Forget the Baftas and the Brits, when it comes to awards ceremonies, Pride of Scotland is the hottest ticket in town. The countdown is now on to our glittering star-studded People’s Oscars, which will take place at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms tomorrow night.
The Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards, with TSB, will honour the nation’s unsung heroes - ordinary people quietly living extraordinary lives and making a difference in their communities.
From humbling acts of kindness and selfless acts of bravery to raising millions for charity, our country is packed to the rafters with incredible folk who deserve have done amazing things that to be celebrated. And tomorrow we will be doing just that with a red-carpet extravaganza which will see some of the world’s biggest stars pay tribute to our worthy winners.
Celebs taking part include football legend Graeme Souness, author Irvine Welsh and Wellerman singer Nathan Evans who will all pay special tribute to our 10 people’s champions.
Also honouring our local heroes will be Bridgerton’s Ruby Barker, Emmerdale’s Natalie Robb, former EastEnders star Laurie Brett and Still Game’s Gavin Mitchell aand Greg Hemphill.
Hosted by Elaine C Smith and Sanjeev Kohli, the awards will be attended by a host of stars including Love Island’s Paige Turley and Laura Anderson, who will be presenting live from the red carpet, and River City’s Joyce Falconer, Barbara Rafferty, Gayle Telfer Stevens and Jordan Young.
SHOTY presenter Anna Campbell-Jones, STV newsreader Kelly-Ann Woodland, comedian Chris Forbes, radio DJ Fred MacAulay and Ae Fond Kiss star Atta Yaqub are also on the guest list.
Saluting our unsung heroes from the world of sport will be Paralympic gold medallist skiers Andrew & Neil Simpson, Scotland footballers Kirsty Hanson and Rachel Corsie, showjumper Joe Stockdale and paralympians Libby Clegg, Richard Whitehead, Owen Miller and Stephen Clegg.
The spectacular will also feature a performance by influencer and singer Tallia Storm.
Last year, our awards night was packed with smiles, spectacular surprises, tears of joy, emotional moments and stunning reunions, and this year’s event is promising to be just as memorable. We launched our search for our local heroes of 2023 back in February and were inundated with nominations from across the nation.
Categories include Emergency Services Hero, Child of Courage, Teenager of Courage, Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Bravery, TSB Community Hero, Princes Trust Young Achiever and Special Recognition.
All of our phenomenal winners will be revealed in tomorrow’s Record, so not much longer to wait now.
Elaine C Smith said: “This show is all about celebrating the very best of Scotland. No matter how young or old, they have all gone to extraordinary lengths to help others.”
Sanjeev Kohli added: “A night full of heroes. Scotland has a million reasons to be proud of their people and these awards are testament to that.”
Red carpet host Laura Anderson said: “It’s going to be a very special night as the nation comes together to celebrate all these amazing unsung heroes. It’s the perfect antidote to all the negativity in the world at the moment.
"In Scotland we are a bit modest when it comes to celebrating our achievements which makes awards like these so important and so worthwhile.”
Her co-host Paige added: “We are both honoured to be a part of such a magical event. There’s only a day to go and we can’t wait. Bring it on!”
David Dick, editor-in-chief of Reach (Scotland), publishers of the Record, said: “Heroes come in every shape and size. They rarely seek attention, yet what they do changes and transforms the lives of others - in one simple act or in a lifetime’s work. Pride of Scotland is a celebration of all of their achievements.”
Speaking on behalf of the award’s official sponsor, TSB, Gary Jones, Customer Delivery Director, said, “At TSB, we’re delighted to support the Pride of Scotland Awards, and it’s been a real pleasure for me to be part of this year’s judging panel. There were so many inspirational stories from all over Scotland, it was incredibly tough to choose between them.”
Tune into the Red Carpet LIVE at 5.30pm on Thursday, June 22, on Facebook and Instagram.
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