Latest news with #Greenock-born
RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Joe Schmidt's swipe at Lions 'southern hemisphere' centres
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has taken a swipe at the British and Irish Lions by describing Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu as a "southern-hemisphere centre partnership". Aki and Tuipulotu, who were born in New Zealand and Australia respectively, form a midfield partnership for Friday's tour opener against Argentina in Dublin and Schmidt has seized the opportunity to highlight their switch of national allegiance. Aki qualified for Ireland through residency in 2017, and became an Irish citizen in 2024, while Tuipulotu is able to represent Scotland because of his Greenock-born grandmother. "A southern-hemisphere centre partnership that will be pretty formidable," said Schmidt at the Wallabies squad announcement for their forthcoming match against Fiji. "I coached Bundee for several years and know him really well and respect him massively as a player. He's a great contributor to the team environment. "I've only had glancing conversations with Sione but again, by all accounts a champion bloke. "You don't get to be captain of a national team without being a great bloke and really professional in those high-performance environments. They are real athletes, those two together, so that'll be really interesting." The number of overseas-born players in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad has been a talking point ahead of the tour Down Under. Ireland's James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman qualified for their nations through residency, while Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen can represent Ireland through family. Lions attack coach Richard Wigglesworth responded to Schmidt's barb by declaring everyone in the squad has earned the right to be there. "I don't know if they are questioning their commitment. Everyone has earned the right to pull on the Lions jersey," Wigglesworth said. "They are, to a man, incredibly proud to be here. It is not your background or how you have got here, it's what sort of player you are and what sort of man you are. We have got great men and great players."
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Celtic-daft Martin Compston to star in new thriller series
Paramount+ UK & Ireland announced it has commissioned a new thriller-mystery series, which will star Greenock-born Compston and Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Calum and Emily. 'The Revenge Club' will be a 'darkly witty and gripping' thriller based on the upcoming debut novel The Othello Club by J.D. Pennington. READ MORE: Martin Compston to star in 'exciting' new thriller show set in Glasgow READ MORE: Martin Compston celebrates big birthday - but reveals 'worst thing' about it The series follows six strangers brought together by a divorce support group, each reeling from betrayal and heartbreak, who quickly transform from therapy-seeking victims into architects of exquisite retribution. The show will also star several other famous faces, including Meera Syal, Sharon Rooney, Douglas Henshall, Chaneil Kular, Amit Shah, Aoife Kennan, Rob Malone, Niamh Walsh, Wil Coban, Christina Bennington, and Eoin Duffy. (Image: Supplied) Alison Jackson and Jess Connell executive produce for the UK division of Gaumont. Outside the UK & Ireland, the series is produced by Gaumont in association with Fremantle, who also handle international sales. The series has been created for television by Gabbie Asher (Sanctuary, The Tattooist of Auschwitz) who also serves as an Executive Producer alongside J.D. Pennington, with episodes written by Matt Jones (The Split) and Adam Usden (Lupin). Tim Kirkby (Don't Forget the Driver, Fleabag) is the lead director alongside Daniel O'Hara (The Red King, Stay Close) and Margot Gavan Duffy serves as the producer. The Revenge Club was commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell, Deputy Chief Content Officer, UK, and Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, for Paramount+ UK & Ireland. On the new series order, Cardwell said: 'The Revenge Club (w/t) is a sharp, stylish and darkly funny thriller, brought to life by a brilliant cast and an exceptional creative team. "We're thrilled to be part of this gripping project and to champion it as a standout addition to our expanding slate of bold, original UK content.' On the announcement, Gaumont UK's Jess Connell added: 'We've loved working with Gabbie on this sharply observed emotional thriller that will resonate with anyone who's ever had their heart broken. "We're delighted to be partnering with both Paramount+ UK and Fremantle to bring this beautifully engaging book to screen.'
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Soccer Aid's Martin Compston's professional football career before he left for acting
The Scots Line of Duty star is starring in the Soccer Aid line-up, however, this isn't the first time he's laced up his football boots... Before he was a huge star in the likes of Line of Duty and Mayflies, Martin Compston was actually a professional footballer. The Scots actor is mostly known for playing a waistcoat wearing DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama. The 41-year-old, is set to play Soccer Aid at Old Trafford this evening in the Rest of the World against England, with former Italy star Leonardo Bonucci among his team-mates. He's not the only Scots actor on his team either, as Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd is also set to take on England. However, before Celtic daft Compston turned to acting, he was actually a pro footballer. In his early football career, he had stints with Aberdeen and Morton. The Greenock-born star even played two senior matches for Morton at the end of the 2001/02 season, but without much success. His first appearance resulted in a 4-0 defeat against Alloa Athletic, while his second – another 4-0 defeat, this time against Queen of the South – saw Morton relegated from the Scottish Second Division. Speaking on his pal Si Ferry's famous football podcast, Open Goal, Compston opened up about his brief football career. He explained that he was first spotted while playing in a Scottish underage cup final against a Celtic side which included future Man Utd star Darren Fletcher. After a stint with his hometown club, he was signed by Aberdeen where he played alongside future Premier League star Dean Windass. Compston even captained the Aberdeen youth team for a short period, but the actor knew when his time was up at the club. He told Si: "I remember I was captain at a game and one of the top scouts came down, and we got beat off an East Kilbride select, I went, 'That's that f*****!'" After his time at Aberdeen, Compston found himself back at Morton in the Scottish Second Division. "It just wasn't a good time to be at the club," the actor admitted. "They'd just gone down to the second division and we were struggling. "It was a mad time. We were full-time the YTS [Youth Team Scholarship] players. There was only three or four of us cleaning 40 pairs of boots and cleaning the stadium. "The first team were coming in training at night. There was a lot of hanging about. I felt more like a cleaner than a football player. "I made my debut when I was 17," Compston recalled. "We were away to Alloa. I knew they were only going to pitch me in if we were well up or well down. "I felt terrible, Alloa were winning 2-0 with 40 minutes left and they put a third one in and I was like, 'You beauty.' "The last game of the season, we had to win to stay up and we were playing Queen of the South who had to win to win the league. It was a sell-out, 14,000. The atmosphere was unbelievable." The day didn't go to plan however, he added: "There was some b******... at half-time, I knew I was going on. So I'm spraying balls about. "It smashed somebody and he's run on and rugby tackled me. The stewards were just all laughing. It was nerve-wracking. It was Scottish second division football but it's like, 'You've done that.'" Compston began acting during his football career after he bagged a lead role in Ken Loach's film 'Sweet Sixteen' while still with Morton. "It worked out perfect," Compston explained. "I'd just finished my exams and I'd got my Morton contract. The auditions were at the end of the year. "I went to [Morton manager] Peter Cormack and asked if it was alright to miss a couple of days of pre-season. We filmed it in the close season. He said, 'You're a fit boy, you'll be fine.' I finished filming and went back to Greenock Morton. "I remember being gutted because in the programme notes, the players were asked who's their favourite actor and not one of them said me. I thought one of them, for a joke, would throw my name in there!" Despite Loach being impressed by Compston's acting ability, the director advised him to keep in at his football career. He decided against Loach's advice and auditioned for a Heartbeat spin-off called The Royal. He had been sent the wrong script but still got the part and from then on his mind was set. "That was a big wake-up call," Compston said. "They don't know who I am. They hadn't seen Sweet Sixteen. To get that, I said, 'OK, I'm alright at this.' "Morton weren't going through the best of times. I was driving up the road one day, passing Cappielow [Greenock Morton's stadium] and I just went in and said [to manager Dave McPherson], 'I think I'm going to give this acting a crack.' He said, 'Sorry to lose you,' but I didn't find it too hard to be honest." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Martin Compston news, interviews and updates on the beloved actor
Martin Compston is a Greenock-born actor and former professional footballer. He joined Aberdeen's youth team as a teen and then signed professionally with his hometown club, Greenock Morton. He made two substitute appearances in the 2001–02 Scottish Football League season before stepping away from the game to pursue acting. Compston during a training session at Champneys Tring ahead of the Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 match (Image: Nigel French/PA Wire) Compston's first attempt at acting was for Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen which launched his career. Read on for all the latest Martin Compston news, interviews and updates. As reported by the Glasgow Times, here is a selection of the latest Martin Compston news stories. First look at Martin Compston in hit ITV drama Red Eye Martin Compston revealed worst thing about his 41st birthday Plush Renfrewshire hotel visited by celebs reopened after makeover Martin Compston is married to Tianna Chanel Flynn, an American actress. They tied the knot at his family's chapel in Greenock in 2016. They have a son together. Martin Compston and his wife Tianna Chanel Flynn (Image: Newsquest) Compston is set to feature in the second series of hit ITV drama Red Eye alongside Jing Lusi, who returns as DS Hana Li. ITV shared a first look at the new series on social media (Image: ITV) The thriller was one of ITV's top 10 dramas of 2024 and saw more than eight million viewers tune in with 29.3m streams on ITVX. The actor was also recently seen in Amazon Prime's Fear, a three-part psychological thriller which was filmed in Glasgow. The show had its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival in February and was released on Prime in March. Martin Compston in Fear (Image: Kirsty Ellis/Prime Video) The series is about a family who are 'pushed to their absolute limits'. It also stars Anjli Mohindra, Solly McLeod, and Dumbarton's BAFTA-award-winning actor James Cosmo, among others. Martin Compston is best known for his standout roles in hit TV series and popular films. His popular TV series include his role as DI Steve Arnott in Line of Duty and Ewan Brodie in the beloved BBC show Monarch of the Glen. Some of his movies are Sweet Sixteen, The Wee Man, and Mary Queen of Scots. Compston is 5′ 8. Martin Compston turned 41 on May 8. Compston is a Celtic fan. The actor partied with Hoops players after they won the Premier Sports Cup Final in 2024. Martin Compston co-hosts the Restless Natives podcast with broadcaster Gordon Smart. The weekly podcast was launched in August 2022, where the duo set themselves 'missions', inspired by the 1985 Scottish film Restless Natives, where they plot new schemes for fun and laughs. The actor lives with his wife and son in Las Vegas. He also owns a flat in Greenock to be near his parents on trips back home. Norwegian Fling is a six-part BBC Scotland travel series in which Compston and Phil MacHugh retrace Norway's length, from Oslo to the Arctic Circle, on a 2,000-mile road trip. The pair dive into modern Norwegian culture, from roller-skiing and sky-jump zip-lining near Oslo to crowd-surfing at a Black Metal gig and getting up close with a wolf in the wild.
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Everyone's got a different story' - James Lowe dismisses criticism of foreign-born Lions
James Lowe has hit back against the criticism of the number of 'imported' players on the British and Irish Lions tour. Former Ireland and Lions captain Willie John McBride was a high-profile critic, saying the number of players in the squad who weren't born in Britain or Ireland "bothered" him. New Zealand-born Lowe is one of five players in the squad who qualified through residency, along with his Ireland team-mates Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park, as well as Scotland pair Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe. Additionally, Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu were both born in Australia, but qualified for Ireland and Scotland respectively through family. And Lowe, who made his Ireland debut in 2020 after joining Leinster in 2017, says the recent scrutiny of his nationality is nothing new for him. "When you don't have the blood running through your veins, there is a little bit of that [criticism],' Lowe said. "When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying, 'How is this person representing Ireland?' "I'm sure it was the same for Sione [Tuipulotu], but the rules are there. We've all done our time. I am fully embedded in the culture of Ireland. Sione's captained Scotland. You don't have to question where his allegiance lies. Lowe is set to join a small group of people who have played both for and against the Lions, having been part of the Maori All Blacks team for their meeting with the Lions in 2017 (below). And he emphasised that while he wasn't born in Ireland, he doesn't see himself leaving any time soon. "Leinster and Ireland have given me everything. They've made me a lot better as a rugby player, they've looked after me physically and they've given me time off to get back to New Zealand when I need it. "It's something I'll forever be grateful for. The boys still slag me for my accent, but we are so well connected in so many ways. "Everyone's got a different story. My story didn't start in Ireland. But I can see it ending in Ireland. My two kids were born in Ireland. "My wife and I are super happy with everything Ireland has given us and we don't see ourselves moving. We've got our residency and I don't think you are going to get rid of us any time soon," he added. Similarly, Scotland captain Tuipulotu insists he is "all in" with the Lions, and admits he's felt pressure to prove his international allegiance in the past. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu (below), who made his international debut in 2021, was appointed Scotland captain last year. The 28-year-old's Greenock-born grandmother was at Murrayfield last autumn to see him score a try while leading Scotland to a 27-13 defeat of the Wallabies. "I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here," said Tuipulotu, who initially feared his tour participation may be ruined by injury. "I had gone all in with the stuff with Scotland and I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions. That's why it meant so much to me. "Genuinely early days you have that feeling of 'am I part of this?'. I always feel like talking about it is one thing, but showing people how much it means to you in how you play [is another]. "When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story and listen to my grandma and how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story was authentic. "I'm all in and I'm looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions." Tuipulotu is raring to go after returning from four months out with a pectoral issue during Glasgow's 13-5 defeat to Leinster on Saturday. "I've been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public ever since I started playing for Scotland," said Tuipulotu, who has 30 Test caps. "There's always going to be a couple of people (who criticise), like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don't blame those people either. "I didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth. "But this is where my path has led me and I'm all in for this Lions team and for Scotland and for Glasgow, and I genuinely feel like this is where I'm supposed to be. "I just want to grab this opportunity because I'll never get it again, to go back to Australia, and play for the Lions," he added.
