Anstruther-raised broadcaster Edith Bowman has fond memories of Hogmanay growing up in the East Neuk of Fife.
Like many Scots, watching the Hogmanay show has been part of Edith’s family tradition.
But it was often a little different given her family ran the Craw’s Nest hotel in Anstruther.
When she was little she spent the bells with her grandad because her mum and dad would be working.
She has great memories of being allowed to stay up to watch ‘the bells’ on TV.
Scottish faces and music
“I remember spending New Years at my grandad’s house, because my mum and dad would be running the hotel and they would have a big Hogmanay gala with the guests,” says Edith.
“So up to my teen years I had the experience of staying at my grandad’s house and you would be allowed to stay up and watch it.
“And it was that combination of Scottish faces, Scottish music, celebrating what everyone had achieved and looking forward to the coming New Year and making the most of it – that whole kind of thing really has stayed with me.
“Then in my teen years at the hotel, when I was waitressing it was a different experience, but even then we’d switch onto the TV for the bells.
“As for other Hogmanay traditions, I used to love going first-footing, finishing up work at the hotel when I was a teenager and then meeting up with my mates, grabbing whatever you could to take round, walking the streets freezing looking for house parties, following the noise to the best party, catching up with people…I loved it.”
Presenting second Hogmanay show
Edith Bowman is one of Scotland’s most experienced presenters having done everything from her own Radio One show to the BAFTAs.
But Edith admits she was thrilled when she first got the call to host BBC Scotland’s Hogmanay show in 2021 and didn’t quite believe it.
She is just as chuffed that she is going to be at the helm for the show again this year as we say goodbye to 2022.
Edith, who grew up in Anstruther, says: “It is part of your DNA if you are Scottish, it is so iconic. It was a real proper pinch-me moment, when I got the call for the show last year.
“I never in a million years thought I’d get a chance to do this and to get the chance to do it twice is fantastic.
“I’m really thrilled to get the chance to do it again particularly because this year we will have an audience in the room and of course we have a great line-up of guests.”
Audience ‘buzz’
Given prevailing worries about Covid last year, the decision was taken to pull back on having an audience at relatively short notice but this year the show will have the atmosphere of members of the public being in the studio to add to the festive buzz of the event.
The head-liner guest for the show is none other than multi-million selling artist and local legend Lewis Capaldi, but there is also Two Doors Down’s Joy McAvoy aka glamourous young Latimer Crescent neighbour Michelle, and sporting heroes Eilish McColgan, Eve Muirhead and footballer Lyndon Dykes.
Also appearing is rising acting star Lauren Lyle, known to many as Marsali MacKimmie Fraser from Outlander who has also been gaining plaudits for her lead role in the recent Karen Pirie detective series.
And there will be further music from rising star Brooke Combe and award-winning Scottish Trad supergroup Mànran.
“It is going to be so emotional with this line-up of Scottish sporting heroes,” says Edith.
“In preparation for the show, I’ve been re-watching that clip of Eilish McColgan and her Commonwealth run, and even now it has me in floods of tears, and also for Lyndon to be on tell us about some of this year’s stand-out moments in Scottish football and to have a hero like Eve Muirhead on is fabulous.
“My parents used to do curling with the Fife Curling Club so my mum is totally made up that Eve is a guest.”
Proud parents
As with last year, Edith’s family are again very proud that their daughter is again bringing in the bells on TV.
Says Edith: “My mum and dad are amazing, they have always been so supportive but with this they knew just how much it meant to me.
“They are super proud and there is just such great support from the community in Fife.
“It is lovely for my mum, she gets so many messages from people about it.
“There is just a real sense of goodwill and I love hearing that.
“I love her phoning me and saying ‘you’ll never guess who messaged me and I got all these messages on Facebook about it’.”
Edith adds: “The event of Hogmanay, wherever I’ve been in the world whether that has been in Australia, London or the States, and I’ve spent Hogmanay in lots of different places, it is always makes you think of home and Scotland is home.”
When to see the Hogmanay show
On December 31, Edith can be seen on the Hogmanay Preview, BBC One Scotland 9.50pm then presenting Hogmanay 2022, BBC One Scotland & BBC Scotland 11.30pm-12.30am.
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