IT was a night of celebration for some of the country's leading film and TV stars at the annual Bafta Scotland awards.

Robbie Coltrane, Karen Dunbar and Sir Terry Pratchett were among the celebrities who graced the red carpet at the Radisson Blu in Glasgow for the ceremony.

Peter Mullan scooped two awards out of four nominations for his film Neds, which tells the story of John McGill, a teenage boy growing up in 1970s Scotland.

Mullan, who received the writer and director accolades, said: “It’s lovely. I really wasn’t expecting it.

“I was genuinely surprised when my name was called out.”

The TV actor or actress award was won by Jayd Johnson for her performance in Field of Blood, adapted from the Denisa Mina book. She was up against co-stars Peter Capaldi and Ford Kiernan.

Johnson said: “This is crazy. I’m really proud and honoured. My performance would have been nothing without Ford and Peter.

“I wouldn’t have won this if it wasn’t for them; they were so easy to work with and so generous.”

Veteran actor James Cosmo, who has recently been working on Game of Thrones, was named best male actor for his role in Donkeys, which also won best film. Cosmo was given his award by Richard Wilson and beat competition from Brian Pettifer, his co-star in Donkeys, and newcomer Conor McCarron for Neds.

Cosmo said of his award: “It means an awful lot. It was a real labour of love for everyone involved. It took a while to get off the ground and it was tough making it. I’ll be very proud of it.”

He added: “It’s great to see films being shot in Scotland. We produce great actors and great directors and terrific technicians and so we deserve any credit we get.”

Robbie Coltrane won a special award for outstanding contribution to film. After being presented with the Bafta, to a standing ovation, he said: “You start thinking you should be on a life support machine with the weans arguing over who gets the picture over the fireplace.”

Coltrane, who has been working on Great Expectations, as well as an animated film with Billy Connolly called Brave, admitted he has recently lost four stones through healthy eating. “I’ve not been able to get this suit on for four years so I’m quite pleased with myself,” he said.

Eileen Gallagher, of Shed Productions, received an award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting. She has been responsible for programmes such as Bad Girls, Footballers’ Wives and Waterloo Road.

The much debated documentary The Scheme, made by Friel Kean Films for BBC Scotland, won the Factual Series award while the Terry Pratchett film Choosing to Die, directed by Charlie Russell and produced by Craig Hunter, won the best documentary award.

Brian Limond won the award for Entertainment programme, beating Rab C Nesbitt and Burnistoun with Limmy’s Show.

Comedian Karen Dunbar, who presented an award, said: “It’s an exciting time for comedy in Scotland. I don’t like to say a new generation because that means I need to be 16 years older than them and I’m not up for that but you can see the new generation starting to develop.”

 

The winners were:

Children’s programme:
Big City Park

Current affairs:
The Walking Wounded

Entertainment programme:
Limmy’s Show

Single documentary:
Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die

Factual series:  The Scheme

Live event coverage:
The Great Climb

Television drama:
Case Histories

Actor/Actress -- television:
Jayd Johnson -- Field of Blood

Outstanding contribution  to broadcasting:
Eileen Gallagher (Shed Productions)

Game: Quarrel

Animation:
  Fixing Luka

Short Film: I Love Luci

Outstanding contribution  for craft (in memory of  Robert McCann):
David Peat

The Cineworld Audience Award for Best Scottish Film:
Fast Romance

Writer: Peter Mullan -- Neds

Actor/actress -- film:
James Cosmo -- Donkeys

Director:  Peter Mullan -- Neds

Feature Film: Donkeys

Outstanding contribution to film:
Robbie Coltrane