Locals in Bridge of Earn tuning in to watch Channel 4’s Partygate drama may have been surprised to see their Perthshire home town make a star turn.
The drama tells the story of coronavirus from inside 10 Downing Street as staff hosted several lockdown-breaching parties – a scandal which branded “partygate”.
It has reminded many of the outrage after mass rule-breaking by prime minister Boris Johnson and his staff was revealed to have taken place while most were following strict orders not to leave home or host family events.
Gatherings included a surprise birthday bash for Mr Johnson in May 2020 – an event for which he and then chancellor Rishi Sunak would go on to receive a fine for attending after a police probe into the top of government.
Why did Perthshire town appear in Channel 4’s Partygate drama?
The show features dramatised scenes of the birthday party in Downing Street for the then prime minister.
Advisers are seen gathered around the cabinet table singing and cheering as a fictional Mr Johnson – played by Dead Ringers and Spitting Image actor John Culshaw – delivers a speech.
The drama then contrasts the scenes with news reports showing how birthday’s were celebrated by ordinary people outside of Downing Street.
Included is 100th birthday of former Black Watch Lance Corporal Alfred Waters.
Pipe Major Ali Duthie and fellow piper and NHS worker Gwen McAndrew were able to get permission to serenade the war hero outside his sheltered accommodation in Bridge of Earn.
Ms McAndrew had promised Mr Waters she would perform on his 100th birthday when he was 70.
His son Bruce told The Courier at the time: “We had planned a bigger party for his 100th, but we had to knock it on the head for obvious reasons.
“We’re hoping to do something once all of this is over.”
Mr Walters died just under two years later aged 101.
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