Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Poetic ‘clean-up’ plea after hen do
A COUNCIL has issued an unusual poetic clean-up warning after TV star Lorraine Kelly took part in a “messy” hen do on a Scottish island chain.
Ms Kelly shared her joy after being invited to join a traditional “blackening” while out and about in Orkney recently.
The Scots ITV host was out shopping in Kirkwall when the offer to join in was made.
The 62-year-old was invited to take part in a “blackening” – a traditional pre-wedding ritual on the island and in other rural parts of northern Scotland.
It involves the bride-to-be and her friends being covered in molasses and feathers before being paraded round on the back of a truck while the group bang pots and pans.
The ITV star accepted the invitation to take part in the local custom and posted her experience on social media, saying it was “messy, loud and brilliant”.
But the incident has prompted Orkney Islands Council (OIC) to respond and outline its concerns – It wrote on its website:
“There once was a girl called Lorraine Kelly
“A Scottish lass who made her fame on the telly
“On her most recent visit she joined a blackening truck
“Joined in the fun and got covered in muck
“We’re not all about spoiling the fun at OIC
“We love the tradition and the revelry
“We have a favour to ask of all you fun-loving blacketeers
“Leave the public toilets for those genuine clean-bottomed peers
“So, to be clear, stay away from our toilets when you’re all dirty
“It’s not fair on our cleaners or other users who’re getting quite shirty!
“PS – just to stress we aren’t pointing the finger at our national treasure or any particular group for making a mess – this is simply a general message to all.”
Sharing her experience on social media at the time, Ms Kelly wrote: “This is why I LOVE Orkney – this morning I was out shopping in Kirkwall and invited to join a traditional hen do or “blackening” when the bride-to-be and her pals are covered in molasses and feathers and driven around in an truck, while singing and banging pots and pans – happens to the groom-to-be, too.
“It’s messy, loud and BRILLIANT!!!
Drink ‘might’ be taken. Congrats Mrs Stoot-to-be!”
The shenanigans continued as Ms Kelly uploaded a snap of another tradition to Instagram.
The picture showed the star and another woman cling-filming the bride-to-be and her pal to a black post in the town.
She captioned the image: “And then the tradition continues – with the bride-to-be ‘cling-filmed’ to a post with her pals!
“Hope you managed to escape soon-to-be-Mrs Stoot!!”
The presenter had taken a short break from her ITV show to enjoy a trip to Orkney. She confirmed her holiday on Instagram, writing: “Hello ORKNEY! My happy place. And it’s sunny.”