What a night!
Child Of Courage Zac meets the Paw Patrol, but he and his fellow winners are the stars of the show as we toast Scotland’s best
THERE are so many magical moments in tonight’s Pride of Scotland show on STV, it is almost impossible to pick out one.
But for sheer joy, the instant little Zac Gunn comes face to face with his favourite TV characters from Paw Patrol is hard to beat.
Zac’s megawatt smile when he sees Marshall, Chase,
Skye and Rubble from the TV phenomenon is guaranteed to make you grin too when you tune in. Zac, who has inspired the nation with his courage and positivity in the face of devastating health challenges, sums up the spirit of the event.
The Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards, with TSB, celebrate our unsung heroes who have overcome immense challenges to help and inspire others.
Heroes like little Mila Sneddon, the schoolgirl who won the heart of the Duchess of Cambridge with her strength as she battled leukaemia in lockdown. Heroes like Keiran Reid, who has raised more than £10,000 for the lifeboat crews who searched tirelessly for his dad when he was lost at sea.
Heroes like Stevie Carr, whose personal commitment to the Ukrainian orphans his charity supports saw him fly to the frontline of the war with Russia to bring them to Scotland, and safety.
The children surprised Stevie on stage as he was collecting his award, and in one of the emotional highlights of the show, one little girl declared: “We love you Stevie”.
Tonight’s STV special is packed with unmissable moments like this, and you will need the tissues handy as tears are guaranteed. But with Elaine C Smith and Sanjeev Kohli hosting, there are plenty of laughs too, especially when they are joined on stage by Sanjeev’s Still Game co-stars Greg Hemphill and Gavin Mitchell to present an award to TSB Community Hero Louise Russell.
Other stars honouring winners include Outlander star Sam Heughan, who told hero cop Clare Chalmers: “Thank you for your bravery and your dedication. We are all so very proud of you. I will be raising a wee dram to you tonight.”
Actor John Michie and TV presenter Martel Maxwell teamed up to present an award to groundbreaking Asian walking group Boots and Beards, before a hilarious tribute from Goodness Gracious Me’s Nina Wadia.
Film star John Hannah, Take That’s Mark Owen and Pride of Britain host Carol Vorderman all paid tribute to Lifetime Achievement winner Jean Cumming, who founded mental health charity Crisis Scotland.
Mark told her: “What you have achieved is incredible. Well done and thank you for being you. We are all so grateful.”
Carol said Jean provides a lifeline when people need it most, and presenting her trophy, John added that she has saved countless lives. He said: “Meeting Jean has been incredibly humbling. To spend your life helping tens of thousands of others is such a selfless act and she deserves to be celebrated.”
Bridgerton star Ruby Barker and Holby City’s Joe McFadden said they were honoured to meet Lucy Smith, Scotland’s youngest motor neurone disease sufferer. Many in the audience could not hold back the tears as she took to the stage with her husband Tommy. Oscarwinner Eddie Redmayne told her: “Your strength, your bravery and your sheer determination is an inspiration to me and the people of Scotland. You are amazing.”
Music legend Lulu congratulated Prince’s Trust Young Achiever Jack Smyth, saying: “Jack is my Pride of
What you have achieved is incredible. Well done and thank you for being you. We are all so grateful. Take That star Mark Owen to Jean Cumming, founder of Crisis Scotland
Scotland angel. He lets nothing restrict him or hold him back and he has been through so much. Positivity is the essence of him and he has a humility and ability to laugh at himself which is truly inspirational. He is a true example to others and there are not enough uplifting words in the dictionary to describe him.”
Lulu also treated the starstudded audience to an impromptu rendition of her 1964 smash hit Shout, and danced with little Mila Sneddon before a show-stopping performance from Wishaw rockers Saint PHNX. It’s a magical end to a magical show that is guaranteed to make Scotland proud when the nation settles down to watch it.
■ Paw Patrol appeared courtesy of Paramount. The Paw Patrol Paw Awards 2022 will take place this October