Scots broadcaster Gail Porter will lead the New York City Tartan Day Parade as Grand Marshal later this year.
In her role as grand marshal, the 51-year-old will lead over 1,500 registered marchers on Saturday, April 15 up Sixth Avenue in a huge Stateside display of Scots national pride. Speaking on the exciting event, Porter gushed: “I’m so honoured to be named grand marshal of the NYC Tartan Day Parade this year.
She added: “Being a proud Scottish woman leading such a significant event in NYC, while supporting World Fair Trade Tartan alongside the incredibly gifted young musicians of Pulse of the Place, shows the global impact of Scottish culture – that we can be an example of diversity, inclusivity, creativity, and resilience throughout the world."
Porter, who suffers from alopecia, will join the likes of Sir Billy Connolly, Karen Gillan, Brian Cox, and KT Tunstall who have all fulfilled the role prior to her. She will be accompanied by 30 young drummers from youth music initiative Scotland’s Pulse of the Place.
“We are thrilled to welcome Gail Porter as this year’s NYC Tartan Day Parade grand marshal," said Kyle Dawson, president of the National Tartan Day New York Committee.
“She joins a growing line-up of Scottish women representing NYC Tartan Week, and we couldn’t imagine a better representative for Scottish culture to kick off our 25th anniversary parade.”
The Edinburgh-born former model has openly talked about her struggles with alopecia, which she developed in 2005, losing her hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, as well as talking candidly about her mental health struggles.
The Spooked Scotland presenter has always been honest about her own dark times - which included her alopecia, divorce, bankruptcy and homelessness after her TV work dried up, as well as the death of her mum in 2009.
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