THE Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour is to behin in January 2018 for 30 arena shows across the country.

Tickets for this smash-hit tour go on sale at 8am on September 22.

The show, based on the popular dancing programme, will be coming to the Glasgow SSE Hydro from February 2-4.

The 2018 tour will see the return of reigning Strictly Champion Ore Oduba as this year’s host.

He will be joined on stage by the Strictly Judges Craig Revel Horwood (who directs the live show for the eighth year) and Bruno Tonioli.

www.strictlycomedancinglive.com

The Wigtown Book Festival starts this Friday.

Scotland’s Book Town, in Dumfries and Galloway, will welcome leading writers, poets, historians, journalists, academics, musicians, photographers and many others to take part in a vibrant event which runs from September 22 to October 1.

Adrian Turpin, the festival’s artistic director, comments: “With more than 10,000 tickets already sold we hope this year’s event will be a big success for the town, the region and for everyone who loves books – and the arts more widely.

“We also have some cracking talks and debates involving some of the most remarkable journalists of their generation.

We will be welcoming figures like Gavin Esler, Bridget Kendall, Martin Bell, Jeremy Bowen and Angus Roxburgh who have served as trusted witnesses to great events in an era when many have lost faith in official accounts from governments and those in authority."

www.wigtownbookfestival.com.

THE drama producer Elaine Collins has signed an exclusive deal with STV Productions to develop and co-produce a slate of TV drama projects.

She will build a "slate of distinctive, high quality, writer led shows" including a raft of projects set in Scotland.

Elaine, whose own company is called Tod Productions, was previously a Producer and Executive Producer at ITV Studios.

There, she optioned Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope novels which she then developed and produced as Vera, starring Brenda Blethyn.

The ITV1 hit show is currently filming its eighth series.

She was also responsible for developing and executive producing three series of the hugely successful BBC1 crime drama Shetland starring Douglas Henshall. Most recently, Elaine was Creative Director at BBC Drama.

Ms Collins said: “I’m very much looking forward to teaming up with Sarah and STV Productions.

"Our shared ambition to work with the very best screenwriting talent, provide a home for the most original novels, both historical and contemporary, and our passionate commitment to producing top quality work from Scotland and beyond, makes it feel like the perfect home for me."

www.stv.tv