CHAMPAGNE WIDOW TO RISE FROM DEAD DURING HAUNTED GLASGOW PARTY

VEUVE Clicquot is expected to rise from the dead tonight during an elaborate Scots Halloween party.
The Grande Dame of Champagne passed away 150 years ago and is planning to stir things up tonight at Hutchesons Bar & Brasserie, the award-winning venue in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City, for a spookily stylish night of mystery, indulgence and nocturnal fun.
Hutchesons Meet The Widow party this evening takes place in the lavish Grade A-listed landmark as it is transformed into a gloriously dark and twisted haunted mansion to mark the 150 years since the passing of Madame Clicquot.
The famed French businesswoman who took on her husbands wine business when she was widowed at 27, was a true visionary, developing crucial innovations that would shape the future of the Champagne industry.
The ticketed black tie Masquerade party at Hutchesons, set against the theme of ‘A Beautiful Darkness’, presents two alluring options for the evening; the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Dinner commencing 7pm, with season-inspired courses created by Rusk & Rusk Executive Head Chef, John Molloy, followed by the striking reveal at 8.30pm of the Veuve Clicquot Meet The Widow Halloween Party, hosted in The 158 Champagne & Oyster.
Gemma Leisegang, Moët Hennessy said, “Veuve Clicquot Meet The Widow Halloween Party at Hutchesons will be an unmissablecelebration of magical mystère; dark, indulgent and utterly enthralling. The most spellbinding Halloween party awaits.”
Rusk & Rusk co-owner, Louise Rusk added: “We have a real passion for throwing innovative and unique events here at Hutchesons, and Halloween is one of those occasions when we get to really open up our imaginations. We’ve built an incredibly strong relationship with Veuve Clicquot over the last twelve months, so getting to toast and raise a glass to the Grande Dame of Champagne herself is very exciting!”
Tickets available from meetthewidow.eventbrite.co.uk




- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

JUSTIN BIEBER IN SCOTLAND'S COLDEST HOUSE

JUSTIN Bieber shunned top hotels to rent out a luxury mansion once known as 'Scotland's coldest house' in the heart of Perthshire for his four day visit to Scotland.
The singing star who plays the SSE Hydro tonight, Saturday and Sunday, is staying in the exquisite Kinross House, a late 17th century country house overlooking Loch Leven near Kinross - where T in The Park festival used to be held.
A tired Justin arrived at the house shortly before 3am this morning after his private Citation Jet landed at Glasgow airport at around one thirty am.
He was met by a fleet of people carriers and his own vehicle was kitted out with a large screen tv to allow him to relax after playing a show in Sheffield Arena.
The screen could be seen flickering as he made his journey to the house where he was met by a team of security who let him in though the huge electric gates.


The house boasts the first grand designed landscape in Scotland with Loch Leven Castle at its centre, a castle steeped in history having played host to Robert the Bruce, Sir William Wallace, John Knox and where Mary Queen of Scots was both imprisoned and abdicated in favour of her son James VI.
The fourteen bedroom house which also has an adjoining coach house with ten ensuite bedrooms and private spa was built in 1686, by the architect Sir William Bruce and is regarded as one of his finest works.
It hosts a formal dining room for up to 32 people - which would suit Justin's sizeable entourage - as well as an extensive whisky library with plenty of spirits on offer.
The house also has The Grand Salon, Garden Room, Gentlemen’s Drawing Room, Ladies' Drawing Room and Library and was called by Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe "the most beautiful and regular piece of Architecture in Scotland".
As undoubtedly the most important early classical mansion in Scotland, it retains most of its original internal decoration and was occupied for 200 years as the home of the Montgomery family, who purchased the property in the late 18th century.
Despite its grandeur, it has been described as "the coldest house in Scotland", as until it was sold by the Montgomery family, it had only four radiators.
In 2010, it was sold for £4.25 million to Donald Fothergill, an English businessman, who thoroughly refurbished the house.
Some reckon it's haunted which would make it the ideal location for a Bieber Halloween party.

Excerpts of this original article exclusively appeared in the Sun

- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

WIN LUNCH WITH LEO DICAPRIO IN EDINBURGH

LEO DiCaprio has agreed to have a lunch date with one very special person in Scotland - and it could be you!
For a £5 donation that will go to feed the homeless at Edinburgh’s Home, a new restaurant from the teams behind Social Bite and Maison Bleue – , you will have a chance to attend a VIP lunch with Sir Tom Hunter, Chairman of the Scottish Business Awards, and this year’s keynote speaker Leonardo DiCaprio.
Last year, one very lucky gal got the chance to cosy up to George Clooney over grub in Edinburgh after over £400,000 was donated through website Itison to Social Bite, allowing them to feed the homeless for an entire year throughout Scotland.
This year all you need to do to enter is head to Itison.com, donate a fiver and you could be in for a chance of lunch with Leo.
The cause makes a big difference in the lives of so many people, and will allow homeless people to dine with dignity in the amazing new restaurant - Home. So dig deep and donate multiple times.
Your donation will buy a meal for a homeless person at Home in Edinburgh, a brand new restaurant pairing incredible cuisine with a charitable heart.
Home is a partnership with Social Bite and Edinburgh Restaurant group Maison Bleue, with renowned chef Martin Wishart dreaming up monthly specials, and even donning the Home apron and cooking several times each year.
As well as serving great food to the public, the restaurant provides those in need with free meals, as well as giving homeless people jobs and the training they need to get back on their feet and really break the cycle.
For more info on Home visit: www.home-restaurant.co.uk or phone 0131 220 0773 to book.
The winner will be selected and informed on Friday 11 November and will also receive:
An overnight stay for two with dinner at The George Hotel (only you will attend the lunch)
1st class travel within Scotland to Edinburgh with ScotRail (where available)
A £1,000 Champagne and shopping experience at ROX, George Street



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

GLOW: A BIT OF BOTOX AND ITS GOOD TO GO

NEW Glasgow reality series Glow hits our computer screens tonight and the tension is mounting to see if it's worth the hype.
There's a lot of expectation to meet.
It promises 'a bit of glamma, a bit of drama' and having watched a preview, theShowbizlion.com remains optimistic it will flourish as time goes on.
We want it to work - and yes, it needs a bit of work - but commendably, ambitious producer Stephanie Docherty has made something from nothing - so we hope GRTV take any early criticisms on board for the following five shows.


In episode one, we meet the eleven protagonists including honours graduate Joanne, club promoter Tommy, smiling nightclub boss Brian, fitness trainer James E, nurse Stephanie, roofer James D, boxer Paddy, bar manager Denise and ex wag Lauren.
They all have the blingy aspirational look we so love our reality characters to have - as well as a more vulnerable side to their personalities.
Having established what everyone does for a job through opening visuals, the main scenes take place at a boxing event, a black tie dinner, a dress shop and in one of the lads houses.


The show is currently unscripted, unlike TOWIE, and Made in Chelsea which means conversations are kept au naturel.
On occasion this makes them difficult to decipher, and not always particularly gripping but again, it's early doors.
There's the battle in the ring and then the real fight at the ringside.
The cat fight between two female cast members - Denise and model Jemma over some unnecessary flirting is definitely more intriguing than the battling semi pros and Denise is knockout.


James E also comes across well as a cheeky sort of chappy with his quips and laddish moves on the dance floor, but other characters don't get much screen time yet - apart from shy Paddy.
There are definitely other personalities in there - and some future pin ups- so we're looking forward to seeing them get their spotlight.
There is romance, albeit slightly cringe, and there is friction - and the gowns are fabulous.



There are also some nice shots of Glasgow's squinty bridge.
The Scots created soundtrack, with upcoming bands, which we enjoyed propels the action nicely.
Glow may not quite be beaming as brightly as some of its characters fake tans but a few tweaks here and there, some polish, and a bit of Botox, and any wrinkles could soon be ironed out.


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

RYAN LAWRIE DIVIDES FANS OVER HAIRDO

X Factor contestant Ryan Lawrie's new hairdo has split opinion after it received as much attention as his actual performance on the show tonight.
The Scots singer was given a complete makeover for Saturday night as stylists gave him a short back and sides, getting rid of his famous curls.
Twitter went crazy with comments following his Motown performance of Superstition as fans pointed out the obvious.
Fan Kerri Florence said: "Where are Ryan's curls man, not feeling the new hair cut"while Mary Ballard added: "Where has usual #RyanLawrie hair gone? He looks so different."
One fan reckoned Ryan looked like he used to two years ago and put up a picture of him commenting: "I am dying @RyanLawrie_'s hair looks like this two years ago Ryan, right now!!" while follower Andrea said: "Anyone else think Ryan Lawrie looks like Brooklyn Beckham with that hair? #XFactor"
Ryan had earlier this week revealed that he used sea salt and bendy rollers to achieve his curly look.
Let's hope his new shorter hair doesn't do the same for him as it did for biblical character Samson.

Extracts of this original article appeared in the Scottish Sun
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

CALVIN HARRIS HAS COMPETITION FROM NEWSNIGHT'S KIRSTY WARK

NEWSNIGHT presenter Kirsty Wark is following in the footsteps of fellow Dumfries talent Calvin Harris by becoming a club DJ.
The serious telly host who has grilled many a politician during her career and hosted current affairs weekly Seven Days, is a big music fan and has had a relationship with vinyl for a number of years now.
Her biggest DJ gig to date was spinning the discs she alongside Edith Bowman at a BAFTA Scotland party three years ago.
Former Radio 1 DJ Edith who now has a show on Virgin said of Kirsty's past performance recently : "Kirsty really got the crowd going. It would be nice to do it again at this year's after party following the ceremony ."
Kirsty has now been booked by long running Scots club night Pretty Ugly to DJ at their eleventh birthday celebrations on Saturday November 12 at Glasgow's Admiral Bar.
The evening bills itself as the city's longest running alternative club night playing retro electro and poptastic disco on the second Saturday of every month.
A spokesperson for the club said: "We've reached the ripe old age of eleven and after the political chaos of last year we couldn't think of anyone we'd rather celebrate with more than the BBC Newsnight's voice of reason Kirsty Wark. You may only have seen her on the telly but we've seen her DJing at the BAFTAs so we can tell that you are in for a treat. Expect to hear everything from the Boss to Blondie, Madonna to Taylor Swift, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Pixies and Beyoncé to Prince."
An insider added: "Kirsty might have a sensible image on TV but she brings her own quirky style to the dance floor and knows how to kick things off with some top tunes. You really will end up looking at her in a different light."

Extracts of this article have now appeared in the Scottish Sun

- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

XFACTOR HOUSE TOO HEALTHY FOR RYAN AND EMILY

Exclusive
Beverley Lyons
Emily Middlemas and Ryan Lawrie admit they are fed up with healthy eating in the X Factor house and just want some junk food.
Asked if they were cooking for one another in the house Emily revealed: "No we don't cook dinner for one another. We have a chef.
Ryan quipped: "Thank God."
But he added: "It's all too healthy. We don't have any fried stuff or anything. We want a big chippy from Glasgow.
Emily laughed: "Yeah, we want a big burger. We need pizzas."
Emily said of her time in the house.
She enthused: "It is amazing honestly. Every single contestant is so nice and there for each other. Everyone is so lovely and we all get on really well. I was expecting it to be cat fights but it's not like that at all. Everybody is so nice and we are really enjoying ourselves. It's good."
Ryan added: "It's amazing. We just support each other and focus on what we are here for which is to perform every week and do the best we can and when we get some spare time we like to chill out and spend some time together which is nice and is a bonus".
The new Jukebox feature will see the song themes for the following week being decided via a spinning wheel on the show. Themes up for grabs include Oscars, Boy Band vs Girl Band, Disco, Motown, 80’s, Divas and Louis Loves (the Louis Walsh collection).
Emma said: "It's crazy cause you never know which theme it's going to land on so it's really exciting."
Ryan admitted it concerned him adding: "It's scary cause all the genres are not something I would do. It's not really my kind of music. It'll be a really big challenge to try and adapt to what it is."
Ryan added: "It feels so amazing we wanted Scotland to get everyone behind us and hopefully get the votes in so we can stay a bit longer. It doesn't usually happen to someone like me. Coatbridge is not one of those places you get a lot of opportunity. I'm just holding it with both hands and hopefully am not going to let it go for a while."


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

HARRY STYLES MUM AND FANS HELP SAVE LITTLE SCOTTISH SHIP

HARRY Styles mum has played her part in helping to raise £6000 for a Scots charity in a bid to help restore a small Scottish ship that saved 600 lives in Dunkirk.
One Direction and Harry Styles fans around the globe have helped out after the star's mum Anne Twist tweeted about it, and made her own donation to restore the Skylark IX in Irvine.
Many of them will now wear a special Skylark IX pin badge when the movie is finally released in cinemas.


Now the Skylark IX Trust campaigners are asking Harry to become an ambassador for the Skylark charity Trust.
The Skylark IX is being restored over the next 18 months to two years at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine.
The little ship which rescued 600 men from the shores of Dunkirk has been in West Dumbartonshire for nearly forty five years and will be ninety next year.
She was saved for posterity through the Skylark Trust since being rescued from a watery grave in 2013.


Harry Styles and One Direction fan Sasha Wedge from Salford and her pal Maartje van Hoorn set the ball rolling along with the Trust when they set up a just giving page to help rebuild the ship after Harry Styles was announced for a lead role in Dunkirk.


When Harry’s mum Anne found out about it she retweeted the story, branding it “wonderful”.
She has also donated £100 to the campaign bringing the total to £6000 and recently judged an online art competition for the Trust.
She exclusively told theshowbizlion.com: "It was a privilege to get involved with the trust. Their competition was a fabulous way of bringing a little bit of history to life. With the anticipation of the Dunkirk movie simmering amongst all us Harry fans, the art competition has now helped restore a little piece of it"
Her donation also means Harry's name will be added to a plaque in the ship alongside his step dad Robin.
Harry's costar Jack Gover is also in possession of a pin badge bearing the ship's logo and one fan even made a tattoo of the ship for fans.
Sasha Wedge told fans: "In June 2016, a flotilla from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships made their way to Dunkirk to star in the new movie. Sadly, there was one little ship that should have been there, and couldn't be. Her name is Skylark IX, and we're fundraising for the Skylark IX Recovery Trust to restore her.
The Trust are hoping to raise at least £1000 to move her into a covered workshop (safe from the Scottish elements!) & for an initial purchase of materials to reinforce and ensure her stability as they seek lottery funding. Skylark will then be restored plank by plank.
​This is our chance to play our own part in Dunkirk's history and show Harry that we really care about the true subject of his movie! Why #SaveSkylark?!
As a thank you, Harry will be thanked for inspiring us and we will be collectively thanked for our donations on a plaque on board Skylark once her restoration has been completed.
The Trust work alongside Alternatives, which works with people recovering from alcohol and drug addictions. They will learn key employment skills while helping with the restoration.
She will sail on the River Clyde in Scotland taking veterans, visitors, and school children "doon the water" on short trips, where they can hear about the miracle of Dunkirk through an interactive on board system.
She will move to Dumbarton Castle and will continue to be used for educational purposes. She will also once again take veterans once a year for a short service of remembrance on the anniversary of Dunkirk.
The target is to restore Skylark so that she can sail to Dunkirk for the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo (2020) alongside the other remaining Dunkirk Little Ships, but if they have the funding in place, the work can be completed within 18 months to 2 years.
If you donate £100 or more your name (or another) can be added to the Skylark 600 plaque. Please contact the Skylark IX Recovery Trust directly via www.skylarkix.

Skylark IX's story is now known by many, as we move towards the 76th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

1927

Skylark IX is born

Skylark IX began life in 1927 in the shipyard of J H
Bolson & Sons of Poole in Dorset, the ninth in a series
of ten Skylarks.

1939

Wartime Duties

At poole, Skylark IX served as a shallow water minesweeper and was engaged in placing anti-invasion obstacles around the harbour. At one time she erected decoys on Brownsea Island, consisting of wooden sheds filled with coal and sprayed with oil. They were set alight when German bombers flew over, looking for the Admiralty Armaments depot at Holton Heath

1940

Skylark IX’s finest hour

During the 9 fateful days of 'Operation Dynamo' Skylark IX saved the life of over 600 allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk.

1946

Skylark Moves North

After the war, Skylark IX gradually worked her way north, via Morecambe and Burntisland to Loch Lomond, where Sweeneys Cruises operated her for 33 years. John Sweeney gave Skylarks services free, to Dunkirk Veterans once a year, for their reuninion on Loch Lomond. Veterans remembered those who did not return and laid poppies on the Loch.



Excerpts of this article appeared in The Sunday Post

- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

CAITLYN VAN BECK SINGS FOR SCOTTISH DREAMMAKER CHARITY

X Factor singer Caitlyn Van Beck might have been knocked out of the telly show on Saturday but she didn't stay at home weeping over the decision - and managed to wow as a surprise guest at a charity bash for sick kids.







Guests couldn't believe their luck when 18 year old Tranent gal Caitlyn turned up at the Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation bash in Glasgow's Crowne Plaza.







And at exactly the same time as X Factor fans watched the judges houses stage of the show where Simon made his shock move she performed a moving rendition of Piece By Piece by Kelly Clarkston on stage at the party.







Revellers included GLOW reality stars Brian Matthews and James English, Still Game's Jane McGarry and Mark Cox who play Isa and Tam and radio host Suzie McGuire.

Caitlyn said: "It's great to be here to support the Les Hoey MBE Dreammaker Foundation and to see all the smiles on the children's faces."

Meantime fans of the Scots singer have kicked off after house after her pianist appeared to hit a bum note during her Judges House audition.
Caitlyn sang Praying For Time by George Michael during the audition in Malibu in front of Simon Cowell and his friends.
Caitlyn appeared to forget her words as she sang the famous song and Simon encouraged her to keep singing.
Now however, followers online have pointed out that the pianist seemed to hit a wrong note which put the Scots talent off.



At fifty five seconds into the audition just as she is about to sing the word wounded which she begins to pronounce, she stops dead and gives a puzzled look.
Simon urges her to continue after the two exchange a look and Caitlyn then performs the rest of the song beautifully.
Fans are now furious that Caitlyn, who was put head to head with fellow Scot Emily Middlemas at judges houses, was put out of the competition by a regretful Simon.
And some are raising questions about her musical accompaniment online.
Paul Lang commented: "The guy playing piano went wrong there, didn't he? She was thrown.#xfactor"
Another Sasha Lang added: "Anyone else notice the Pianist messed up just as Caitlyn was smashing her song at judges, struggle to believe that wasn't set up..furious."
Another wrote on a forum: "I just watched again on YouTube and it almost seemed like the keyboard player played the wrong notes to the line 'when there is no hope to speak of'. Very strange"



Excerpts of this article from The showbizlion.com appeared in The Sun online.



- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.comSun online