My real-life Heroes
Actor hails the winners as stars come out on night of tears and cheers
The countdown is on to the Pride Of Scotland Awards telly spectacular – and hosts Elaine C Smith and Sanjeev Kohli have revealed it is time to get the hankies ready.
Still Game star Sanjeev, 50, and Rab C Nesbitt legend Elaine, 63, said the emotional show was a reflection of an inspiring nation.
Elaine said: “We wanted to make sure it was ‘of Scotland’ – it had to reflect us and what makes us unique and it certainly was.
“I know people will want to know my favourite moment but there were so many stand-out moments, too many to mention.
“But I loved meeting the winners, seeing little Zac’s face when Paw Patrol appeared – it would be like George Clooney coming on for me, meeting Mila Sneddon and seeing Sir Geoff Palmer, this eminent professor who has achieved so much, coming on stage.
“Having Lulu there singing to us all… It was the best of us, it really was, and a celebrationon of modern Scotland, how the place has as changed and who we are today.” Sanjeev said the glittering ceremony, which will see a host of celebrities including Sam Heughan, John Hannah, Ricky Gervais, Eddie Redmayne and Lorraine Kelly honouring the winners, is the perfect antidote to yet another challenging and heartbreaking year.
The dad-of-three also said he felt both humbled and honoured to be at thehe helm of the event and starstruck to bbe sharing h i the stage with his comedy hero Elaine. He said: “It was an extremely emotional experience and I had to try my hardest to keep my composure when the winners’ stories were revealed. They really got to me but I tried to be professional and not let it show.
“It was a night full of real-life superheroes. Scotland has a million reasons to be proud of their people and these awards are testament to the greatest and most humble Scots on the planet.
“Every single winner got a well-deserved standing ovation and, if they could, I think the audience would have been on their feet the whole time in celebration of
Heather Greenaway
their astonishing achievements. The atmosphere in the room was a joyful mix of happiness, compassion and wonder and I feel honoured and privileged to have been a part of it all.”
Our people’s Oscars honour some of the country’s most courageous folk, including a brave policewoman who tackled a knifewielding thug, a tiny warrior in desperate need of a lung transplant, a football fan who rescued 50 orphans from Ukraine and an MND sufferer who has raised more than £200,000 to fund a cure.
River City star Sanjeev said, as a dad, it was meeting the Children of Courage that nearly tipped him over the edge. He said: “I remember seeing the photo of little Mila Sneddon kissing her dad through the window during lockdown as she fought cancer. To watch her twirling aboutab in her frock on stage and having fun like any other cheeky wee kid wasw good for the soul. She is a wee firecrackerfirec and a symbol of hope in darkdar times.”
SanjeevS was also moved by outgoingou four-year-old Zac Gunn, whowh is waiting for a new set of lungs, and Keiran Reid, 12, who has raised thousandsthou for the RNLI after his fishermanfisherm dad drowned at sea. He said: “All the kids broke my heart. Wee Zac’s facefacewhenPawwhenPaw Patrol walked out on the stage was priceless and seeing the wonderful young man Keiran has grown into after losing his dad was another poignant moment.”
He also sang the praises of Stevie Carr, who led a mercy mission to rescue children from Ukraine, Jean Cumming, who has devoted her life to helping others through her counselling charity Crisis, and Kash Butt, Naveed Bakhsh and Zain Sehgal, who run an Asian walking group.
Sanjeev, who is married to Fiona, 50, said: “Meeting the orphans Stevie saved brought the horrors taking place in Ukraine into sharp focus. He is just a big, modest guy who did what his heart told him to do, while expecting no reward. Such an altruistic human being – he puts us all to shame.
“Jean is also a superstar. I have spoken openly about my mental health issues, which more and
These are awards nt to testame and greatest the mble most hu the Scots on planet
mmomore people do today, but bback when she started hher counselling charity 330 years ago no one did. SShe was a visionary who sspotted the need and was bbrave enough to tackle it hehead on.”
He added: “As for Boots & Beards, I think what they are doing is amazing. Asian folk hate the outdoors. They think they are soluble and melt in the rain. They would rather be in the casino with a f lat- screen telly and a shag pile carpet than up the Scottish hills but this incredible group have changed all that. “Over the last six years they have made a huge difference to Glasgow’s Asian community by helping them to discover freedom, friendship and mental and physical wellbeing in the great outdoors. As Kash says, the countryside does not see colour.”
As well as being in awe of the wonderful winners, Sanjeev said sharing a stage and screen with his idol Elaine for the first time is an experience he will never forget.
He said: “A couple of times when I was presenting with Elaine, I thought I was having an out-of-body experience. She has done it all. She is another groundbreaker – a total trailblazer for funny women.
“With her talent and presence, she could have gone it alone so I was honoured to be her other half and I think we had good chemistry.
“I promised I wouldn’t wear my heels so there was no chance of a Nick Fleetwood/Sam Fox Brit Awards situat ion so hopefully viewers will think it worked.”
Elaine said: “Having the chance to be in a room together, to meet and celebrate together and to do it all properly was really something.”
Elaine, who is back on our screens a s nightmare neighbour Christine in the new series of sitcom Two Doors Down added: “All of the winners were amazing. I was on the judging panel as well so I knew how wonderful they were. It’s so hard – you want to be able to give everyone an award.
“And it’s what we all need right now, to know more about these inspiring people who are doing such brilliant things in our communities.
“It can feel like all you’re hearing is bad news, 24 hours a day, so sharing these stories of courage and kindness is brilliant, something we need to do more of.”