Hi, I’m John Mackay
NEWS
On ScotCast with regular presenter Martin Geissler.
ScotCAST
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
The famous Michael Corleone line from the Godfather Part III has been put to me a few times over the last couple of weeks because I have returned to the news and current affairs arena that I thought I’d left behind on my departure from STV earlier this year.
Great though the line is, it’s not an accurate representation of my situation. I have been presenting the BBC Scotland podcast series, ScotCast, these past couple of weeks (August/September 2026). While Corleone was pulled back reluctantly to his old life, I have been a very willing participant.
While it’s in the same sphere as my old job, ScotCast is sufficiently different to make the opportunity appealing. I have never hosted a podcast before and it’s always worthwhile trying something new.
The two main differences are that you have time to explore subjects more deeply than a TV programme with a scheduled time would permit. That’s the strength of podcasts.
And I am being encouraged to bring more of myself to the discussion, which is not as easy as it may sound for someone who has spent nearly 40 years in news broadcasting avoiding doing precisely that.
My role in ScotCast is short-term which means that I’ll soon be back to full commitment to writing.
Which is just as well because I have received the editing notes from my publisher on my latest manuscript.
There is great satisfaction in completing the first draft, but that’s all it ever is, a first draft. There’s a lot of work still to be done.
NEWS
So, What’s been happening?
Ironically, for someone whose professional career was entirely in news, I have been rather remiss in keeping my own website up to date.
A lot has happened since my last bulletin. So, here are the main headlines:
· I have left STV News earlier this year, bringing to an end a 40-year career in journalism.
· I have completed the first draft of a new novel.
· One of my novels is in development as a possible TV series.
· I have written a script for a sequel to ‘The Road Dance’.
I left STV in March this year, bringing to an end a 40-year career in journalism. The time was right for me, I took the opportunity and am relishing my new life.
The new novel is for a different publisher and will go through their publishing process with a view to publication next year.
The next stage for the development of the TV series is to get it green lit for production. We have an excellent team in place to give the best chance of that happening, but nothing is ever guaranteed.
Finally, the main cast and an excellent director have committed themselves to the sequel of ‘The Road Dance’, but getting a film made is a difficult process, as I know from my previous experience.
For reasons mostly of commercial sensitivity, I can’t go into further detail yet, but I will update you on each of the projects as soon as I can.
NEWS
‘Scotland Today and Yesterday’ to be launched this month
My new book ‘Scotland Today and Yesterday’ is being launched at the end of this month.
The book tracks how Scotland has changed over the last four decades using news scripts, interview transcripts and personal reflections.
It includes: the tragedies of Lockerbie and Dunblane; the creation of the Scottish Parliament; the drama of elections and referendums; interviews with Prime Ministers and First Ministers; sporting triumphs and tears; the Covid pandemic; the Queen’s death in Scotland; and much of the colour in between.
‘Scotland Today & Yesterday’ is an expanded and updated version of my 2015 book ‘Notes of a Newsman’. Soon after that book was published there was the Brexit referendum, the result of which caused further upheaval. As I noted in Downing Street on the day of the result, ‘We were all expecting that we would be entering a period of relative political calm, but not now.’
In the midst of all the political drama there is the light and shade of regular Scottish life.
And we meet many of Scotland’s biggest names: Billy Connolly, Kevin Bridges, Andy Murray, Kenny Dalglish, Chris Hoy, David Tennant, James McAvoy, Irvine Welsh, Val McDermid, William McIlvanney, Peter May, Runrig, The Proclaimers, Sharleen Spiteri, Ronnie Browne, Dougie MacLean, the Still Game guys, Mark Millar and many more. Not to mention international stars from Dolly Parton to Richard Gere. And Will Ferrell even gives me Anchorman advice.
The book will be available on the week of 25th November 2024.
I will be in Waterstones on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow on the evening of Thursday 28th November and a special event on Saturday 30th November at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
News
‘The Road Dance’ released in the United States
‘The Road Dance’ has this month been released in selected cinemas across the United States and on all the major streaming services.
Some early reviews have been excellent.
“When you aren’t mesmerized by the candlelit interiors or the waves breaking on the cliff bottoms captured by cinematographer Petra Korner, you almost get swept away by the dramatics of MacKay’s novel adapted by director Richie Adams.” (Boston Herald)
“The Road Dance manages to defy expectations, eschewing genre conventions to deliver a rich, moving portrait of perseverance.” (Illinois Times)
‘The Road Dance’ is available to view on the BBC iPlayer and on all major streaming platforms in the UK – iTunes, SKY Store, Amazon Prime, Virgin Media and Google Play.
