DENISE WEST<br />
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, 44<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Since February, advertising<br />
sales director at the Scottish Daily<br />
Record and Sunday Mail. Previously<br />
MD of the Insider Group and has<br />
spent more than 15 years in media<br />
and marketing, including two years<br />
at <strong>The</strong> <strong>Scotsman</strong>. When she landed<br />
her latest role, Denise did an interview with <strong>The</strong> Drum in<br />
which her post was described as “the toughest sales job in<br />
the UK”. She now admits that this is “absolutely right”.<br />
Conquests She’s keeping schtum.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> Edinburgh-Glasgow shuttle train; the theatre;<br />
the Living Room, Opal Lounge or the Canny Man.<br />
Pluses Aberdonian by birth, Edinburgh-educated and full<br />
of Glasgow attitude – but she’s a pussycat, really.<br />
Minuses You’ll be competing with four other males: two<br />
Yorkshire terriers and two cross-breeds.<br />
Do Stock up on champagne. Denise treats herself to a<br />
bottle every weekend.<br />
Don’t Wear a pink shirt. She loathes them.<br />
PORTRAIT LOUISE O’GORMAN
47 NEW<br />
48 NEW<br />
GAYNOR GILLESPIE<br />
29<br />
LILLIAN EDWARDS<br />
LAWYER, 41<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she?<br />
Senior lecturer in the law school<br />
at Edinburgh University, specialising<br />
in internet law and regulation. A<br />
self-confessed geek, she studied<br />
computing science to complement<br />
two prior degrees in law. Her books<br />
on internet law are academic best-sellers. Co-director<br />
of the AHRB Centre for Intellectual Property and<br />
Technology Law at Edinburgh, her aim is to devise new<br />
models for e-commerce regulation that will give<br />
consumers trust and confidence.<br />
Conquests Academics, mathematicians and linguists<br />
(Russian and Chinese speakers especially), an Australian<br />
science fiction author and a Seattle-based journalist.<br />
She admits ,“It’s sad but true – Scottish men are still<br />
intimidated by smart, confident, go-ahead women.<br />
Haunts On the east coast, Blue Bar, Oxygen, the Filmhouse<br />
bar, the Water of Leith, or Babbity Bowsters and Café<br />
Gandolfi when in Glasgow.<br />
Pluses Sharp wit, unfailingly entertaining, up to date<br />
on the latest tech trends.<br />
Minuses Thinking of relocating to the Big Smoke.<br />
Do Suggest a last-minute weekend in the Languedoc.<br />
Don’t Ask, “How do I stop getting spam e-mails?”<br />
WEDDING CO-ORDINATOR, 31<br />
Lives Leith.<br />
Who she? Gaynor did a BA in<br />
hospitality enterprise at Queen<br />
Margaret University. Working for<br />
the Caledonian hotel since 2000.<br />
Conquests Engaged a few years<br />
ago, but “things didn’t work out”.<br />
Haunts <strong>The</strong> pubs and clubs of<br />
George Street, and regular weekends away.<br />
Pluses Romantic weekends in top hotels.<br />
Minuses Admits she can be “too honest”, and often<br />
realises she speaks before she thinks.<br />
LAURA HIRD<br />
AUTHOR, 36<br />
49 NEW<br />
INGRID SAWERS<br />
MUSICIAN, 36<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? English-born Ingrid moved<br />
to Edinburgh in 1985, and has never<br />
looked back. Now one of Scotland’s<br />
most sought-after musicians. Career<br />
highlights include performing for<br />
Jose Carreras and with members of<br />
the Michael Nyman band.<br />
Conquests Describes her love life as “a barren,<br />
featureless wasteland”.<br />
Haunts A jazz lover, she’s often at Henry’s Cellar Bar,<br />
or in any of Edinburgh’s sushi restaurants.<br />
Pluses Bubbly and always up for adventure, possessor<br />
of an infamously dirty laugh.<br />
Minuses Several hours a day of piano practice.<br />
Do Cut the deck. Ingrid is learning to play poker,<br />
“because it’s slightly nefarious”.<br />
Don’t Say, “Amadeus who?”<br />
50<br />
Lives Edinburgh.<br />
Who she? Award-winning writer of<br />
“nasty stories about dysfunctional<br />
people”. Has just delivered a new<br />
story collection to Canongate, and<br />
has had a novel commissioned. Nail<br />
and Other Stories was shortlisted for<br />
the Saltire Society literary awards,<br />
and Born Free was nominated for the Orange Prize.<br />
Haunts Hunt her down via www.laurahird.com.<br />
Pluses A jet-setting lifestyle. She has given readings in<br />
Paris, Amsterdam, the Hague, St Petersburg and Moscow.<br />
Minuses Anti-social writer’s habits.<br />
Do Challenge her to PlayStation games and offer vodka.<br />
Don’t Chase pigeons. She’s fond of them.<br />
OFF THE MARKET<br />
BILLY BOYD (WAS 1) Now happily settled with<br />
a girlfriend who’s “a dancer based in Glasgow”.<br />
SARA DAVIDSON (WAS 15) After years on<br />
our list, we’ve had to drop Sara. <strong>The</strong> fashionista<br />
has got herself a boyfriend – though quite who<br />
the lucky man is remains a mystery.<br />
SUSIE GRAY (WAS 19) (pictured) Press officer<br />
for the Traverse theatre, Susie Gray met arts<br />
journalist Andrew Burnet at the the Hub, the<br />
heart of Scotland’s art scene. Love blossomed<br />
soon after Susie appeared in last year’s<br />
<strong>Eligible</strong>s. <strong>The</strong>y visited Amsterdam last Christmas<br />
and were engaged by February – and the<br />
wedding takes place later this month in<br />
Edinburgh’s Royal Botanical Gardens. Guests<br />
have been instructed to wear pink.<br />
JENNY COLGAN (WAS 20) <strong>The</strong> queen of<br />
chick-lit, Jenny will soon be less qualified to<br />
write about 30-something singletons. On 28<br />
November, she’s marrying a “gorgeous Kiwi” she<br />
met on a yacht in Miami nearly two years ago.<br />
“It was meant to be a summer fling, but now<br />
we’re sailing off into the sunset together,” she<br />
says. “He is wonderful but not posh. My mother<br />
says I am the only person who could get invited<br />
onto a superyacht and pull the ship’s engineer!”<br />
ROSS LAURIE (WAS 47) & LISA SMITH<br />
(WAS 12) When Lisa and Ross saw they were<br />
both on last year’s <strong>Eligible</strong>s list, they decided to<br />
get in contact via email. <strong>The</strong>y’d known each<br />
other previously, and never contemplated<br />
romance, but one dinner date led to another,<br />
and now the pair are very much in love. <strong>The</strong>y’re<br />
based in separate cities – Ross is in Glasgow,<br />
Lisa in Edinburgh – but have made long-term<br />
plans to settle down in Spain. “We’re hoping to<br />
move to Barcelona in a couple of years,” says<br />
Lisa. “We both love the sunshine.”<br />
NIKI FURLEY (WAS 22) Niki built sandcastles<br />
with Scott Masterton when both were three,<br />
but they didn’t fall for each other until 19 years<br />
later in the run-up to a school reunion. Scott<br />
confessed he’d never forgotten his childhood<br />
sweetheart and they have been an item ever<br />
since. Rumour has it they’ve moved in together<br />
and are looking forward to a life of adventure,<br />
travel and excitement in their VW Camper.<br />
LIZ WILSON (was 23) <strong>The</strong> BBC music<br />
associate is happily living with Graeme<br />
Maloney, otherwise known as DJ Mal. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
knew each other as teenagers but bumped into<br />
each other again 14 years later when Liz<br />
happened to go to a Radio Clyde gig.<br />
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NOVEMBER 9, 2003<br />
33