One of the region’s popular authors, Karen Campbell, will feature in the new series of BBC Scotland’s The Big Scottish Book Club on Sunday at 10pm.
For this new fourth series, The Big Scottish Book Club is turning a new page by revving up the chat as host, Damian Barr, will feature some of the biggest name authors in Scotland, UK and internationally and combining them with well-loved personalities to talk literature and life with a big dose of insight and laughs.
The new revised format, will see three guests each week join Damian on set together to talk to him and share stories with each other.
In this first episode, former police officer turned hit writer Karen Campbell will discuss her latest novel, Paper Cup.
There will be book chat from BAFTA-winning actor Elaine C. Smith – lately renowned as Christine in the comedy hit Two Doors Down – plus international best-selling novelist Kate Mosse will discuss her love of Miss Marple and her new book, Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries.
Damian, who is also an acclaimed author, said: “I love it. I get to meet people whose work I’ve admired; people whose work has intrigued me. And they get a chance to talk to each other which is the really nice part of our new format.
“So it’s not just me talking to them, they are also talking to each other. And you get some really surprising connections and stories you just wouldn’t hear anywhere else.
“What I love about this show is that we are giving people the space to think and a space to disagree and a space to be surprised. As well as all that, brilliant cultural insight and chat we find out from Elaine what her iconic creation Christine would read. Where else can you get all that?”
Other authors lined up to appear in further episodes include Rachelle Atalla, Mark Billingham, Jennifer Egan, Patrick Gale, Graeme Macrae Burnet, Armistead Maupin, Denise Mina, Chitra Ramaswamy, Ian Rankin, Bethan Roberts, Lemm Sissay and Sarah Vaughan.
Among the stars booked for the series – many of whom are also authors or writers in their own right – are Deacon Blue’s Ricky Ross, comedian Josie Long, football legend Pat Nevin, Still Game’s Gavin Mitchell, broadcasters Stuart Cosgrove and Andrew Cotter, The Fast Show’s Charlie Higson and the Reverend Richard Coles.
The Big Scottish Book Club is an IWC (a Banijay UK company) production for BBC Scotland.
