Latest news with #MartinCompston
Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Chris McQueer: ‘Misogyny and loneliness. My novel's a barrel of laughs'
Chris McQueer is a Glaswegian author and former crime scene cleaner. He's been described by the actor Martin Compston as 'like Charlie Brooker on Buckfast'. McQueer published his first novel, Hermit, in February. My maw picking me up from nursery. I remember sitting on a bench while she helped put my trainers on — the wrong feet. I remember both of us laughing at how funny it looked. My maw was quite young when she had me and was still figuring it all out along the way. Camping with my granny and granda, maybe in Loch Lomond. My granny slept in the motor because my granda's snoring was quite incredible. Tensions were high but I had a great time. A chicken kebab from Cookies on Hope Street in Glasgow. Me and my pal, both joyously three sheets to the wind, stood using a bin as a dining table, and devoured our kebabs in silence. The only communication we had was the odd glance, mid-chew, and nodding. Nothing has ever come close. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I think it's the most perfect film ever made, and I have to watch it once a year or else I fear I may die. I remember as a wee guy wanting Charlie to find a golden ticket so badly I was almost sick. When they go into the chocolate factory for the first time I still get goosebumps. It's endlessly quotable as well; I often myself blurting out, 'I want a bean feast!' for no real reason. I had arrived back at the Tolbooth on Saltmarket after going to a Celtic game up at Tannadice, I think. I was the last person off the supporters' bus, steaming of course, and, in front of a crowd of dozens of people, missed the last step, slipped and landed square on my arse in a puddle. The road through Glencoe. Beautiful, dramatic landscapes. Surreal light. It's got everything. It was, and still is, my granny. She's always been the one to put an arm around my shoulder or give me a kick up the arse when needed. I've never seen her back down or shy away from any situation, no matter how difficult. I always aspire to be like her. Probably every single Gladiator when I was a wee guy but the first celebrity crush I ever had a poster of was Katie Price, believe it or not. Timmy, my old dug who no longer lives with me but with my granny and granda. We had a one-sided falling out a couple of years ago, he decided he no longer wanted to be my pal one day. I've clearly annoyed him or slighted him in some way, unbeknownst to me, so I'd apologise to him for whatever it was. Joesef at King Tut's in 2019. Seeing Joesef on stage, this guy I vaguely knew online for years and through mutual pals, in front of a sold-out Glasgow crowd with his gorgeous voice was incredible. Some boy. Probably Hogganfield Loch in the east end of Glasgow. I've lived just down the road from it for most of my life and going there for a wander during the height of summer or the dead of winter is always magic. Taking my old dug, Henry, there for the first time after we adopted him is my favourite memory. Me, my maw and my granda, letting the dug off the lead for the first time and him running and jumping headfirst into the loch was absolutely class to see. This Must Be the Place by Talking Heads, specifically the Stop Making Sense version. It's an absolutely unbelievable song which, to me, perfectly encapsulates that feeling of being in love where everything feels joyous, whimsical, surreal and amazing. When it comes on in the motor, I have to listen twice, sometimes three times in a row. It's about a wee guy called Jamie and his maw, Fiona. Jamie is struggling mentally, is absolutely bogging and can barely leave his room. He spends his time online talking to his wee pal, Lee, who is being radicalised into misogynistic ways of thinking which is starting to poison Jamie's mind too. Fiona is dealing with the aftermath of leaving her abusive ex-partner and has no idea what Jamie is up to in his room. She is caught blindsided when he disappears. The book looks at things like toxic masculinity, the rise of online misogyny, loneliness and mother/son relationships. A real barrel of laughs! Chris McQueer's novel, Hermit, is out now (Wildfire, £18.99). Order from Discount for Times+ members. See him at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Aug 22, 5pm, with Elaine Castillo and Catherine Prasifka,
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
My dreams came true when I married my husband, he looks exactly like my celeb crush & is always stopped in the street
A LOVED-UP bride claims her "dreams came true" when she married her Line of Duty lookalike crush - who's constantly stopped in the street by adoring women. Kelsey Willmott has been smitten with Scottish actor Martin Compston who famously played Detective Inspector Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama, since the first series. 5 5 So when the 30-year-old stumbled across Arron Willmott's profile on Bumble in March 2021 she immediately swiped right, drawn to his brunette locks, facial hair and chiselled jaw line. After chatting on the app for two weeks, the pair met for a walk for their first date, with Kelsey admitting she was initially unaware of how similar the pair locked. But weeks into their fledgling relationship Kelsey was stunned when she suddenly realised why she initially had the hots for the 31-year-old - who was the spitting image of the hunky actor. After dating for three-and-half years they got engaged before getting hitched on May 2 at a stately home in Somerset. As she walked down the aisle towards Arron, Kelsey said it was a "dream come true" as not only was she marrying her "perfect" partner but also a man that looked like Martin Compston. It's not just loved-up Kelsey who's noticed the similarity, with Arron being stopped daily in the street by strangers remarking on the uncanny resemblance. While Kelsey's own friends cheekily commented "only she could marry someone who looks like her celebrity crush" when she shared a video about it on TikTok. Kelsey, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, said: "We met on Bumble and I made the first move. "I hadn't clicked about the similarities initially but I just knew I liked what I saw. "A few weeks into our dating the penny dropped and I realised he looked so much like him [Martin Compston]. Martin Compston reveals reason why he wears an elastic band on his finger instead of his wedding ring "I'm a big fan of Line of Duty and have watched all the series. I said to him 'you do look like Martin Compston' and when you see it you can't unsee it. "Martin Compston is a big celebrity crush and right up my street. I think subconsciously I 100% swiped on Arron [because he looked like Martin Compston]. "My aunty said to me 'he looks exactly like the man on Line of Duty'. It was something people kept mentioning. "I don't think my parents had really realised my crush on Martin Compston. "I may have said he was 'fit' when watching the programme but you're not constantly going on about it as you think there's no chance. "You could say I got my chance now as I'm with someone who looks exactly like him. 5 5 "I think as Arron has gotten older, he looks more like him as Martin is a bit older than Arron. "When I was walking down the aisle towards him it was surreal. Aaron is physically everything that is my type, but also the person he is as well. "It was like a fairy tale and everything you pictured it to be when you're younger. My dreams came true. "My friends always say I come up smelling of roses because only I could marry someone that looks like my crush." Martin Compston first starred in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in 2012 when the BBC police drama Line of Duty first aired. The series then returned in 2014 for five more series in which the 5ft 6in actor was seen to continue his star role as a detective in an anti-corruption squad. Kelsey says that Arron is told on a daily basis in public that he looks like Martin Compston, usually by women. She said: "After the TikTok went viral, we were both laughing as it's something we know he looks like and friends and family know. "But when you get strangers saying they can't tell the difference between them, it's crazy. "People have come up to him to tell him he looks really like the guy from Line of Duty. "It's probably girls in the street that have a similar crush on Martin Compston, as awful as that is to think. "They are probably looking at him thinking 'he looks like Martin and is quite good looking'." Arron says he couldn't describe the feeling when he first saw Kelsey walking down the aisle but footage shows him wiping tears from his cheeks in the emotional moment. 5 The 5ft 11in bloke says he is a big Line of Duty fan so doesn't mind the daily comparisons but says he is thankful for being taller than the Scottish actor. Aaron, also from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, said: "I love Line of Duty so it's pretty cool. I don't mind [the comparison] but I'm a little bit taller than him, thank God. "I get told on a daily basis I look like him. When people see me they always think they've seen me before and then the penny drops." After sharing a video on TikTok of photos of Arron next to the Line of Duty star, the post racked up more than 300,000 views, with users apparently stunned by how similar they look. One wrote: "Is this a really bad game of spot the difference, because I am struggling." Another added: "She really said copy and paste."
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
My dreams came true when I married my husband, he looks exactly like my celeb crush & is always stopped in the street
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A LOVED-UP bride claims her "dreams came true" when she married her Line of Duty lookalike crush - who's constantly stopped in the street by adoring women. Kelsey Willmott has been smitten with Scottish actor Martin Compston who famously played Detective Inspector Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama, since the first series. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Kelsey Wilmott and her now husband Arron, who looks like her celeb crush Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 5 Kelsey is smitten with Line of Duty's Martin Compston Credit: Alamy So when the 30-year-old stumbled across Arron Willmott's profile on Bumble in March 2021 she immediately swiped right, drawn to his brunette locks, facial hair and chiselled jaw line. After chatting on the app for two weeks, the pair met for a walk for their first date, with Kelsey admitting she was initially unaware of how similar the pair locked. But weeks into their fledgling relationship Kelsey was stunned when she suddenly realised why she initially had the hots for the 31-year-old - who was the spitting image of the hunky actor. After dating for three-and-half years they got engaged before getting hitched on May 2 at a stately home in Somerset. As she walked down the aisle towards Arron, Kelsey said it was a "dream come true" as not only was she marrying her "perfect" partner but also a man that looked like Martin Compston. It's not just loved-up Kelsey who's noticed the similarity, with Arron being stopped daily in the street by strangers remarking on the uncanny resemblance. While Kelsey's own friends cheekily commented "only she could marry someone who looks like her celebrity crush" when she shared a video about it on TikTok. Kelsey, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, said: "We met on Bumble and I made the first move. "I hadn't clicked about the similarities initially but I just knew I liked what I saw. "A few weeks into our dating the penny dropped and I realised he looked so much like him [Martin Compston]. Martin Compston reveals reason why he wears an elastic band on his finger instead of his wedding ring "I'm a big fan of Line of Duty and have watched all the series. I said to him 'you do look like Martin Compston' and when you see it you can't unsee it. "Martin Compston is a big celebrity crush and right up my street. I think subconsciously I 100% swiped on Arron [because he looked like Martin Compston]. "My aunty said to me 'he looks exactly like the man on Line of Duty'. It was something people kept mentioning. "I don't think my parents had really realised my crush on Martin Compston. "I may have said he was 'fit' when watching the programme but you're not constantly going on about it as you think there's no chance. "You could say I got my chance now as I'm with someone who looks exactly like him. 5 Martin Compston rose to fame on the BBC series Credit: Alamy 5 Even strangers approach Kelsey's husband in the street about the comparison Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media "I think as Arron has gotten older, he looks more like him as Martin is a bit older than Arron. "When I was walking down the aisle towards him it was surreal. Aaron is physically everything that is my type, but also the person he is as well. "It was like a fairy tale and everything you pictured it to be when you're younger. My dreams came true. "My friends always say I come up smelling of roses because only I could marry someone that looks like my crush." Martin Compston first starred in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in 2012 when the BBC police drama Line of Duty first aired. The series then returned in 2014 for five more series in which the 5ft 6in actor was seen to continue his star role as a detective in an anti-corruption squad. I'm a little bit taller than him, thank God." Arron Willmott Kelsey says that Arron is told on a daily basis in public that he looks like Martin Compston, usually by women. She said: "After the TikTok went viral, we were both laughing as it's something we know he looks like and friends and family know. "But when you get strangers saying they can't tell the difference between them, it's crazy. "People have come up to him to tell him he looks really like the guy from Line of Duty. "It's probably girls in the street that have a similar crush on Martin Compston, as awful as that is to think. "They are probably looking at him thinking 'he looks like Martin and is quite good looking'." Arron says he couldn't describe the feeling when he first saw Kelsey walking down the aisle but footage shows him wiping tears from his cheeks in the emotional moment. 5 Arron says there's a key difference between him and telly heartthrob Compston Credit: BBC The 5ft 11in bloke says he is a big Line of Duty fan so doesn't mind the daily comparisons but says he is thankful for being taller than the Scottish actor. Aaron, also from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, said: "I love Line of Duty so it's pretty cool. I don't mind [the comparison] but I'm a little bit taller than him, thank God. "I get told on a daily basis I look like him. When people see me they always think they've seen me before and then the penny drops." After sharing a video on TikTok of photos of Arron next to the Line of Duty star, the post racked up more than 300,000 views, with users apparently stunned by how similar they look. One wrote: "Is this a really bad game of spot the difference, because I am struggling." Another added: "She really said copy and paste." A third commented: "Why did I think these were all pictures of the same man?" A fourth wrote: "I personally think your husband is better looking than Martin but don't tell him or my hubby I said so. You go girl."
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
My dreams came true when I married my husband, he looks exactly like my celeb crush & is always stopped in the street
A LOVED-UP bride claims her "dreams came true" when she married her Line of Duty lookalike crush - who's constantly stopped in the street by adoring women. Kelsey Willmott has been smitten with Scottish actor Martin Compston who famously played Detective Inspector Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama, since the first series. 5 Kelsey Wilmott and her now husband Arron, who looks like her celeb crush Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 5 Kelsey is smitten with Line of Duty's Martin Compston Credit: Alamy So when the 30-year-old stumbled across Arron Willmott's profile on Bumble in March 2021 she immediately swiped right, drawn to his brunette locks, facial hair and chiselled jaw line. After chatting on the app for two weeks, the pair met for a walk for their first date, with Kelsey admitting she was initially unaware of how similar the pair locked. But weeks into their fledgling relationship Kelsey was stunned when she suddenly realised why she initially had the hots for the 31-year-old - who was the spitting image of the hunky actor. After dating for three-and-half years they got engaged before getting hitched on May 2 at a stately home in Somerset. As she walked down the aisle towards Arron, Kelsey said it was a "dream come true" as not only was she marrying her "perfect" partner but also a man that looked like Martin Compston. It's not just loved-up Kelsey who's noticed the similarity, with Arron being stopped daily in the street by strangers remarking on the uncanny resemblance. While Kelsey's own friends cheekily commented "only she could marry someone who looks like her celebrity crush" when she shared a video about it on TikTok. Kelsey, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, said: "We met on Bumble and I made the first move. Most read in Fabulous "I hadn't clicked about the similarities initially but I just knew I liked what I saw. "A few weeks into our dating the penny dropped and I realised he looked so much like him [Martin Compston]. Martin Compston reveals reason why he wears an elastic band on his finger instead of his wedding ring "I'm a big fan of Line of Duty and have watched all the series. I said to him 'you do look like Martin Compston' and when you see it you can't unsee it. "Martin Compston is a big celebrity crush and right up my street. I think subconsciously I 100% swiped on Arron [because he looked like Martin Compston]. "My aunty said to me 'he looks exactly like the man on Line of Duty'. It was something people kept mentioning. "I don't think my parents had really realised my crush on Martin Compston. "I may have said he was 'fit' when watching the programme but you're not constantly going on about it as you think there's no chance. "You could say I got my chance now as I'm with someone who looks exactly like him. 5 Martin Compston rose to fame on the BBC series Credit: Alamy 5 Even strangers approach Kelsey's husband in the street about the comparison Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media "I think as Arron has gotten older, he looks more like him as Martin is a bit older than Arron. "When I was walking down the aisle towards him it was surreal. Aaron is physically everything that is my type, but also the person he is as well. "It was like a fairy tale and everything you pictured it to be when you're younger. My dreams came true. "My friends always say I come up smelling of roses because only I could marry someone that looks like my crush." Martin Compston first starred in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in 2012 when the BBC police drama Line of Duty first aired. The series then returned in 2014 for five more series in which the 5ft 6in actor was seen to continue his star role as a detective in an anti-corruption squad. I'm a little bit taller than him, thank God." Arron Willmott Kelsey says that Arron is told on a daily basis in public that he looks like Martin Compston, usually by women. She said: "After the TikTok went viral, we were both laughing as it's something we know he looks like and friends and family know. "But when you get strangers saying they can't tell the difference between them, it's crazy. "People have come up to him to tell him he looks really like the guy from Line of Duty. "It's probably girls in the street that have a similar crush on Martin Compston, as awful as that is to think. "They are probably looking at him thinking 'he looks like Martin and is quite good looking'." Arron says he couldn't describe the feeling when he first saw Kelsey walking down the aisle but footage shows him wiping tears from his cheeks in the emotional moment. 5 Arron says there's a key difference between him and telly heartthrob Compston Credit: BBC The 5ft 11in bloke says he is a big Line of Duty fan so doesn't mind the daily comparisons but says he is thankful for being taller than the Scottish actor. Aaron, also from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, said: "I love Line of Duty so it's pretty cool. I don't mind [the comparison] but I'm a little bit taller than him, thank God. "I get told on a daily basis I look like him. When people see me they always think they've seen me before and then the penny drops." After sharing a video on TikTok of photos of Arron next to the Line of Duty star, the post racked up more than 300,000 views, with users apparently stunned by how similar they look. One wrote: "Is this a really bad game of spot the difference, because I am struggling." Another added: "She really said copy and paste." Read more on the Irish Sun A third commented: "Why did I think these were all pictures of the same man?" A fourth wrote: "I personally think your husband is better looking than Martin but don't tell him or my hubby I said so. You go girl."
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
TV Adaptation of Wax Fruit adds Nicholas Ralph to all-star cast
All Creatures Great and Small star Nicholas Ralph has joined the cast attached to Wax Fruit, a multi-episodic prestige drama based on Guy McCrone's internationally best-selling trilogy. The series is currently in development, led by Showrunner and Executive Producer Sarah Purser. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Set between the Gaelic-speaking Highlands and the gritty streets of Victorian Glasgow, Wax Fruit follows the explosive rise of the Moorhouse family, who leave rural poverty behind to climb into the ranks of the city's powerful merchant elite — at a time when Glasgow was one of the most glamorous and powerful cities in the world. The novels sold over a million copies, were translated into five languages, and were originally selected as a New York Times Book of the Month. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now being adapted for screen, the show blends sweeping, character-driven period drama with a sharp, modern edge — think Succession meets Bridgerton in tartan. Molly Windsor & Martin Compston Nicholas Ralph (35), best known for his lead role in Channel 5 and PBS Masterpiece television series All Creatures Great and Small, joins a multi-award-winning cast attached to the project, including Martin Compston, Ashley Jensen, Shirley Henderson, Molly Windsor, Elaine C. Smith, Kenny Doughty, Bill Paterson, Juliet Cadzow and Forbes 30 Under 30 breakthrough star Frankie Corio. Ralph has also appeared in The Devil's Light and Outlander, and is known for his grounded, emotionally rich performances. He has been nominated in the Best Drama Performance category of the National Television Awards 2025 for his performance as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small, along with fellow Wax Fruit cast members also nominated; Martin Compston for The Rig, Ashley Jensen for Shetland and Mitchell Robertson for Curfew. Ralph said: "Sarah's passion, energy and deep knowledge of the material and history was totally inspiring and with the incredible Scottish actors and creatives she had involved - some legends - I was already enamoured. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added, "Then Sarah sent episode one. I devoured it - all the characters are so well drawn and unique but at the heart you have the big bold Moorhouse family. I love the world, the time period and these wonderful characters and I am so invested. Needless to say, I'm very excited to be joining the Wax Fruit gang." Sarah Purser Also joining is Emun Elliott, currently starring in season two of The Gold. The team behind Wax Fruit includes BAFTA winning and Oscar-nominated creatives in writing, direction, design and score, including Emmy-winning composer Tommy Reilly. The adaptation has a detailed five-season arc, with episode one already written and funded by Screen Scotland. A teaser has been filmed, and the production plan is ready. Showrunner and Executive Producer Sarah Purser added: 'We're over the moon that the brilliant Nicholas Ralph and wonderful Emun Elliott are joining the Wax Fruit team. We literally have the dream cast. The top tier talent that Wax Fruit is attracting is testament to the quality of the source material and the skill and calibre of our scriptwriting team. We are thrilled with the ongoing interest and excitement.' Following recent media interest, the original books have sold out. Library waitlists are months long and new editions of the novels will be published in August 2025.
