STV films for ‘The Greatest Scot’ at the Burns Heritage Park

Scottish actor Alex Norton, famed for his roles in Gregory’s Girl, Little Voice and most recently Taggart, visited the Burns Heritage Park in Alloway recently to film a segment on Robert Burns for a new STV series which will look at some of the most significant Scots in history. The series will culminate in a vote to decide who is ‘The Greatest Scot’.

Scottish actor Alex Norton, famed for his roles in Gregory’s Girl, Little Voice and most recently Taggart, visited the Burns Heritage Park in Alloway recently to film a segment on Robert Burns for a new STV series which will look at some of the most significant Scots in history. The series will culminate in a vote to decide who is ‘The Greatest Scot’.

The series will be aired each night on STV at 9pm from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November 2009 with the five episodes split into Artists and Entertainers, Scientist and Engineers, Sports Personalities, Inventors and Entrepreneurs and Leaders and Thinkers.

Burns will be featured alongside Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Lord John Reith, Billy Connelly and JK Rowling in the Artists and Entertainers episode which is due to air on Monday 9 November 2009.

Speaking on why he feels Burns should be named ‘The Greatest Scot’, worldwide renowned Burns expert David Hopes and curator of the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum which is due to open in Alloway next year said: “Robert Burns’ life and work is central to the life and culture of the nation; his wise and witty words continue to touch the lives of Scots regardless of their circumstances and the philosophy expressed in his life and work is commonly regarded as the national voice. We should join with one voice in voting him our greatest Scot”

The shortlist of personalities was compiled by an esteemed panel chaired by Sir Menzies Campbell with an additional five Scots nominated by the public as their ‘People’s Choice’ nominees. There will be 35 nominees in total, with one being named ‘The Greatest Scot’ as part of a ‘Top 5’ programme airing on STV on St Andrew’s Day.