Hugh MacDonald joined The Herald's fantastic columnist line-up earlier this year, and has since brought us his musings on the pandemic, Glasgow and being a pensioner.

We asked him his thoughts on what will make the news in the next year - and some of the highlights from his career.

Make sure you subscribe to never miss one of Hugh's columns, which you can catch every Saturday.

How did you end up writing for a newspaper?

I have been a journalist all my life. I came into it straight from school. I got lucky. It was an impetuous decision but it has worked out. At least for me.

What’s been the highlight of your career?

Reporting on Andy Murray winning Wimbledon in 2013. It was and is an extraordinary achievement.

The Herald:

A Scot winning the greatest tennis tournament in the world is akin to an Australian being the best downhill skier on the planet.

What’s your favourite part of Scotland and why?

So many. We live in a beautiful country. Perhaps the Big Strand on Islay. It is a stretch of beach that epitomises the wonder and serenity we can find in this country.

What was the last book you read?

The last novel: Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman, which was moving and profound.

Last non-fiction: Truman by David McCullough, a biography of a president of principle and integrity.

What are you going to be writing about for The Herald?

The joy and the anxiety of this is that I cannot be specific. I want to share with readers what is important to me and how life has informed me, sometimes with harsh lessons.

What will be the biggest stories of 2021 and the next decade?

We are only at the start of the Brexit era. There will be turmoil as this unfolds. And, of course, Indyref 2.

What do you make of the government’s response to Coronavirus?

Too little, too late.

Who’s going to win the Holyrood election and why?

The SNP in a landslide.

Reasons: momentum for indy, taken out of the EU against the will of Scotland, fear of unbroken Tory rule in Westminster, desperate standard of opposition.

What will happen with indyref2 after the election?

The clamour will grow louder after a convincing SNP victory which will be regarded as a mandate. Westminster will seek to delay any vote for as long as possible, hoping the political landscape changes. Cue a rammy.

Why should Scots sign up for a Herald subscription?

The Herald has strong voices that will give a variety of opinions on the issues that have a bearing on our lives now and in the future.

To be informed is essential. To be entertained is a bonus that the Herald regularly supplies.