BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland announce an exciting new commitment to work together to fund new digital-first Gaelic-language production in Scotland.
The first-of-its-kind co-commissioning approach commits £800k over two years – funded by MG ALBA and the BBC – and aims to identify and develop projects that resonate with all Scottish audiences whilst developing a pipeline of homegrown talent in the Highlands and Islands.
Producers are encouraged to submit proposals in response to genre-specific briefs with a strong emphasis on creating Gaelic content that reflects the culture, skills and talent of the Highlands and Islands creative sector, both on and off-screen.
The first call for productions seeks digital-first dramas targeting younger viewers. Building on the success of BBC Scotland’s recent acclaimed award-winning short-form dramas, such as Float and Dog Days, these digital dramas will consist of short ten-minute episodes intended primarily for BBC iPlayer and a window on BBC ALBA’s YouTube channel.
Following an initial development phase, the ambition is for successful projects to enter production in 2025 with further opportunities in unscripted content to be announced later this year.
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA said: “MG ALBA is delighted to partner with the BBC on this exciting initiative for digital-first content across BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland platforms and channels. It’s critical that we make every effort to engage with all sections of our audience while promoting our language and offering opportunities to new or more established talent in or from the Highlands & Islands who may not always have the same access to development and production opportunities. We look forward to building on, with BBC Scotland, their previous short form, digital-first successes.”
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland said: “I’m proud of BBC Scotland’s strong track record for developing and producing award-winning quality short form content that audiences love and we’re looking forward to building on it through this partnership with MG ALBA. Backing homegrown storytelling is central to the BBC’s purpose and this initiative is an excellent demonstration of it. We’re excited to see what ideas come in to us.”
The commissioning round is now open and initial Ideas should be submitted to gaelicdigitalcommissioning@bbc.co.uk before 6 January 2025.
While all Scottish production companies are invited to submit pitches, it is essential to demonstrate how their projects will contribute to talent development and production in the Highlands and Islands. Proposals that include two or more of the following elements—stories, locations, production, or company base—in the Highlands and Islands will be prioritised.
More information about the call-out and criteria can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/scotland/commissioning/gaelic/
BBC ALBA is set to bring together some of trad music’s biggest names to celebrate Hogmanay 2024 for the annual live event, Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire.
Scottish supergroup, Mànran, along with other well-known trad music acts including Royal National Mòd 2024 gold-medallist, Alice MacMillan, have been announced in the line-up at this year’s event, broadcasting from Nairn Community and Arts Centre in the Highlands.
The iconic Hogmanay show will be broadcast live on BBC ALBA and worldwide on Radio nan Gàidheal, with Cathy MacDonald and Niall Iain Macdonald hosting the cèilidh.
A limited number of tickets for those looking to join the Hogmanay fun are now available on the BBC’s Shows and Tours site.
Iain Macleod, executive producer, said: “BBC ALBA’s biggest event of the year is back with an incredible line-up of Scottish traditional musicians and local talent to count us down to 2025. We will be bringing viewers live performances from all of the night’s acts, and of course, Hogmanay craic from our hosts, Cathy and Niall Iain.
“As keen supporters of Gaelic song and traditional music, BBC ALBA can’t wait to showcase emerging talent like Alice MacMillan, the acclaimed South Uist singer Mairi MacMillan and established stars like the fantastic Mànran in an upbeat evening of celebrations for audiences across the country this Hogmanay.”
Following the success of their new single Standing Still, and a string of live performances across the UK and Europe, Mànran are joining the Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire line-up as the main act of the evening to play some of their best-loved hits and classic traditional songs.
The band are accompanied by the MacMillan family, Gaelic singers from the Isle of Lewis: Seonaidh Beag MacMillan, Calum Alex MacMillan and Alice MacMillan, representing three generations of the family. The youngest member, Alice, recently won the women’s gold medal for Gaelic song at the Royal National Mòd in Oban.
The Cèilidh’s musical director, Ingrid Henderson, will take the helm of the incredible house band featuring Anna Massie, Sileas Sinclair, Angus Nicolson and Megan Henderson, alongside a live performance from the Nairn Gaelic Choir.
Gaelic singer, Alice MacMillan, said: “It’s such an honour to be part of Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire. I am really looking forward to taking in the New Year in Nairn, singing alongside the two people who have influenced my singing journey most – my Shen and my Uncle Calum.”
Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire will be available live on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer and on a worldwide stream on Tuesday 31 December from 11.30pm. A limited number of tickets are now available at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/ceilidh-na-bliadhn-uire
Three Gaelic short films, created for FilmG, triumphed at this year’s Scottish Youth Film Festival (SYFF), with Iomlaineachd (Perfection) securing a second award as the prestigious Best Film for the entire 13-18 category.
Iomlaineachd (Perfection) by Parker Dawes, which had already won Best Film in the -18 FilmG competition earlier this year, claimed another victory at SYFF. The film, which explores the concept of perfection and the beauty of imperfection, was awarded Best Live Action Film in the 13-18 category before being named the Best Film overall for the age group. At just 17 years old, Parker is a multiple FilmG award-winner and was named a ‘Rising Star’ by The National Lottery at last year’s London Film Festival.
In the 13-18 Documentary category, three of the four shortlisted films were also FilmG winners, with Aillse Sealladh Marsaili by Sgoil Lìonacleit winning the award at SYFF. This film, which won the FilmG Choice Award at FilmG, powerfully documents Marsaili’s moving experience of battling cancer as a teenager in the Western Isles.
An Glaoine Nan Draoidh (The Druid’s Stone) by Sophie Smith from the Highlands was recognised as the winner of the 13-18 Animation category. Sophie, a nominee for this year’s FilmG Rionnag Award, impressed the judges with her creative storytelling and animation skills. This meant that a FilmG film won each award in the 13-18 categories at SYFF.
Murdo MacSween, Project Director of FilmG, said: “Sometimes Gaelic films can feel like they exist in a kind of bubble, firmly within our own sector. Seeing films created by young people in Gaelic be recognised nationally amongst shortlists of English language films is hugely inspiring and everyone at FilmG is proud of Parker, Sophie and the team at Sgoil Lìonacleit.”
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA added: “It was a great pleasure to see Gaelic short films, both nominated and winning in these categories. MG ALBA needs young Gaelic-speaking talent to be ambitious and FilmG has been a fantastic platform for these filmmakers”.
The films were judged by Into Film’s Youth Advisory Council and the winners were revealed at the 10th Scottish Youth Film Festival, held at Armadale Academy, West Lothian, on 4 and 5 October 2024. You can find out more about the Scottish Youth Film Festival at www.syff.scot/festival
One in 100 deaths worldwide are connected to suicide. In Scotland, that accounts for over 700 people a year and three-quarters of these are men.
A new BBC ALBA Trusadh documentary, Big Boys Don’t Cry, will air during National Suicide Awareness Week on Monday 9 September at 9pm with presenter Derek ‘Pluto’ Murray meeting people whose lives have been affected by mental health struggles and suicide.
Professor Rory O’Connor from the University of Glasgow, is Professor of Health Psychology, Director of the ‘Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory’, and leads research into suicide and self-harm. Discussing the support available, Professor O’Connor says: “We did some work recently looking at trying to understand male suicide specifically and one of the messages that came back time and time again was that the services and support out there are not tailored to their needs. We have this traditional model of expecting men to go to clinical services; well, that might work for some people, but what about actually going to places that men are? Why don’t we go to places like football clubs, rugby clubs, the shinty club, whatever it might be, and use that as a mechanism of support.”
This is particularly important in a rural context. Professor O’Connor continues: “We’re trying to make sense of why the suicide rates are particularly high there. Part of that is linked to access to services, and part of that is linked to the fact that if you live in rural communities, the likelihood of being socially isolated is increased. There’s also this idea people talk about of ‘living in a fish bowl’, that you’re less likely to talk about your emotions, your feelings, or if there’s problems going on in your life because you’re concerned about what your neighbours or friends might think.
“Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, it’s not a sign of weakness, so we need to engrain that in our young people. But we also need to ensure that the services and support out there is tailored to these men.”
Patrick Mullery from the ‘James Support Group’ explains: “We offer support – monthly meetings in various locations. There’s 10 actually, all the way from Thurso down to Fort William, across to Elgin, Inverness and lots of places in between. It’s a group setting, it’s specifically for people who are bereaved by a suicide but also for people who have suicidal thoughts. We bring those two types of people together for mutual support and understanding – the hope is that people who have suicidal thoughts will see the devastation that is left behind in an attempt to give them another barrier to stop them going that extra step. To actually just make them stay with us and realise that they are loved and they would be missed.
“We’ve all got emotions and we have to break the stigma around poor mental health and about suicide. Boys can cry and the best thing to do for yourself, if you’re in a bad place, is talk about it. Unfortunately, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”
In Glasgow, Derek visits Drumchapel-based charity ‘Men Matter Scotland’ to find out more about their approach to offering support and how they have created a safe place for men to visit. From street outreach to the facilities available at the welcoming hub, the team hope to build a self-sustaining and secure model that can be shared with other parts of Scotland. Vice chair D I Brown says: “What is most important is that people talk. If people don’t start to speak about this, it will be hidden and more men will die from suicide. I’d say that people need to open up and be open.”
Professor O’Connor adds: “People sadly still believe that if you ask somebody about suicide, or if you talk about suicide, that you make it more likely that you’ll plant the idea in somebody’s head. There’s no evidence for that. Indeed, the evidence is for the opposite – suicide prevention is everyone’s business – and I mean that sincerely.
“We all have a role that we can play in preventing suicide. Anything we can do, no matter how big or small – a WhatsApp message, a text message, a phone call – anything that reaches out to someone who might be struggling, that sense of connection could be potentially lifesaving. I would encourage everybody and anybody, if you’re concerned about a loved one, a friend, a colleague, please reach out… That sense of human connection could save a life.”
Filmed and produced by Stornoway-based MacTV, Big Boys Don’t Crypremieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Monday 9 September at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles). Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022vyn
Hundreds of filmmakers from all over Scotland are busy planning and scripting their entries for FilmG as the annual competition opens once again.
With distinct competitions for under 18s and over 18s, participants are challenged to create Gaelic-language films under five minutes in length, to be submitted by the deadline of 9 December 2024.
In line with this year’s visual motif of Crathadh (to shake up), the competition has launchedwith a few surprises.
Filmmakers are no longer being asked to create a film based on a theme – entries are instead open to the creative license of any subject.
FilmG Project Director, Murdo MacSween, said, “We’ve listened to the feedback from filmmakers past and present and have decided to shake things up by leaving the FilmG theme open for the first time in the competition’s 17–year history.
“We’re also choosing not to announce the award categories until the new year, allowing us to structure highly competitive categories that will further showcase the diversity and innovation in Gaelic filmmaking.”
Secondary schools across Scotland are currently planning their filmmaking workshops, delivered by FilmG’s dedicated tutors, and engagement with aspiring entrants will start in earnest with the FilmG team attending the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig freshers’ events in Skye.
MG ALBA’s Head of Publishing, Maggie Taylor, said: “Last year was another leap forward for FilmG and these changes will allow greater scope to unearth the next generation of Gaelic creative talent.
“FilmG is a platform for creativity, collaboration and, ultimately, development and so we’re excited to see what lies ahead in year 17 of this fantastic project.”
FilmG was established ahead of the launch of BBC ALBA in 2008 and has seen a conveyor belt of alumni move into the media industry in Scotland, with former entrants including singer-songwriter Katie Gregson-MacLeod, and acclaimed actress Sorcha Groundsell, lead in the upcoming Gaelic crime thriller An t-Eilean (The Island).
All of last year’s winning films are available to watch via the BBC ALBA YouTube Playlist.
To find out more about FilmG, visit www.filmg.co.uk, and any filmmaker or group wanting to get started can contact the FilmG team directly for support.
Cameron Ferguson has been announced as the opening act for this year’s Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, after being named as the winner of a talent search launched in collaboration with BBC ALBA.
BBC ALBA teamed up with The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival to find the best of Scotland’s up-and-coming musical talent last month, with artists from across the Highlands and Islands submitting their best work to win a slot on the Belladrum main stage. Following a rigorous judging process to whittle the budding talent down to a shortlist of just five, Tain-born songwriter Cameron Ferguson has now been chosen by public vote to open the festival in its 20th anniversary year.
Cameron’s music encapsulates a punchy guitar style, with dreamy open chords and hard-hitting lead, combined with bass that locks in with the solidity of the drums. With lush synth sounds and cutting vocals, Cameron presents a unique style.
Since late 2022, Arabella-based Cameron (19) and his band – made up of Glasgow-based Cameron Hill (19), Lanark-based Calum Duncan (19), Alness-based Jamie Mackay (26) and Inverness-based David Bromham (19) – have been tearing into the Scottish music scene, having played at legendary venues, such as King Tuts in Glasgow. To close 2023, Cameron Ferguson supported rising Glasgow stars Declan Welsh and the Decadent West following their sellout Barrowlands show.
Celebrating 20 years of Belladrum – and its longstanding support of Scottish artists – the search brings the spirit of the much-loved family festival to life, with the best talent ‘homegrown in the Highlands and Islands’ now given the opportunity to open the main stage on Thursday 25 July, kicking off the weekend of live music and arts.
Belladrum brings together top musical acts, comedy, cabaret, spoken word, dance, drag and even wrestling as part of the annual family-friendly festival, with Cameron joining the star-studded line-up which includes Deacon Blue, James Arthur, Twin Atlantic and Sugababes.
Cameron Ferguson said: “Our hearts have been warmed by the amount of support during the public vote. It has blown us away. Massive love to everyone who voted, it wouldn’t have been possible without you. Also, a huge thanks to BBC ALBA and the Belladrum team for the opportunity. As an artist from the Highlands, I feel incredibly proud to be opening the Hot House Stage this year.
“The band and I are absolutely ecstatic and can’t wait to get up on that stage to showcase some homegrown rock ‘n’ roll, straight from the Highlands.”
Cameron will also have the opportunity to play an acoustic session in the BBC ALBA studio which will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer as part of the broadcaster’s festival coverage.
Calum McConnell, Commissioning Executive at BBC ALBA, said: “We’re always eager to spotlight emerging, local talent and so it’s great to be able to showcase Cameron’s exciting brand of driving rock music on the main stage of the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival – especially in its milestone 20th anniversary year.
“Belladrum is a highlight in our summer festival schedule, and we are excited to bring the best of the weekend to viewers across the country, thanks to funding from MG ALBA. We look forward to celebrating the vibrant mix of music and arts that Belladrum is known for, and to sharing the performances of this year’s talented line-up with our national audience.”
Dougie Brown, Belladrum festival producer, said: ‘We are delighted to have partnered with BBC ALBA on our talent search to open the main stage and can’t wait to welcome Cameron to the festival. Supporting the next generation of Highlands and Islands artists is at the heart of Belladrum and we look forward to watching Cameron’s journey!”
Musicians were invited to apply to the BBC ALBA Belladrum talent search by submitting a bio and link to their music, with entries judged by a panel of experts, including Megan MacLellan, presenter of BBC Radio nan Gàidheal’s ‘new music’ show Rapal, Scottish folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Julie Fowlis, and Belladrum representatives.
The shortlist then went to public vote on the Belladrum website, with Cameron narrowly beating out fellow finalists and Highlands and Islands natives Ali Macfarlane (a singer-songwriter from the Isle of Skye), Scotstown Dance Band (an indie-ceilidh group from the Western Highlands), HJEM (a dynamic four-piece band born and raised Inverness) and El Sartel (a Scottish indie band from Skye and Lochalsh).
For those unable to attend Belladrum, BBC ALBA will be bringing the best of the festival to viewers at home with its annual live coverage broadcast across the weekend, available on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer. A series of BBC iPlayer exclusives are also set to go live from Friday 26 July, with 33 live sets from a mix of artists performing on the Garden Stage and Hot House Stage, as well as special BBC ALBA acoustic sessions.
Watch live or on demand from Thursday 25 July: Belladrum on BBC ALBA.
BBC ALBA has garnered five nominations at this year’s RTS Scotland Awards, a prestigious event that honours outstanding talent, skills, and creativity in Scottish TV production. These awards are regarded as the benchmark for excellence in the television industry.
The nominations span five categories: Live Event, Documentary and Specialist Factual: Arts & History, Camera, Children’s and Young Journalist presented in memory of George Sinclair.
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content for MG ALBA, said:
“It’s a testament to the consistent high quality of programming created for BBC ALBA that five entries spanning a range of different genres were nominated for RTS Scotland Awards this year. It’s particularly encouraging to see young talent being recognised, with nominations for both Hamish MacLeod and Ailean Beaton in their respective fields. Additionally, we’re delighted that BBC ALBA’s live music and children’s programmes are being acknowledgedas a reflection of the excellent content we have on the channel. Our congratulations to all of the RTS Scotland 2024 nominees. We look forward to finding out the outcome in the coming weeks.”
Here is the full list of BBC ALBA nominations:
The complete list of nominations can be found here.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by Shereen Cutkelvin and Sanjeev Kohli on Thursday, June 13th, at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow.
A team of Scottish Gaelic speakers have embarked on an educational trip to Nova Scotia to strengthen cultural ties with the allied province.
Celebrating Mìos nan Gàidheal, also known as ‘Gaelic Nova Scotia Month’, the team behind SpeakGaelic – MG ALBA’s Scottish Gaelic learning brand – will travel around the province of Nova Scotia to learn from locals and promote the language to those both new to and fluentin Gaelic.
Over the 10-day trip, SpeakGaelic will visit Halifax, Antigonish, Mabou, Judique, Iona and Sydney to build relationships with the diaspora of Gaels in Canada, celebrating the similarities – and differences – of the unique culture and way of life overseas. Sharing insights and showcasing the resources available, it is hoped the trip will help create a new network of Gaelic-speaking contacts on the other side of the Atlantic.
SpeakGaelic online producer Mirren Buchanan, who coordinated the overseas project, said: “Gaelic is not just a language but a culture endowed with a rich heritage of music, folklore and anthropology, and so it’s such an exciting opportunity for us to visit the Scottish Gaelic communities in Nova Scotia to see how this translates, and plays out, in their daily lives.
“With amazing SpeakGaelic resources now at our fingertips – and available to those around the world – we hope we can attract and inspire learners and speakers of all ages in Nova Scotia to take up, or brush up, on their Gaelic language skills.”
Sionainn MacMullin, from the Office of Gaelic Affairs at Cape Breton Council, said: “May is Mìos nan Gàidheal in Nova Scotia which is a time to celebrate and promote awareness of the history, culture, language, contributions, and achievements of Gaels across the province, supported by the Office of Gaelic Affairs and Comhairle na Gàidhlig | Gaelic Council of Nova Scotia.
“This year’s theme is ‘Gàidhealach nar Cridhe | Gaelic at Heart!’ – so what better way to highlight the history and heritage of Gaelic, which is very much alive today, than with the support of the SpeakGaelic team who will be showcasing just how easy it is to get involved in the language and culture. We hope the series of workshops and events we have planned across the province will encourage all Nova Scotians to engage with Gaelic during the month of May and beyond.”
SpeakGaelic aims to transform the uptake and usage of Gaelic by providing a clear and integrated structure for Gaelic language learning – the most comprehensive approach seen in a generation.
As well as supporting complete beginners, the materials support Gaelic speakers at different levels of fluency to gain confidence to ‘SpeakGaelic’. The exciting and ambitious learning resource offers users in Canada, and across the world, a variety of services from self-guided online learning to media content available through YouTube and social media.
Find out more about SpeakGaelic and start your Scottish Gaelic journey today at https://speakgaelic.scot/.
MG ALBA, the body responsible for ensuring the availability of high-quality television programmes for audiences in Gaelic, is pleased to welcome four new members to its Board.
David Byrne, Catriona Murray, Lachlan Peel and Calum Steele will join as board members from May 1, 2024. Full biographies of each board member are available below.
The appointments have been agreed by Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, following a competitive recruitment process led by communications regulator Ofcom in Scotland.
Lisa Annette, Mairi Kidd, Ceit-Anna Macleod and Iain MacMillan each step down at their term on MG ALBA’s Board ends.
John Morrison, chair of MG ALBA, said:
“David, Catriona, Lachlan and Calum bring a wide array of talents, skills and experience from media, broadcasting, the public and private sectors, and we are delighted to welcome them to the Board.
“Through our work on BBC ALBA, FilmG, LearnGaelic and SpeakGaelic, MG ALBA has a vital role in not only facilitating Gaelic media but also promoting development, training and the use of Gaelic in Scotland and beyond – bringing with it huge social and economic benefits.
As a Board, we believe we are ready and able to build on this contribution with further investment and resources and this is a case we look forward to making with the input of our four new board members.
On behalf of the Board and staff and colleagues across the sector, I would also like to thank Lisa, Mairi, Ceit-Anna and Iain who conclude their terms with us. Their involvement has been vital in the success of our activities in recent years and we express gratitude for their time and commitment to serving our audiences.”
New appointees – Biographies
David Byrne
A Gaelic speaker from Inverness, David is an entrepreneur and 360° sustainable travel editor. His expertise has led to broadcast work with the BBC, ITV, and LBC, with his writing appearing in publications such as The Sun and The Scotsman. He is a postgraduate alumnus of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, where he also worked in a development role before joining BBC Scotland, working on the multi-award winning current affairs programme, Eòrpa. He is currently vice chair of the Hillhead High School War Memorial Trust.
Catriona Murray
A freelance broadcaster, producer and editor with over 35 years of production experience at the BBC with credits as both a producer and presenter on numerous feature programmes on literature, the arts, music, history and language. Catriona is also a published Gaelic author and served as the Chair of the Gaelic Books Council from 2017 – 2021. She is a native Gaelic speaker based in Glasgow.
Lachlan Peel
A product of Gaelic Medium Education, Lachlan currently works for JP Morgan in Edinburgh having graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in History. During his time at school, Lachlan competed in the short film competition, FilmG, where he won ‘Best Student Film’ and ‘Best Performance’ and has since continued to support the initiative as a judge.
Calum Steele
A recognised senior leader having spent fifteen years as General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation until 2023, where he developed and influenced policy both in Scotland and globally, including the merger that created the Police Service of Scotland. Prior to this, Calum was a police constable and remains on the International Council of Police Representative Associations. He is a native Gaelic speaker currently based in Dollar.
Meet the contestants of Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included)
Get ready for an electrifying DIY showdown this spring as amateur Scottish duos go head-to-head in a brand new TV challenge series, Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included).
Airing each Monday at 8.30pm from 6 May, the five-part BBC ALBA original series will follow six pairs – made up of married couples, family members and friends – as they compete for a £2,000 cash prize and the ‘Dùbhlain DIY champions’ title.
Inspiring the nation to ‘do it yourself’ in the name of sustainability, the innovative format will see rookie pairs battle it out in a series of home renovation tasks – with a twist. Without any instructions, demonstrations or even guidelines to follow, the couples will need to bring their differing strengths and creative talents to the competition to see who measures up.
Some may shine while others fall flat as they face a variety of themed challenges, but everything is to play for with one couple being eliminated each week, putting their skills – and relationships – to the test.
Hailing from across Scotland, the Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included) contestants include:
From basic flat pack furniture to their own creations made out of recycled materials, their imagination will be allowed to run riot, before being tempered by materials, time constraints and often, their own abilities.
Dùbhlain DIY competitor, Tormod Macleod said: “I do occasionally try my hand at DIY. I have built flatpacks like everyone else and have built a couple of basic raised beds for my garden. I do try to fix things when needed as well but I’m certainly not a professional.”
Hoping to learn a few things along the way, his solicitor sister Isabel Macleod added: “I learnt a lot from my dad – he was a fisherman, joiner and builder and could turn his hand to anything. I would often spend time helping him make and repair things but wish I’d learnt more! I always attempt to fix things around the house as I don’t like how wasteful society is. Not sure if I’m very good at some tasks but it’s always worth a try!”
Hosted by TV and radio presenter Derek “Pluto” Murray, alongside main judge musician Iain “Spanish” MacKay – a skilled joiner by trade – the Gaelic duo ensure there will be plenty of laughs along the way. Enlisting the help of an expert guest judge each week, viewers can join in with the excitement and exasperation as the couples vie for the title, with a display of improvisation at its best.
Presenter Derek “Pluto” Murray said: “Get ready for the ultimate test of creativity, ingenuity, and skill with our new DIY competition, pitching challenges with the twist of “instructions not included” – as if flat pack furniture building wasn’t stressful enough! Although the competitors lack in instructions, they excel in enthusiasm and craic.”
Judge Iain “Spanish” MacKay added: “It’s a celebration of the country’s DIY culture – whether an amateur enthusiast or someone who has had to pick up a hammer out of necessity, Dùbhlain DIY will give the viewers something they can relate to, even if it’s just seeing the sheer frustration of attempting even the most basic of DIY tasks. While offering feel-good escapism, we hope it’ll inspire those at home to get out there and start a new project of their own.”
But which couple can prove to the nation that they have what it takes to be the first ever ‘Dùbhlain DIY champions’ and still remain friends?
A joint project between Demus and Seaglass Productions, Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included) premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Monday 6 May at 8.30pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles), with weekly episodes available every Monday evening. Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001z1xn
