A SPARKLING NIGHT WITH OUTLANDER, STRICTLY, LOVE ISLAND AND MORE AT SCOTTISH BAFTAS

IT was a real night of sparklers as a host of stars turned out for the BAFTA Scotland Awards at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu Hotel - and T2 made record breaking history by winning three awards.

Outlander stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe joined Doctor Who’s Peter Capaldi, Strictly’s Joe McFadden and Freya Mavor on the red carpet. 

Devoted dad and Olympic champ Sir Chris Hoy arrived with his wife Sarah, three year old son Callum and one and a half month old daughter Chloe. 

He said it was the first time the family had been on a night out since Chloe was born in September. 

Looking proud as punch, Chris who awarded Glasgow 1967: The Lisbon Lions for Single Documentary said: “It’s a real pleasure to be here tonight. The wee ones doing well. Callum and his sister Chloe are here tonight and they are here up in the room with the grandparents. It’s our first night out since Chloe was born so it should be nice. There is a real temptation to stay at home and hunker down with family or come to these things without my wife so it’s nice that everyone is here.”

Edith Bowman, Laura Fraser and Armando Iannucci who received the Outstanding Cotnribution for Film and Television Award also graced the stage making a point of sporting 50/50 rings as a silent protest for equality within the industry. 

The rings were provided by actress Deirdre Mullins who has sent them out to various stars before the bash. 

Edith said in her introductory speech: “BAFTA joined others in calling and end to this behaviour as utterly unacceptable.”

James Cosmo who has been filming the Outlaw King with Hollywood star Chris Pike was thrilled to hang out with his pal Peter Capaldi. 

He said: “Peter has joined me for the evening.”

Speaking of his new movie which comes twenty years on from Braveheart he said: “I’m having a wonderful time on it. I have high hopes for it. It’s great Scottish movie. It’s a very different take from Braveheart but I think it will have an equal impact. I play Robert The Bruce’s Dad who is quite a political animal and David Mackenzie is an extraordinary director. It’s stylistically very different and I do think it will have the impact of Braveheart. These movies are always romanticised but I think it is more accurate of that time. I’ve ridden horses all through my career and I don’t know who I felt most sorry for - myself or the horse. I was an awful lot lighter when I was doing Braveheart and I wasn’t wearing chain mail but he’s a good old horse. Having just turned seventy it’s great that I can still get on a horse.”

He said of Chris Pines accent: “It’s a lot better than my Californian accent anyway

James also said of Trainspotting T2: “It was such a huge ask and for Danny to create a sequel for such a huge piece of work and such a seminal piece of work and he was really cruising for the critics to destroy him as they sometimes do. I think he pulled it off in spades and did a wonderful job and I have so much admiration for him.

James also praised Netflix for helping young directors and writers.

Referring to the Harvey Weinstein debacle he said: “It’s become a lot more open and egalitarian and it’s great to have that power structure broken up. Let’s have more independent filmmakers getting in there.” 

A chilled Peter Capaldi claimed he was taking it easy by doing ‘nothing’ since he filmed the last episode of Doctor Who.

He laughed: “It’s very relaxing when you don’t have to find out if you’ve won or not. I’m just hanging out. The first thing I did was nothing. I’m just taking it easy.”

Asked if there was any prospect of Malcolm Tucker making a return he added: “I don’t know you’d have to ask Armando.”

I don’t have anything to report. I’m just really enjoying myself not doing anything. I’m very happy not to have to get up for anything.”

Ewan Macgregor and his costars May have been absent due to filming commitments but the night was anything but a damp squib - and theshowbizlion.com went wild at the after party.