November 20, 2005 - Eligible

NOVEMBER 20, 2005

100
Funny, sexy, successful and intelligent: these are the men and women who have everything – except someone
Scotland’s most eligible
special in their life. In the pages that follow, we bring you all you need to know about Scotland’s most wanted
WORDS SALLY RAIKES AND ERIN REEVES
The Men
ADDITIONAL REPORTING LOUISA PEARSON
1
13
Mylo
Musician, producer, DJ and label owner, 27
Lives London.
Who is he? You know you’ve made it when you
are referred to by a single name. And Mylo has
certainly made it this year. Originally dubbed
“Scotland’s answer to Röyksopp”, he no longer
needs any such introductions, having become
a megastar in his own right. He has released
three singles this year, each one adding to his
reputation as a musician and mixing genius.
‘Destroy Rock & Roll’, from the album of the
same name, reached number 15 in January,
‘In My Arms’ number 13 in May, and ‘Doctor
Pressure’ (a mix of his own song ‘Drop the
Pressure’ and Miami Sound Machine’s ‘Dr Beat’)
went to number three in September. Mylo has
also worked on mixes for Kylie, Scissor Sisters
and The Killers. This year, Elton John, another
fan, asked him to do a mix, a request he had to
refuse because he was too busy touring his live
visual show around South America and Europe.
Just as gifted academically, he studied maths
at Oxford, later switching to philosophy and
psychology. He left with a first-class honours
degree and the offer of a PhD scholarship in
California, which he started but eventually
gave up to pursue his real passion: music.
It’s all a long way from his seaside home on
the Isle of Skye, and the days when the only
radio station the young Myles MacInnes could
pick up pumped out 1980s soft rock all night.
Pluses “Buff!”
Minuses “Balding!”
Best date “Same answer as last year, I’m afraid –
far too lewd to talk about here. Am I thinking
of the same date as last year? Um, no, I’m not,
actually!”
Worst date “One of the ones that ended up in
A&E – always a sign that it’s not going well.”
Most memorable chat-up line “A girl came up to
me after a festival gig and told me my record
made her have an orgy.”
Favourite film “Anything by the Coen brothers,
particularly The Big Lebowski. Napoleon
Dynamite made me laugh uncontrollably – but
I was on (prescription) drugs at the time. But
in the end nothing beats Die Hard.”
Favourite book “I read Margaret Atwood’s The
Blind Assassin recently and thought it was
stunning. There’s the twist you guess and
then the twist you don’t – genius.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Uninhibitedness.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Well, I doubt I
would like crap Saturday-night TV – X Factor
etc – but my telly doesn’t work and I’m usually
out anyway, so I’m spared watching it. I would
definitely put in those novels by Dan Brown.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Somewhere quiet,
up in the Pyrenees. Maybe I will go gay and live
with a shepherd boy…”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 9

ELIGIBLE MEN
2
7
Andy Murray
Tennis player, 18
Lives Dunblane
and Barcelona.
Who is he? “El futuor
del tennis Britanico!”
blared a headline in
the city of Barcelona,
where Andy lives and trains. And it’s
not wrong. Andy has had an amazing
12 months since appearing on our list last
year, turning professional and working
his way up through the rankings. Son of
former national tennis coach for Scotland
Judy Murray (47 on our women’s list),
Andy recently made it to the final of
the Thailand Open, taking on the best
player in the world, Roger Federer.
Pluses A laid-back, down-to-earth guy.
What you see is what you get.
Minuses He hardly has time to see his
friends, let alone work on a romance.
Best date Watching Amir Khan in a
boxing match. He is now thinking of
incorporating some of the Olympic silver
medallist’s training into his fitness regime.
Worst date Anything that requires a suit;
Andy only owns one and is “not planning
to get any more”.
Favourite film The Girl Next Door.
3 NEW
Leslie Benzies
Gaming guru, 34
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? When Leslie’s
parents became one of
the first households in
Elgin to buy a home
computer, they had no
idea their son would become addicted
to the games and use it to write his own
at the tender age of 11. After a spell as a
programmer, he devoted two years of his
spare time to producing a game that landed
him a job at what was then DMA Design,
in Dundee. Eight years on, he is now
president of Rockstar North, the company
that produces the Grand Theft Auto series.
He’s not just a rock star by name either;
Leslie plays bass in a band with some
mates. When he’s not being paid to play
computer games for a living, he’s managing
the renovation of his Stockbridge home.
Best date “Sitting up all night talking
nonsense, then sleeping outside in the
long grass in the sun all day.”
Worst chat-up line “One girl recently said to
me, ‘You would be quite handsome if you
were born in a different century.’”
Most romantic gesture “Someone made me a
lactose-free strawberry cheesecake, which
is not an easy thing to do.”
Favourite film Life of Brian.
Nothing is sexier than... “I am a geek so it
would have to be swanky gadgets.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Traffic
wardens, cucumbers and wasted talent.”
4 NEW
Gary Lightbody
Singer, 29
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? The lead
singer of the band NME
dubbed ‘Britain’s
booziest’, Gary could
be forgiven for raising a
few glasses to toast Snow Patrol’s success
after ten years of hard work. It was their
third album, Final Straw, that propelled
them into rock stardom, with Gary’s lyrics
influenced by the Iraq conflict. He took
part in the Make Poverty History campaign,
and in September helped launch the
Scottish Parliament’s Show Racism the Red
Card video. Having just toured the UK and
the US, he and the band are busy writing
and recording what is one of the most
highly anticipated albums of 2006. Success
hasn’t gone to his head, though. All he asks
is that “at the end of the day, I can still pop
down to the supermarket for some milk”.
Pluses Tall, talented, with a killer voice.
Minuses Music will always be his mistress.
Worst date A Metallica gig. He finds their
music “passionless and tuneless”.
Most romantic gesture “My songs are
never about the nice bits at the start of a
relationship; they’re always about when
the chaos kicks in at the end.”
Nothing is sexier than... Female singers. Gary
admits he’s “a sucker for them”.
What would you put in Room 101? Big egos.
Where will you be in ten years? Promoting
Snow Patrol: The Greatest Hits.
5 NEW
Craig Ferguson
Comedian and
chat-show host, 43
Lives Los Angeles.
Who is he? Craig began
his career playing
drums for a number of
punk bands, until he
met the Tron Theatre’s artistic director,
who persuaded him to give acting a go.
He moved to America in 1995, and since
then has written, directed and starred in a
number of films. He took over as host of
America’s The Late Late Show at the start
of the year, a job that reputedly earns him
£8 million a year. It’s a long way from
Cumbernauld, and his struggles with drink
and drugs in his 20s. Craig split from his
second wife, Sascha, with whom he has a
four-year-old son, Milo, in February.
Pluses A strapping 6ft 2in, Craig cuts a
fine figure.
Minuses Rumours abound that he is dating
Sharon Stone after she appeared on his
show and they duetted on ‘Ye Canny
Shove Yer Granny Aff the Bus’.
Where will you be in ten years? Still in
America. “I love the United States. I have
applied for citizenship. I want to take the
oath of allegiance on TV.”
6 NEW
Lorne Cousin
Piper and solicitor, 33
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Lorne got
the biggest surprise of
his life when Madonna
phoned and asked him
to accompany her on
her Reinvention tour last year. She had
spotted him playing the bagpipes at Stella
McCartney’s wedding on the Isle of Bute
(the designer is a family friend – Lorne’s
father, a vet, used to tend the McCartneys’
animals). He took a sabbatical from his
job as a property lawyer and joined the
superstar on a 56-date tour, playing to
almost a million people. Now he’s back
working as a lawyer, but piping is still a
big hobby – recently he played for Pringle
at Men’s Fashion Week in Milan.
Best date “A hot summer’s day spent on a
beach in the Hebrides. The sand was so
white and the water crystal-clear.”
Best chat-up line “I hate chat-up lines,
but was quite impressed when I once
overheard someone say, ‘The only thing
your eyes haven’t told me is your name’.”
Most romantic gesture “Madonna sang ‘Happy
Birthday’ for me Marilyn Monroe-style.”
Favourite book Consider the Lilies by Iain
Crichton-Smith.
Favourite film Amores Perros.
Nothing is sexier than… “Flirting.”
What would you put in Room 101? “The TV
historian David Starkey – he once made
me so angry I had to call and complain.”
7
NEW
Giancarlo Romano
Property developer, 38
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? At the tender
age of 18, Giancarlo
was running his own
club, Joe Paparazzi, in
Glasgow, and helping
his father set up similar ventures across
the city. After eight years in the licensed
trade, the family business switched to
focus exclusively on property. Giancarlo
now manages a number of retail outlets in
the city centre and premises leased to bars
and restaurants. You’ll find him cycling,
tickling the ivories or travelling.
Pluses He speaks fluent Italian and jets to
Italy regularly for long weekends.
Minuses After so long in the industry, it’s
hard for him to walk into a club or bar and
switch out of work mode. To get him at his
most relaxed, cook him dinner.
Best date “A girl invited me to her house for
a Caribbean-themed night. She went to a
lot of effort, getting the right music and
food, and putting on a grass skirt.”
Worst date “An aggressive girl who was a
terrible kisser.”
Favourite book Machiavelli’s The Prince.
Nothing is sexier than... “A smile.”
Leslie
Benzies (3)
8 NEW
Richard Wilson
Actor and director, 69
Lives London.
Who is he? Don’t let the
cultured accent fool
you – Richard was
born and raised in
Greenock, where he
made his stage debut in the Princess and
the Pea, wearing “pantaloons rigged up
from large black gym knickers”. Probably
best-known as the grumpy Victor Meldrew
from One Foot in the Grave, he originally
trained as a scientist before applying to
drama school at the age of 27. Richard
has also achieved success as a producer
and director in theatre and television,
most recently directing East Coast Chicken
Supper at the Traverse and winning a
Fringe First at this year’s Festival. He was
awarded an OBE in 1994.
Pluses A true gentleman, with a sharp wit
and no intention of slowing down.
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
10 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

the strength of his box-office draw. Tom
Cruise reportedly gave him the part of
the villain in Mission: Impossible II after
Dougray beat him at pool, and he is
currently shooting The Mermaids Singing
with Neve Campbell and Jessica Lange.
Pluses He hasn’t appeared on four ‘who’s
hot’ lists and received a nomination as
Scotland’s Most Stylish Male for nothing.
Minuses An unflinching devotion to Hibs.
During the world première of Enigma, in
Edinburgh, he sneaked out to watch a
Hibs match in the pub across the road.
Worst date Dinner in Morocco – he came
down with severe food poisoning.
Worst chat-up line “Aren’t you the next
James Bond?” Despite the rumours,
Dougray has made it clear that he was
never seriously interested, and is fed up
being asked about it.
Minuses Can you separate him from Victor
Meldrew in your mind?
Worst chat-up line “I don’t believe it!” He is
rather tired of this infamous catchphrase;
once he was in the Ngorongoro crater in
Africa when he heard someone shouting it.
Favourite film Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu.
Most romantic gesture A fan once wrote
asking if she could cut his nose hairs for
him, as they were looking a little long.
What would you put in Room 101? Smokers.
Richard is a reformed smoker of almost
30 years and hates the smell of cigarettes.
on another big-budget film, 300. Last
year’s Phantom of the Opera, in which the
Glasgow-born law graduate played the
lead, was nominated for three Oscars.
Pluses A gallant man – while filming Mrs
Brown, he saved a boy from drowning in
the river Tay and received an award from
the Royal Humane Society.
Minuses “It’s no surprise I’m a bachelor –
I’m never in one place for long enough.”
Favourite book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Nothing is sexier than... “An unexpected,
inviting glance.”
there that he met Alex Kapranos and the
other members of the band that would
eventually become Franz Ferdinand. Now
hugely successful, they have just released
their second album to much critical acclaim.
Pluses He’s the epitome of underground cool.
Best date A Proclaimers gig. Bob says their
music makes him want to dance.
Worst date Pianos, a little bar in New York,
where FF played their first American gig,
but where no one was allowed to dance.
Worst chat-up line “‘Hey, Bob, I’ll take you
out!’ Geddit?”
PHOTOGRAPH PHIL WILKINSON
12 NEW
Jack Vettriano
Artist, 53
Lives London.
Who is he? Jack is
Britain’s most popular
contemporary artist,
with more than three
million posters and
cards featuring his paintings sold worldwide
to date – more than Monet or Van
Gogh. The arts establishment might not
be a fan of what it refers to as his
“misogynistic soft porn”, but he is highly
prized by private collectors, including Sir
Tim Rice and Jack Nicholson. Last year
Sotheby’s sold The Singing Butler, his most
iconic piece, for £740,000, setting a new
record price for a work by a Scottish artist.
Pluses Cool, bohemian and stylish.
Minuses Jack admits to being “vain and
superficial”.
Worst date “Fumbling around in the back
row of the Troxy Cinema in the 1960s.”
Best date “Getting it spot-on in the back
row of the Troxy Cinema in the 1970s.”
Most memorable chat-up line “Where shall
we have breakfast?”
Worst chat-up line “Jack, I’m your numberone
fan.”
Favourite film Blue Velvet.
Nothing is sexier than... “A high heel or two.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Art critics
who actually take themselves seriously.”
13
5
9
1
Gerard Butler
Actor, 36
Lives London and NYC.
Who is he? Gerard will
be on our screens next
year as a medieval
hero, playing the lead
in Beowulf and Grendel.
At the moment he is in Canada, working
10 NEW
Bob Hardy
Franz Ferdinand
guitarist, 25
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Born in
Bradford, Bob went to
Glasgow School of Art,
allegedly as a result of
his love for Belle and Sebastian. It was
11
NEW
Dougray Scott
Actor, 39
Lives London.
Who is he? Originally
from Fife, Dougray has
cracked Hollywood
with a series of blockbuster
parts, and is
now beginning to command lead roles on
Alan Cumming
Actor, 40
Lives New York.
Who is he? Actor, writer,
director, producer,
designer and unlikely
sex symbol, Alan adds
a new dimension to his
character every five minutes. A star before
he even finished studying at the RSAMD
in Glasgow, he has won more theatre
awards than you could shake a stick at.
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 11

He has had his own talk show and hosted
Saturday Night Live, and enjoyed a film
career that ranges from Reefer Madness to
X2: X-Men United. He is currently doing
voiceover work for two big-budget
animation films due out next year.
Pluses He looks good in anything.
Minuses You can never be sure which ‘Alan’
you’re going to meet.
Favourite film “Waiting for Guffman. I’ve
seen it eight or nine times. It taught me a
lot about America.”
What would you put in Room 101? Bigotry and
homophobia. Alan publicly campaigns for
gay rights and Aids awareness.
Rory
McCann (19)
PHOTOGRAPH ROBERT PERRY
feature-length TV dramas, Legless and
Perfect Day. He still puts in hours with
YCSA, a youth counselling agency, and
helped launch the ‘No Place for Racism’
campaign.
Pluses No man has looked that good in a
kilt since Mel Gibson. Watch out for him
performing in a Strictly Come Highland
Dancing special for Children in Need.
Most romantic gesture “A Valentine’s story
spelled out using only Love Hearts.”
Favourite film The Man Who Would Be King.
Favourite book Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.
Nothing is sexier than... “A woman in nothing
but good shoes.”
What would you put in Room 101? “George W.”
14 NEW
John Kerr
Ice skater, 25
Lives Livingston.
Who is he? John is
making his mark on
the ice-skating world,
along with his sister
and skating partner
Sinead (33 on our women’s list). When
he’s not training in Italy or travelling the
globe to compete, John is honing his
technique closer to home, at Murrayfield
ice-rink, in Edinburgh. He also loves
clubbing and by all accounts is
a real John Travolta on the dancefloor.
Minuses Training for the Olympics is a fulltime
job, so you might feel a tad neglected.
Best date “Dancing the night away with a
gorgeous Italian diva in Milan.”
Worst chat-up line “Do you have a
boyfriend?” “No.” “Want one?”
Favourite film Gladiator.
Favourite book “It Ain’t About the Bike,
Lance Armstrong’s autobiography.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A girl who can
dance and shake her butt like Beyoncé.”
15
10
Martin Compston
Actor, 21
Lives Greenock.
Who is he? When you
go from obscurity to
stardom in the space of
one film, Hollywood is
bound to come calling.
Fortunately, Martin displayed more of the
maturity that landed him the lead in Ken
Loach’s Sweet Sixteen in 2002, and decided
to hone his skills on the last two series of
Monarch of the Glen instead. “It has been
my drama school,” he says. The move
paid off, as he has just filmed A Guide to
Recognising Your Saints in New York, with
Robert Downey Jr. His second movie with
Loach, Tickets, is out on December 2.
Worst chat-up line “I can’t remember my
phone number. Can I have yours?”
Favourite film Eternal Sunshine of the
Spotless Mind.
Favourite book “Glue by Irvine Welsh. It’s so
similar to how I grew up.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Angelina Jolie
wearing nothing but a Celtic top.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Big Brother.”
Where will you be in ten years? “I’ll be 31. I
don’t want to think about that.”
16 NEW
Alex Lambah
Plastic surgeon, 36
Lives Aberdeen.
Who is he? A specialist
registrar in plastic
surgery, Alex is based
at the Royal Infirmary
in Aberdeen, where he
does reconstructive work on facial and
hand traumas. He also performs skin
grafts and breast reconstructions and
treats around 50 burns patients a year.
Originally from the Midlands, Alex
graduated in medicine at St Andrews and
spent four years in Edinburgh doing his
basic surgery training and a research
degree. He is around four years away from
being a consultant, and is about to move
to Glasgow to take up a similar post at the
Royal Infirmary there.
Pluses Alex swims three times a week and
enjoys classical and modern jazz.
Minuses He has just bought a flat in
Glasgow, so you’ll probably find him
lurking in Ikea.
17 NEW
James Gammell
Entrepreneur, 29
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? He is
managing director
of his own company,
Atlantic Sports Cars,
which specialises in
importing American ‘supercars’ and has a
turnover of over £1.5 million. He also
owns a Perthshire estate.
Pluses A cute guy, a fast car with the top
down and the open road.
Minuses Speed isn’t always impressive.
Best date “Lying in the heather, having a
picnic at the top of Mount Blair, Glenisla.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Eating and
eventually throwing ice-cream in bed; if
she finds it funny, you’re on to a winner.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Married to
the perfect wife, with two kids, business
still flourishing. But most of all, happy.”
18
2
Atta Yaqub
Actor, 26
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Auctioned
off for charity at our
eligibles party last
year, Atta has been
keeping busy over the
past 12 months. He has appeared in two
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19 NEW
Rory McCann
Actor, 36
Lives Glencoe and
London.
Who is he? As the face –
and torso – of Scott’s
Porage Oats, Rory was
making the heart of
many a Scotswoman flutter when he
landed the part of wheelchair-user Kenny
McLeod in the cult television drama The
Book Group. His performance won him a
Scottish Bafta for Best TV Performance in
2002. He has since popped up in Young
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
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November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 13

ELIGIBLE MEN
Adam, Rockface II and Oliver Stone’s epic
Alexander. This year he filmed Beowulf
and Grendel with Gerard Butler, and is
currently shooting the third series of
Shameless, in which he plays a priest.
Pluses Tall (6ft 6in), dark (brown hair,
brown eyes) and handsome (remember
that grin from the TV ads?), with a voice
that’ll make your knees go weak.
Minuses He has a fierce temper.
Best date “My birthday – April 24, 1969.”
Worst date “My next birthday.”
Best chat-up line “Lift your kilt.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A brown-eyed girl.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Porridge.”
Where will you be in ten years? Lairding it up
in his very own castle in Glencoe.
20 NEW
Donnie Macfadyen
Rugby player, 26
Lives Loch Lomond.
Who is he? Donnie has
played for Glasgow
Warriors since he was
19 years old, as well
as a stint for Scotland,
until a knee injury at the beginning of this
year put him out of action. Long term, he
hopes to complete the degree in sports
science that he abandoned to play rugby
professionally, and specialise in strength
and conditioning coaching.
Pluses Injury time is frustrating, but it has
a few bonuses. He is currently ‘resting’ his
knee on holiday in San Diego.
Minuses Don’t get in any trouble – his dad,
the Rt Hon Lord Macfadyen, is a High
Court judge.
Best date “Walking up Calton Hill in
Edinburgh to watch the sun set.”
Favourite book Shutter Island by
Dennis Lehane.
Favourite film Jerry Maguire.
Nothing is sexier than… “Beautiful eyes.”
What would you put in Room 101? “The cult
of celebrity.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Just retired
from rugby and back at university.”
21
NEW
Calum Lawrie
Cocktail-maker, 27
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Calum is one
third of Barnomadics,
the drinks firm behind
various glamorous
events, including the
Cannes Film Festival, the after-party at the
MTV awards and the media village at the
G8 summit in Gleneagles. Calum has won
Bartender of the Year, among other awards.
Pluses He’ll fix you a mean drink, and he
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has a flair for cooking.
Favourite film Studio 54.
Favourite book Hunter S Thompson’s The
Rum Diary.
Nothing is sexier than... “A girl who
appreciates good rum and drinks tequila.
Being brunette helps too!”
What would you put in Room 101? “Seagulls.”
22
14
Richard Smith
Screenwriter, 27
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Following
the success of his film
Trauma, starring Colin
Firth and Mena Suvari,
and his Bafta-winning
short film Leonard, Richard was asked to
write a script about “poker, obsession and
addiction”. As a result, he has been in Las
Vegas researching gambling, and is also in
negotiations to make a sci-fi film.
Pluses He plays guitar and keyboards, and
loves snowboarding and travelling.
Minuses He calls Glasgow home, but hasn’t
spent much time there.
Best date “A day-trip to Lapland, acting like
big kids and meeting Santa Claus.”
Favourite film Memento.
Nothing is sexier than... “Someone who
doesn’t know how sexy they really are.”
What would you put in Room 101? “People
who walk slowly and diagonally across
the pavement.”
23 NEW
Andy Miller
Entrepreneur, 37
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? A farm boy
from East Lothian who
set off round the world
to find his fortune,
Andy’s entrepreneurial
instincts didn’t take long to surface. “I
bought Inca jewellery in Peru, then sold it
a month later in Australia, which paid for
most of my trip.” With two successful
businesses under his belt, he started I Like
It Raw, making fresh fruit salads; four
years on, the firm supplies 500 outlets. A
keen rugby player, he also likes tennis and
golf and has begun learning the sax.
Pluses You’ll never go hungry again.
Minuses He’s the only bachelor in a group
of married friends – never a good sign.
Best date A dinner to celebrate his birthday
at a fabulous restaurant on Loch Lomond,
followed by a night in a country B&B.
Worst date One that ended with his date
stating he “wasn’t good enough” for her.
Most romantic gesture He once whisked a
girlfriend off to Paris for the weekend.
Favourite film Gladiator.
Nothing is sexier than... “Girls in boot-cut
jeans and cowboy boots.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Parking
attendants. Every last one of them.”
24 NEW
Fraser Watts
Cricketer, 26
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Cricket had
everyone hooked this
summer, and though
Fraser wasn’t part
of England’s Ashes
victory, the Scotland cricketer has had a
successful year in his own right. He played
a vital role in the team’s recent ICC trophy
win in Dublin, which meant Scotland
qualified for the 2007 World Cup. As one
of Scotland’s most valuable batsmen, he
works hard to raise the profile of the game.
Minuses He spends most winters abroad,
playing cricket and topping up his tan –
at the moment he’s in South Africa, at
the Institute of Sport in Pretoria.
Best date “In Australia a few years ago: we
had a meal and then walked home along
the seafront, watching the sun set.”
Favourite film A Beautiful Mind.
What would you put in Room 101? “Ignorant,
lazy and bad-mannered people.”
25 NEW
Dominic Ryan
Explorer and travel
writer, 36
Lives Ayrshire.
Who is he? You can’t
beat Dominic for
passport stamps. The
freelance journalist
travels the world in search of adventure.
Recently he found himself in a kickboxing
ring in Phuket (he lost), swimming with
sharks in the South Seas and fleeing
rampaging hippos in Zambia.
Pluses He lives in a romantic 200-year-old
farm cottage.
Minuses Relationships are difficult, given
the amount of time he spends abroad.
Best date “Diving in the Maldives.”
Worst chat-up line “Your dad’s a thief. He
must have stolen the stars and put them
in your eyes.”
Favourite book The Education of Little Tree
by Forrest Carter. “Guaranteed to make
you laugh and cry.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Fake tan.”
26
39
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
Robin Sieger
Motivational guru, 49
Lives London.
Who is he? Success,
according to Robin, is
not a matter of luck,
but of design. It’s a
principle he applied to
his own life when, at the age of 29, he was
diagnosed with cancer, and he has used
his recovery to turn his life around. The
author of Natural Born Winners, Robin is
14 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

employed to speak at conferences for IBM,
Coca-Cola, Nokia and HSBC. His latest
book, 42 Days to Wealth, Health and
Happiness, will be published in January.
Most romantic gesture He invited a girl to go
camping in the Highlands, drove her to a
remote campsite, then took her straight
on to Skibo Castle.
Favourite film The Natural.
Nothing is sexier than... “That first glance
when you both just know.”
What would you put in Room 101? “People
who describe themselves as easy-going,
and who are anything but.”
27 NEW
Ryan Sharp
Racing driver, 26
Lives Aberdeen
and Switzerland.
Who is he? Ryan has
lived and breathed
racing since he first
stepped on to a go-kart
track at the age of 11. “I was hooked and
immediately began competing.” It wasn’t
long before he won the British championships,
and at the age of 16 he progressed
to racing cars. From winning the Scottish
Formula Ford in 2001, he signed to Swiss
team Jenzer in 2003, and is now tipped to
win the Renault World Series – the prize
for which is a contract with Formula 1.
Pluses He’s incredibly fit and can whisper
sweet nothings to you in three languages.
Most romantic gesture Anything with more
thought than money in it.
Best chat-up line “You look like a bad girl.”
Favourite film Scarface.
Favourite book Papillon by Henri Charrière.
Nothing is sexier than... “Eye-contact and a
smile from across the bar.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Smokers.”
Where will you be in ten years? “The
champion of Formula 1, of course!”
Bob Hardy (10)
PHOTOGRAPH LOIUS LANZANO/AP
28 NEW
Jamie Michie
Actor, 29
Lives London.
Who is he? You might
have spotted Jamie in
Footballers’ Wives or
Holby City. The actor
has also played Robert
Burns, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet.
For the past six months, he has been
filming the fourth series of Ultimate Force
alongside Ross Kemp, which will be
screened on ITV next year.
Pluses With a weakness for designer labels,
he’ll be the first to go shopping with you.
Minuses Going out for “a couple of drinks”
with Jamie usually results in a 5am finish.
Nothing is sexier than… “A woman who
appreciates good food.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Council tax.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Flying across
the Rockies on a jet-pack.”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 15

ELIGIBLE MEN
29 NEW
Robin Smith
Inventor, 27
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Co-founder
of 4cdesign, a firm
that comes up with
product ideas for
clients ranging from
Red Bull to Hasbro and Mothercare. He
is also an extreme-sports enthusiast and
owns a couple of flats in Glasgow.
Pluses Robin’s inventiveness can be a
lifesaver. Earlier this year, he devised a
pulley to rescue fellow skiers in the Alps.
Minuses Sub-zero temperatures and a stiff
breeze actually entice Robin outside.
Most romantic gesture He once took a girl
‘extreme-dining’ at the top of the Campsie
hills, with champagne under a waterfall.
30 NEW
Andy ‘Boogie’
Bouglas
Radio presenter, 34
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Boogie has a
breakfast show on
Forth One radio, and
has interviewed a host
of stars, including Madonna, Justin
Timberlake and George Michael. He has
even sung a duet on air with Kylie. He is
game for anything: from sponsoring a
girls’ hockey team to blagging his way
to Australia to do the show from Down
Under, there’s no limit to what he’ll get
up to on the radio. And let’s not forget his
recent on-air campaign to get on this list.
Pluses He gets up at 4am, but he usually
heads back to bed for a nap. So if you’re
looking for afternoon action…
Minuses He is petrified of spiders, so don’t
expect to be rescued.
Worst date “A first date with a girl who
started snogging someone else.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Bus lanes.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Still on radio
and being a TV football commentator.”
31
17
Blair Young
Video director, 29
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Since
founding the Forest
of Black production
company, the Ayrshireborn
music video artist
and film-maker has gone from strength
to strength. The producer of Belle and
Sebastian’s Fans Only DVD, he has also
worked on promos for Teenage Fanclub
and The Proclaimers. He has recently been
approached to do the photography for the
latest Sons and Daughters album, as well
as artwork for Camera Obscura and live
documentary work for Franz Ferdinand.
Pluses He may discover the next big thing.
Minuses “Moody, a shower of
contradictions and a touch jaded.”
Most romantic gesture “Nothing makes me
feel as wanted as a nose nestling into my
bare chest, with an arm clinging on.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Accidentally
touching when trying to hear what
someone you’ve just met is saying.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Daytime
television shows, and all their guests.”
Where will you be in ten years? “I wouldn’t
want things to be so predictable.”
32 NEW
David Boyle,
Lord Kelburn
Architect, 25
Lives Ayrshire.
Who is he? As heir to
Kelburn Castle, David
has been getting to
grips with the prospect
of one day running the place. He is also
carving out a career for himself as an
architect, and has just finished building
his first house. He loves art and often
creates his own abstract pieces.
Pluses Think of the house parties.
Minuses It’s as much a business as a home.
Best date “Hot-air ballooning over the west
coast on a beautiful morning.”
Most romantic gesture “I once made a clay
sculpture for a girl, of her.”
Favourite book One Hundred Years of
Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Favourite film The Birdman of Alcatraz.
Nothing is sexier than… “A woman who really
knows how to dance and smells fantastic.”
Where will you be in ten years? “With my own
architecture firm, and having set up a
relaxed film centre with my sister.”
33 NEW
Anthony Boyle
Entrepreneur, 30
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? He’s behind
two of Edinburgh’s
newest and most
successful bars:
Villager and Dragonfly.
Anthony formed the company Blue Steel
with two friends in 2003, and the trio
have spent most of this year picking up
trophies. Blue Steel has two more barrelated
projects in the pipeline, which
Anthony reckons “could double the size
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16 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

of the company”. He divides his working
week between this and Stolen Agency,
Edinburgh’s first model firm, which he
set up with another friend.
Pluses Invites to all the parties and bar
openings you could want.
Best date “We went quad-biking in Fife,
came home for a shower and had dinner
at Rhubarb in Prestonfield.”
Most romantic gesture Taking a girl to New
York for Valentine’s Day.
What would you put in Room 101? “Neds.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Working in
the Mediterranean, in the sun, hopefully.”
34 NEW
Captain Stewart
Webster
Airline pilot, 39
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Stewart, a
former model, has had
a varied career as a
pilot: he spent nine
years in the Australian air force, worked on
a programme helping Aborigines return to
their homeland and has flown pop stars
such as Sting and the Westlife boys to gigs.
Now he works for British Midland, flying
to London and Europe.
Minuses Stewart grew up on a vineyard in
Australia but can’t tell you much about
wine. “I spent most of my time on my
motorbike, chasing kangaroos and emus.”
Worst date “I was driving to have dinner
with a girl, and it turned out that she was
in the car behind me. She crashed into the
back of me at a roundabout and denied it
was her fault – an expensive date.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A person who looks
after themselves and has a great smile.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Still flying,
running a business and settled with kids.”
35
31
Patrick Harvie
Green MSP, 32
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? After being
voted ‘One to Watch’
at last year’s Politician
of the Year awards,
Patrick has made the
shortlist for the second year running. He is
also a director of the Glasgay arts festival
and a self-confessed computer geek.
Pluses Patrick splits his time between
Edinburgh and Glasgow, so can mix you
a killer gin martini on either coast.
Minuses He’s “a tragic Doctor Who fan”.
Best date “Galleries make a great date –
there’s enough distraction to fill awkward
silences, but not spoil good conversation.”
Favourite film The Day the Earth Caught Fire.
Favourite book “Deadly Sunshine, by David
Harvie, as he dedicated it to me.”
What would you put in Room 101? “People
who board the train before letting others
off; 4x4s; MS Windows; political apathy.”
Anthony Boyle (33)
and Calum Lawrie (21)
36 NEW
Yuri Janssen
Fly-fisherman, 26
Lives Aberdeen.
Who is he? Yuri devotes
his life to country
pursuits. He spent
eight years working at
the MalaMala game
reserve in South Africa, where he became
camp manager. Now he is studying for a
geography degree in Aberdeen. He divides
his time between the city and Glenlivet,
where his family run a hotel and he takes
guests fly-fishing.
Pluses Yuri is fearless and his love of the
wilderness is legendary.
Minuses He used to be an avid snake
collector. As a boy, he had 32 of them,
including a python called Monty.
Favourite films “Out of Africa and A River
Runs Through It – a fly-fishing classic.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A good-looking
woman in tweeds.”
37 NEW
Damian O’Leary
Personal trainer, 26
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Originally
from Dublin, Damian
is now based in
Edinburgh, where he
works as a personal
trainer at Holmes Place health club.
Pluses He looks after himself and has the
gift of the gab – in English and Spanish.
Minuses He gets up close with fit ladies.
Worst date “I took my date to my work,
and got caught up in a refrigeration leak.
Firemen in chemical suits wanted us to
strip and go through a decontamination
unit, and then go to hospital. My date
refused, so she was arrested.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A girl in my shirt.”
Where will you be in ten years? “I’d like to be a
celebrity trainer in Hollywood.”
38
37
Adam Blyde
Ballet dancer, 23
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Adam is
with Scottish Ballet
and was promoted to
coryphée this summer.
At Christmas, the
troupe will be doing a production of
Cinderella, in which Adam has three roles.
Pluses He is as at home on a club
dancefloor as he is on stage.
Minuses His job has its drawbacks. He “just
can’t risk” ice-skating at Christmas.
Favourite book “The Time Traveller’s Wife,
by Audrey Niffenegger. I loved it.”
Favourite film The Hours.
Nothing is sexier than... “A friendly smile.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Bad
manners, spitting and soap operas.”
Where will you be in ten years? “If not
dancing, then running my own book shop
on the coast, with a man and a dog.”
PHOTOGRAPH ALAN PEEBLES
39 NEW
Freddy Antabi
Hairdresser, 30
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Freddy
grew up in war-torn
Lebanon and came
to the UK aged 18,
working as a model
and waiter. He set up his own business,
Freddy Antabi Hairdressers, in the New
Town a year and a half ago.
Pluses It’s not all work. Freddy recharges
his batteries with long weekends away. At
Christmas, he’ll be on the beach in Dubai.
Minuses With those exotic looks, you might
have to compete for a date.
Favourite film As Good As It Gets.
Nothing is sexier than… “A sense of humour.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Hairy bits.”
Where will you be in ten years? “With a chain
of salons, a wife and two kids.”
40
Phil MacHugh
Model and TV
Presenter, 22
Lives “On the M8 –
between the Living
Room bar, Glasgow,
and the Living Room
bar, Edinburgh.”
Who is he? Phil and fellow eligible Ceit
Anna (number 14) front Nochd gun
Chadal, a late-night Gaelic music show,
and which provided coverage of this
year’s Live 8 concert. He also promotes
Gaelic for VisitScotland.
Nothing is sexier than... “Someone who lives
life to the max.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Queues –
I’m very impatient.”
Favourite book “I don’t do books – I’m bored
after the first page. I think it’s called ADD!”
Where will you be in ten years? “As a waxwork
model in Madame Tussauds.”
41
15
NEW
Willie Mitchell
Farmer, 29
Lives Lanarkshire.
Who is he? Willie runs a
3,000-acre farm, part
of which is Scotland’s
first wind farm. But it’s
not all mud, manure
and antisocial hours. He is also a
passionate snowboarder and a keen
wakeboarder, and is always up for a party.
Pluses Looks, charm and charisma.
Minuses He gets up very early.
Best date “A lunch in Monte Carlo.”
Favourite film Risky Business.
Nothing is sexier than... “Beauty, brains and
a gorgeous smile.”
Where will you be in ten years? “As happy
as Larry!”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 17

ELIGIBLE MEN
42 NEW
Gavin Lindsay
Auction-house
manager, 30
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Gavin is the
saleroom manager for
Scotland’s leading
auctioneers, Lyon &
Turnbull. You’ll also find him on the golf
course or grouse moor in East Lothian and
in the hills near his Morayshire cottage.
Pluses A collector of vintage cars,
including a 1950s fire engine.
Minuses “I walk and cycle everywhere”.
Favourite film Vanishing Point.
Favourite book The Asterix stories.
Nothing is sexier than... “Minimal make-up.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Hopefully,
running the auction house.”
43 NEW
Simon Thomson
Businessman, 40
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Simon runs
the commercial side of
Cairn Energy, an oil
and gas exploration
company. Before that,
Freddy
Antabi (39)
he gave up law to write a thriller. Recently
single, he has “four wonderful children”.
Pluses He loves travelling, skiing and “the
idea of playing tennis well”.
Minuses He’s often away on business.
Best date “Lying on Arthur’s Seat on a
summer evening looking at the stars.”
Most romantic gesture Laughter.
Favourite book The Horse Whisperer.
Nothing is sexier than… “Not knowing.”
Where will you be in ten years? “On the run
with a large bag of cash.”
44
Hamish Clark
Actor, 36
Lives London.
Who is he? Since
leaving Monarch of
the Glen, Hamish has
taken parts in Ben
Elton’s latest sitcom,
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6
Blessed, and the romantic comedy
The Only Boy for Me.
Pluses He can now visit the Highlands and
“go hill-walking without make-up on”.
Minuses People know him as Duncan –
including a nurse who wheeled him,
pyjama-clad, into the operating theatre.
Where will you be in ten years? “Hopefully
not on the ‘100 Most Wanted’ list!”
45 NEW
Toby Southgate
Director at Third Eye
Design, 28
Lives Edinburgh
and New York.
Who is he? Soon to be
Third Eye’s ‘man in
New York’, Toby is also
into hockey, cricket and snowboarding.
Pluses The Air Miles.
Best date Dinner in a bedouin tent.
Worst date “I ended up covered in martini.”
Worst chat-up line “Nice shirt. It would look
even better on my bedroom floor.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Living in
Europe, with a big house in the country, a
gorgeous wife and some bilingual kids.”
46
Bryce Potter
Fundraiser, 46
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Yorkshire lad
Bryce is a fundraiser at
Waverley Care HIV
charity. He refers to
Paris as his spiritual
home, after losing his heart there in 1981.
Pluses He makes a great bacon sandwich.
Minuses That’s all he can cook.
Best chat-up line “A barman said, ‘The guy
at the end of the bar says if he gives you
the money, will you buy him a drink?’”
Where will you be in ten years? “Making
cheese on a Tuscan hillside with a flock
of goats and, ideally, a goatherd.”
47
41
Simon Cormack
Naval architect, 29
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Simon is
head of Marine Design
International and is as
happy on the high seas
as on dry land. He is
PHOTOGRAPH PHIL WILKINSON
also “sports mad”, trying everything from
mountain-biking to skiing.
Pluses You can sail off into the sunset.
Best date “The eligibles party 2004!”
Worst date “Later, after too many cocktails.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Me in my kilt, with
a big smile and a can of finest lager!”
48 NEW
Rob Morrice
CEO, Citigate
Smarts, 40-ish
Lives Edinburgh
and Fife.
Who is he? A born
blagger, Rob claims
to have “stealthily
clambered to the top of the greasy pole of
marketing in Scotland”. Married twice
before, the main women in his life are
daughters Lucy and Daisy, while he and
son Owen purport to be Scotland’s most
eligible father and son.
Minuses Comes with baggage.
Where will you be in ten years? “I hope to be
deeply in love with a girl who is deeply in
love with me, with my children around.”
49 NEW
Graham Marwick
Consultant project
manager, 25
Lives Glasgow.
Who is he? Graham
travels the world as
a consultant on IT
strategy as well as
working for IBM. He is also co-producing
a movie being made in Edinburgh.
Pluses He is known to fly friends and
partners to wherever he is missing them.
Minuses He’s rarely in one city for more
than two or three nights at a go.
Nothing is sexier than... Champagne in bed.
What would you put in Room 101? “The
general public – they do my nut in!”
Where will you be in ten years? “Probably still
single and still working far too much.”
50 NEW
David Bassett
Chief executive, 29
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is he? Working for
the British Trout
Association, David has
also helped design
menswear. He is also
actively involved with his local church.
Pluses Omega-3 fish oils are good for you.
Minuses He is probably more interested in
your soul than your body.
Worst chat-up line “Being asked, ‘So, are you
gay or just really posh?’”
Where will you be in ten years? “Martyred by
the absorbed toxicity of Brasso and starch,
or perhaps something big in sturgeon.”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
18 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

ELIGIBLE WOMEN
The Women
1
NEW
Sharleen Spiteri
Singer, 38
Lives Glasgow and London.
Sharleen is a member of that rare breed, a
celebrity who manages to keep her profile
high while still maintaining a level of
privacy her friend Madonna would give
her eye teeth for. So much so, in fact, that
it was almost a year before Sharleen and
her former partner of almost a decade,
Ashley Heath, revealed that they were no
longer a couple. This is due in no small
part to Sharleen’s excellent management
skills, both of her songwriting and her
business affairs; when revamping their
image in 1997, Texas decided to create a
sexier look for their lead singer, to move
the focus on to her. Their next album,
White on Blonde, became their biggest yet,
and two years later Sharleen’s company,
Summermeadow, paid her an annual
salary of £1.6 million, making her the
highest-paid company director in Scotland
at the time. Beat 106, the radio station she
formed with Ally McCoist and Carol
Smillie in 1998, was sold after eight
months for £32 million.
Of course, she’s most widely known as
the lead singer of one of Scotland’s most
successful bands – 18 years together and
still going strong. Their latest album, Red
Book, has just been released. She has
turned down modelling offers from Calvin
Klein to concentrate on music, and even
said no to a starring role in Moulin Rouge
(reputedly that of Satine) because she
didn’t want to spend a year Down Under.
Just as passionate in her political views,
Sharleen sang at the Make Poverty History
rally this year, and hosts an annual Burns
Supper with Ewan McGregor in aid of the
Children’s Hospice Association for
Scotland and Sargent Cancer Care.
But the biggest event in Sharleen’s life
was the birth of her daughter, Misty Kyd,
now aged three and on tour with her mum.
“My favourite place on earth? At home
with my daughter, cuddling up in bed.”
Pluses Bright, talented, witty, sexy, solvent
and honest.
Minuses You’d have to do something special
to make her think you’re worth the effort.
Best date A meal with Nigel Slater. She’s a
big fan, and uses his cookbook “every day”.
Worst date Any celebrity hangout. She’s no
fan of the paparazzi and says, “If I walked
into a newsagent and saw my face on
some celebrity magazine, I would just die.”
Best chat-up line Anything from a woman.
Sharleen is a lesbian icon and says, “It’s a
bigger compliment when other women
look at you and respect what you are
about. Men have an ulterior motive.”
Favourite movie Dr Zhivago or Pat Garrett
and Billy the Kid. A huge fan of Bob Dylan’s
soundtrack to the latter, Sharleen took her
daughter’s middle name from the title.
Nothing is sexier than... A Debbie Harry
dress. Sharleen’s heroine has given her a
couple of iconic pieces, including the one
she wore in the ‘Heart of Glass’ video.
What would you put in Room 101? GMTV. The
day after giving birth, Sharleen turned on
the TV to hear a news piece on “another
celebrity giving their child a stupid name”,
and understandably got a bit upset.
Where will you be in ten years? “I’d like to go
out gracefully. I know that sounds strange
coming out of my mouth, but I see my
future in the country, breeding chickens.”
2
SAME
Nicola Benedetti
Violinist, 18
Lives Surrey.
Who is she? It has been another cracking
year for Nicola, whose star has been in the
ascendant since she won the BBC Young
Musician of the Year accolade last
summer. Awarded a £1 million record
deal, she has released an album, with
backing by the London Symphony
Orchestra, and toured America to rave
reviews (she received standing ovations in
Michigan, San Diego and LA). She has
also made her recital debut at the Wigmore
Hall and the Festival Hall, on London’s
South Bank, and played to an audience of
50,000 at the Last Night of the Proms.
Despite all her far-flung trips, home for
Nicola is still West Kilbride, where she
took up the violin at the age of four, before
studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School in
Surrey. This year also marked another
momentous occasion: her 18th birthday.
Pluses Her family have a home near
St-Tropez, where her assorted relatives
congregate to eat, drink and have fun.
Minuses Given what’s at stake, she has to
be careful with her hands and arms –
which rules out activities such as skiing.
Most memorable chat-up line Having a
stranger serenade her with Christina
Aguilera’s ‘You Are Beautiful’ in the street
– only to wink and walk off.
Favourite book Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk
to Freedom.
Nothing is sexier than... “A sense of humour.”
PHOTOGRAPH DONALD MACLEOD
Nicola
Benedetti (2)
3
NEW
Ashly Rae
Model and actress, 21
Lives London.
Who is she? Originally
from Banchory, Ashly
started modelling at
the age of eight. She
got £44 for her first
assignment, and had to share it with her
sister. Now, her 37in legs are insured for a
cool £1 million. She modelled Rock &
Republic jeans at Los Angeles fashion
week, has landed herself roles in three
movies (filming is taking her from Las
Vegas one week to Romania the next) and
was recently the subject of a six-page
spread in OK!. All this and she’s just 21.
“I’ve worked very hard,” she says.
“Nothing is handed to you on a plate.”
Pluses Down-to-earth and bubbly, Ashly
also has a high IQ.
Minuses You might have to brush up your
co-ordination skills. She’s “a bit of a pro”
on rollerblades.
Worst date “Going to the cinema for a first
date and not being able to talk.”
Favourite film “Any Christmas film,
especially Santa Claus: The Movie.”
Favourite book “The dictionary.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A little black dress.”
What’s in your bedside drawer? “A diary full
of secrets.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Happy,
successful and with a nice guy.”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
20 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

Sharleen
Spiteri (1)
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 21

ELIGIBLE WOMEN
4 NEW
Sarah Smith
News presenter, 36
Lives London and
Glasgow.
Who is she? Sarah
joined Channel 4 News
in 1998 as Scotland
correspondent, after
working as a reporter on Five and as a BBC
producer. Today, the daughter of the late
John Smith MP fronts the news on More4,
Channel 4’s new channel, each evening.
“It’s different being the presenter. You
don’t have to run around as you do as a
reporter,” she says. This all means she can
better plan her social life – she’s away
with her sisters and mother for Christmas,
to Kenya, India or Thailand.
Pluses Top-class cocktail-mixing skills: she
makes a mean clementine margarita.
Minuses You’d better like DIY. She’s about
to buy a run-down, four-storey house.
Best date “A day on a small boat with a
picnic and a bottle of white wine.”
Worst chat-up line “Confusing a famous
actor with a friend’s brother. I spent 20
minutes insisting that I knew him, really –
and it turned out to be from the telly.”
Most romantic gesture “A man who bought
two copies of a novel so we’d be reading
the same thing when we were apart.”
Favourite film High Society.
What would you put in Room 101? “Suspender
belts. Uncomfortable and tarty-looking.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Hopefully I’ll
have finished renovating that house.”
PHOTOGRAPH PHIL WILKINSON
Danielle
Milne (37)
5 NEW
Laura Swan
Events and community
executive, 24
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A child of
the Live Aid era, Laura
volunteered at Mercycorp,
the Edinburghbased
international relief and development
charity for six months before it could
afford to hire her, waitressing to pay the
bills. Determined to show that charity can
be fun, she has found herself in wet and
wild positions during It’s a Knockout
competitions, and completed a 10k run
dressed as a fairy. This year the charity
launched its appeal for tsunami survivors,
which netted over £500,000. Game for
anything, she loves snowboarding and, if
she had the budget, would have a shoe
collection to rival Imelda Marcos’s.
Pluses She doesn’t do anything by halves
and loves a laugh, normally at herself.
Minuses You may be roped into training for
next year’s charity triathlon.
Most romantic gesture “A long-distance boyfriend
took the night bus from London to
bring me breakfast in bed on my birthday.”
Nothing is sexier than... “When a guy makes
you feel you’re the only girl in the room.”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
22 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

6 NEW
Lauren Tempany
Model, 23
Lives London and NYC.
Who is she? Spotted
when she was 14 at
The Clothes Show, in
Glasgow, Lauren has
modelled for Julien
Macdonald, Nicole Farhi, Miuccia Prada
and Alexander McQueen. This year she
won Most Stylish Female at the Scottish
Style Awards. Now she’s in New York doing
an acting course at the Film Academy
there. “I’m loving it, and am more focused
on that than modelling at the moment,”
she says. But she’ll be back in time to
spend Christmas at home in Linlithgow.
Pluses Her sense of adventure: she’s just
back from travelling in South America.
Minuses Actor? Model? Her future – and
where she’ll be based – looks undecided.
Best date “I’ve had a Sex and the City
summer in New York, going on two or
three dates with different people in a
week. So I’ve been having a lot of fun.”
Worst chat-up line “Did it hurt when you
fell from heaven?”
Favourite film Romeo + Juliet.
Most romantic gesture “A boyfriend who put
up a banner saying ‘I love you, Lauren’.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Charm and humour.”
7
3
Rachel Grant
Actress, 28
Lives Los Angeles.
Who is she? Rachel has
been a body double for
Angelina Jolie in Tomb
Raider, played James
Bond’s masseuse and
would-be assassin in Die Another Day and
stars in the martial-arts film The Purifiers.
The former beauty queen, who is half-
Filipino and half-Scottish, is also to be in
a new sketch show called Hypnogirl, for
Channel 4. This autumn she moved to LA,
where she has been gearing herself up for
the pilot season, which begins in January.
Meanwhile, you can spot her as the face
of the new Carlsberg adverts and in a film
she’s currently working on called Brotherhood
of Blood, with Jason Connery.
Pluses She has royal connections – her
great-grandmother was first cousin to the
late Queen Mother.
Minuses Now that she has emigrated to
California and is on the party circuit in LA,
it’s surely only a matter of time before she
finds herself a Hollywood hunk.
Worst chat-up line “Are you out of breath?
Because you have been running through
my mind all evening.”
Favourite films The Shawshank Redemption,
The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.
Nothing is sexier than... “A man in uniform.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Men’s
smelly socks.”
8 NEW
Maeve Gillies
Jewellery designer, 30
Lives NYC and Edinburgh.
Who is she? Born into a
literary and musical
family, Maeve is the
great-granddaughter of
one of the founders of
the SNP, and is certainly doing her bit to
promote her home country to the rest of
the world. An award-winning jewellery
designer, she has exhibited and taught all
over the globe, selling her designs in more
than 30 countries. Last year she broke out
on her own, founding MaeVona in
Manhattan, supplying exclusive platinum
and diamond designs to the US’s top
retailers and private clients. She is also
“addicted” to motorcycles – “I’ve just sold
my prized Ducati Monster to get
something bigger and faster!”
Pluses Her jewellery collection launch was
sponsored by Ardbeg whisky, and she has
kept plenty over for safekeeping.
Minuses It may be tricky to propose; Maeve
makes engagement rings for a living.
Best date “Can’t say – my mum may read it!”
Worst date “Can’t say – my dad may read it!”
Worst chat-up line “‘I’m an undercover cop.
I can arrest you if you don’t have coffee
with me.’ Even worse, he really was a cop!”
What would you put in Room 101? “Speed
cameras, fake leather and aubergines.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Somewhere
wild and extraordinary, with someone
who matches.”
9 NEW
Jo Stein
Events and screenings
programmer, 25
Lives Glasgow.
Who is she? The face
beneath the golden
mask, Jo organises the
annual Bafta Scotland
Awards, spending the bulk of the year
attending film festivals to choose what she
will then show for Bafta members, as well
as ensuring it’ll be all right on the night.
On her rare evenings off, you can find her
sipping a glass of white wine in Stravaigin
or a coffee in Tinderbox, and she is known
for her infectious laugh.
Pluses “I can sniff out a free bar from a
two-mile radius.”
Minuses A love of 1980s power ballads.
Best date Ice-cream and anoraks while
walking on a blustery beach in Largs.
Most romantic gesture “Sending or receiving
little cards and presents as surprises; it’s
the small things that matter most.”
Worst chat-up line Slurred by a ned on a
street corner: “Haw, doll, fancy a lumber?”
Favourite film Lost in Translation.
Favourite book “There are just too many to
choose from. I’m a bit of a bookworm.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Spontaneity.”
10 NEW
Annie Lennox
Singer and musician, 50
Lives London.
Who is she? Annie was
singing before she can
even remember, and
her four-octave voice is
still going strong. The
Ultimate Collection, a Eurythmics greatest
hits album, was released last month, along
with the new single ‘I’ve Got a Life’. A fourtime
Brit winner (including an Outstanding
Contribution to Music), Annie also
collected the award for Best Original Song
at last year’s Oscars. Always a political
activist, she gave a show-stopping
performance at Live 8 this summer.
Best date Singing ‘Sisters Are Doing it for
Themselves’ to the Queen at her golden
jubilee concert in 2002.
Most romantic gesture When Dave Stewart,
her long-term creative partner, first met
Annie, his first words were reportedly,
“Will you marry me?”
Favourite film Basements. Annie has been in
several films, including Revolution, with
Al Pacino, but this little-known TV film is
consistently mentioned as her best role.
Nothing is sexier than… “To step beyond
gender.” Annie has always enjoyed playing
with her androgynous looks. Accused
of being “a youth-corrupting transvestite”,
she was once asked by US immigration to
provide proof of her sex.
11
1
Rachael Stirling
Actress, 28
Lives London.
Who is she? Still best
known for her lesbian
scenes in the BBC
drama Tipping the
Velvet, Rachael has
been steadily adding credits to her name.
This year she won rave reviews for her
performance in Theatre of Blood (reprising
the role her mother, Diana Rigg, played in
the film 32 years ago), and is currently in
Tamburlaine, the Christopher Marlowe
play. When not working, she loves to have
friends round “to play backgammon”, but
is at her happiest in the countryside
around Stirling, where her father lives.
Pluses She scorns celebrity life and drives
an H-reg Golf – her first and only car.
Minuses She says she has a tendency to
spend too much time on her own.
Best date “In Florence, looking out over the
river in the evening sunshine with some
bread, cheese and a bottle of wine.”
Favourite book Gerald Durrell’s My Family
and Other Animals.
Nothing is sexier than... “Gael Garcia Bernal,
the lead actor in The Motorcycle Diaries.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Still acting,
or in Jenni Murray’s job, presenting
Woman’s Hour. I’m hot for Jenni’s seat.”
12 NEW
Gail Porter
Television presenter, 34
Lives London.
Who is she? Edinburghborn
Gail shot to fame
six years ago, when a
magazine projected an
image of her naked
body on to the Houses of Parliament. She
became an overnight celebrity, and her
career as a TV presenter blossomed. What
followed, though, was marriage break-up
(she and ex-husband Dan Hipgrave have a
daughter, Honey), post-natal depression
and now baldness. Gail has a form of
alopecia that has cost her practically all of
her body hair: “eyelashes, eyebrows, everything
– I don’t have to wax”. Recently, she
has started (casually) dating cameraman
James Lloyd and has been working in
America, on the TV show Dead Famous.
Pluses Despite her troubles, Gail is fun,
bright and endearingly honest about her
condition, recently describing herself as
“something out of Star Trek”.
Minuses She’s still a paparazzi favourite,
so a low-profile relationship is unlikely.
Favourite book Patrick Suskind’s Perfume.
What would you put in Room 101? People who
over-react to her baldness. A magazine
nominated her for a bravery award, and
she told them to stop being so ridiculous.
13 NEW
Clare Thommen
Lingerie guru, 26
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Clare’s
passion for designer
lingerie led her to quit
her job as a chartered
accountant and cofound
Boudiche, a boutique just opened
on Edinburgh’s Frederick Street. Last year,
she went travelling around southern
Africa, where she tried sky-diving and
cage-diving with great white sharks.
Pluses She wears the best underwear in
town, but is happy to don her sports kit
too: she kite-surfs and plays touch rugby.
Minuses That sentimental, moth-eaten pair
of boxer shorts will have to go.
Worst date “A guy who brought his dog
along to the pub and then had more
dialogue with her than me.”
Worst chat-up line “A groom on his stag-do
once told me, ‘This is not a chat-up line,
but you have the most beautiful eyes I’ve
ever seen.’”
Most romantic gesture “Breakfast and
flowers delivered on my doorstep.”
Favourite book Harry Potter and the
Philospher’s Stone.
Favourite film Love Actually.
Nothing is sexier than… “A big, gorgeous
smile and a twinkle in the eye.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Grey
underwear and multi-packs of pants.”
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 23

ELIGIBLE WOMEN
14
NEW
Ceit Anna Macleod
TV presenter, 21
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A native of
Lewis, Ceit Anna grew
up in a Gaelic-speaking
household. She put
her knowledge to good
use when she began presenting various
BBC Gaelic TV and radio programmes.
She and Phil MacHugh (number 40 on
our men’s list) now present Nochd gun
Chadal (Tonight Without Sleep), showcasing
up-and-coming bands. She also
has a first-class honours degree in law.
Pluses She plays as hard as she works, and
is a regular at the hippest clubs in town.
Minuses “I don’t want to be tied down.”
Best date “When you actually forget you’re
on a date.”
Favourite book The Witches by Roald Dahl.
Nothing is sexier than... “A guy wearing the
perfect jeans.”
15
11
Francesca Contini
Manager, Vincaffe, 25
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Francesca is
in charge of Vincaffe, a
popular wine bar, café
and shop in Edinburgh.
Rose Gray and Ruth
Rogers, of the River Café, chose it as a
venue for their book signing, as did
Nigella Lawson. Francesca has been
adding events of her own, too, with a
book group, film nights and live jazz.
Pluses Daughter of the owners of the
renowned Valvona & Crolla deli, she can
tell you everything you need to know
about parmesan, prosciutto or pancetta.
Minuses When will you see her? She works
from 7am until late, six days a week.
Best date “A windy picnic on Seton Sands.”
Favourite film Cinema Paradiso.
Nothing is sexier than... “A man who knows
how to dance.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Monday
mornings.”
16
20
Karen Koren
Artistic director, Gilded
Balloon, 55
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Named Top
Comedy Talent-spotter
earlier this year,
Karen’s track record
speaks for itself. Many comedians began
their careers on the Gilded Balloon stage,
including Bill Bailey and Peter Kay. The
venue enjoyed one of its best festivals this
year, with two Fringe Firsts, two Perrier
nominations and a Best Actor award. “It
made me remember why I got into such a
difficult business,” she says.
Pluses Older and wiser than most, but
young at heart.
Minuses She has already heard all the
jokes. No, seriously. All of them.
Best date “Being taken to a country-house
hotel for dinner by a man I was crazy
about, then deciding to stay the night.”
Worst date “The man who could only talk
about his dead wife and his own illnesses.”
Favourite film Chocolat.
Favourite book “Perfume. A magical story.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Me after a couple
of drinks. Ha!”
What would you put in Room 101? “Neds, binge
drinkers and Edinburgh’s traffic system.”
PHOTOGRAPH PHIL WILKINSON
Anna
Kornahrens (36)
17 NEW
Tara Benson
Creative director, 35
Lives Shetland.
Who is she? Tara works
for Blackwood Distillers,
producer of gin
and vodka made from
ingredients grown on
the Shetland Isles. Her jet-setting job
has taken her from America to Chile,
Argentina, Singapore, Hong Kong, New
Zealand and Australia – and that’s just in
the last three months. Home, when she’s
there, is a house in Shetland, surrounded
by the sea on three sides. “The only
drawback is having to keep a peat fire
going constantly,” she says.
Pluses You won’t be bored. She is as happy
watching Arsenal play as she is clubbing
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
24 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

or spending the evening at the ballet.
Minuses She is not one for housework.
“I’d rather starve and have a cleaner.”
Best date A champagne picnic on the
clifftops of Cornwall, for her birthday.
Favourite book “Louis de Bernières’
magical realism trilogy.”
What would you put in Room 101? “People
who say ‘no’ or ‘not possible’.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Blissfully in
love with the father of my future children.”
18 NEW
Amelia Lister-Kaye
Eco-warrior, 29
Lives Inverness-shire.
Who is she? With a PhD
in restoration ecology,
Amelia currently helps
her father run the Aigas
Field Centre in Beauly,
Scotland’s leading nature studies and
environmental education centre. She hopes
to spend six months in Bangladesh next
year, working on a human-rights project.
Pluses Her sense of adventure. Amelia has
driven across South Africa, tracked polar
bears in the Arctic and is currently sailing
around the Galapagos islands.
Minuses Can you keep up?
Best date “A boyfriend asked me to pick a
colour to paint his bedroom, which we
did, in bright-green, drawing pictures and
colouring them over while listening to
Schubert and dancing around.”
Most romantic gesture “When I moved to a
remote place in the Highlands, a friend
turned up with a big parcel; inside was a
record player and lots of old vinyl – fab.”
Favourite book Down and Out in Paris and
London, by George Orwell.
Nothing is sexier than… “A man who smells
good naturally.”
19
12
Mary Dickson
MD, First ScotRail, 35
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Mary has
responsibility for one
of the largest and most
complex rail franchises
in the UK. It’s no easy
task keeping passengers happy and trains
running on time, but her first year in the
post has been a positive one, and last
month she won Businesswoman of the
Year at the Insider Elite Awards.
Pluses She’s a keen golfer and skier, but
horseriding is her greatest passion.
Minuses A high-pressure job.
Best date “Eating oysters in a small hotel on
the shores of Loch Fyne, in great company.”
Worst chat-up line “It’s so good chatting
with you, Susan!”
Nothing is sexier than... “A well-dressed man
in a suit and open shirt.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Crazy Frog.”
Where will you be in ten years? “I’m a woman
of extremes. Either I’ll be running a large
plc or I’ll be at home with the kids, dogs
and horses.”
20 NEW
Heather Duncan
Chief executive,
Scottish Ensemble, 44
Lives Glasgow.
Who is she? A graduate
of the Royal Academy
of Music in London,
Heather has worked as
a cellist in London and Italy. She has
run the Scottish Ensemble since 1998,
securing high-profile appearances all over
the world for the talented group. She is
also a deputy lieutenant of the City of
Glasgow, chaperoning VIPs – most
recently the Princess Royal and Prince
Edward – around the city.
Most romantic gesture “A date swapped
plates with me in a restaurant in France
when my order turned out to be a whole,
filled sheep’s stomach. Heroic.”
Favourite film Sideways.
What would you put in Room 101? “Those
late-night taxi queues.”
21
42
Caroline Michie
Doctor, 26
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A specialist
registrar at Edinburgh’s
Western General,
Caroline looks after all
the women in southeast
Scotland who are having chemotherapy
for breast and ovarian cancer.
Pluses Caroline really cares about her
job, and it shows – four of her patients
nominated her for this list.
Best date Sailing round the Whitsunday
islands, in Queensland.
Worst date “Being seated in a restaurant at
a table right next to an ex-boyfriend – not
ideal for sparkling conversation.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Visa card
bills, my mortgage and bad-hair days.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Hopefully a
fully fledged oncologist in Edinburgh and,
with a bit of luck, having achieved something
meaningful in cancer research.”
22 NEW
Karen Burnett
SRU national team
co-ordinator, 38
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Karen makes
sure all the Scotland
rugby team’s off-pitch
arrangements run
smoothly. Whether it’s organising travel
and hotels or saving the day when a
Melissa
Piper (39)
player forgets his suit for a function, she
ensures the team can focus on the game.
Pluses She genuinely won’t mind if all you
do is watch, play or talk about rugby.
Minuses Watching her go off on tour with
30 rugby players might make you jealous.
Best date “A windswept walk on Gullane
Beach – freezing but very nice.”
Most romantic gesture “Sending a courier
with Sudafed and Nurofen to someone
with a bad cold.”
Favourite film “Bull Durham – sport and
romance, that’s my perfect combination.”
Favourite book After You’d Gone, by Maggie
O’Farrell.
What would you put in Room 101? “Rudeness.”
23 NEW
Sue Finlay
Director of sales and
marketing, Edinburgh’s
Sheraton Grand Hotel
and Spa, 36
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A girl who
likes to party as hard
as she works, Sue sees her job as more of
a “lifestyle”, enjoying the travelling, good
food and wine that it entails. She still
somehow has energy left over to play golf
and take salsa lessons.
Pluses Never a dull moment, plus access to
the most exclusive gym and spa in town.
Favourite film When Harry Met Sally.
Nothing is sexier than... “Someone who has
confidence, is happy in themselves and
makes you laugh without even trying.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Just as happy
as I am now.”
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Fri 25th Nov - Sun 27th Nov
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With unlimited free parking, this event offers a
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decorated for Christmas
Entry £5.00 (a percentage of the entry
fee will be donated to The Sick Kids
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South Queensferry 0131 331 2451
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 25

ELIGIBLE WOMEN
24 NEW
Kelly Valentine
Hendry
Casting director, 28
Lives London.
Who is she? Always
“on the lookout for the
next Orlando Bloom or
Keira Knightley”, Kelly
has worked with directors such as Ron
Howard and Peter Jackson. An Elgin girl
with an MA from St Andrews, she trained
as a stage manager and spent a year with
the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Pluses Kelly plays a mean 18 holes, and
her brother is a professional golfer.
Minuses One drink too many, and she has a
habit of curling up to sleep on the floor.
Best date “Walking through moonlit woods
at the age of 15 with my boyfriend when
he told me he loved me for the first time.”
Worst chat-up line “Aren’t you that nun from
Big Brother?”
Favourite film The Hours.
Nothing is sexier than... “Sharing a lazy,
laughter-filled Sunday morning in bed.”
25 NEW
Ali Curran
Director of Glasgow’s
Tron Theatre, 34
Lives Glasgow
and Dublin.
Who is she? Ali started
out treading the boards
in her native Belfast
before taking a marketing degree and
becoming director of the Dublin Fringe
Festival. She moved to Glasgow in May,
and says she has fallen in love with the city.
Pluses Eternally optimistic, Ali either won’t
or can’t see the minuses in life.
Minuses “What minuses?”
Most romantic gesture “Waking up to find
my bedroom filled with flowers.”
Worst chat-up line “I thought you were
really nice until you opened your mouth.”
Favourite film La Dolce Vita.
Favourite book The Corrections by
Jonathan Franzen.
Nothing is sexier than... “Swimming naked.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Tony Blair.”
26 NEW
Fiona Kinsella
Managing director, 35
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Fiona
manages Moonstone
International, one of
the most powerful
organisations in the
British film industry, offering training for
writers and directors from all over Europe.
She is no stranger to celebrity, having
worked in the Irish film industry on
Saving Private Ryan and Reign of Fire.
Pluses You can be her ‘plus one’ on red
carpets in Cannes, LA and New York.
Worst chat-up line “Years ago someone tried
to lure me into his bedroom with the line,
‘Ah, go on, I’ve got the internet in there.’
Think 1997 and read that with a thick
Irish accent and you’ll see why I laughed.”
Favourite film Some Like it Hot.
Nothing is sexier than... “A really nice smile.”
27
47
Zoë Eeles
Actress, 30
Lives London.
Who is she? Zoë started
off on TV (Rockface;
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet),
but lately she has been
writing. She already
has one children’s book, The Clementine
Tree, under her belt and has just finished a
second. She has also written a short film,
which she’s hoping to direct in 2006.
Pluses She’s homesick in London, and
hopes to move back to Scotland next year.
Best date “It was in the Highlands and
lasted a week.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Sadistic
bus drivers who abuse their power.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Living by the
sea with six kids, hair down to my knees.”
28 NEW
Carrie Ruxton
Nutritionist, 38
Lives Fife.
Who is she? Carrie is a
qualified nutritionist
and sports dietician
with a PhD in child
nutrition who runs a
consultancy, Nutrition Communications,
Jo Stein (9)
in Cupar. Her clients range from health
boards to multinationals.
Pluses A desire to make a difference.
Minuses How guilty will you feel if caught
with a fish supper and a can of Irn-Bru?
Worst date “A ‘meet the parents’ dinner
with my first boyfriend. His dad got pissed
and fondled my mum’s leg.”
Nothing is sexier than… “Men who smell of
soap and water, rather than aftershave.”
29 NEW
Judith Doherty
Producer and artistic
director, Grid Iron, 34
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? One of the
most influential and
well-respected theatre
producers in Scotland.
Worst chat-up line “You’re cute. If you
PHOTOGRAPH ROBERT PERRY
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
26 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

weren’t so old, I would have tried my luck
ages ago.”
Favourite films “Jean de Florette and Manon
des Sources. I also loved Sin City. ”
Nothing is sexier than... “A keen mind and a
great sense of humour.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Anchovies.
What’s the point of a hairy fish?”
30 NEW
Elly Rothnie
Festival producer, 28
Lives Aberdeen.
Who is she? Director of
Word, the University
of Aberdeen’s writers’
festival. Under Elly’s
guiding hand, Word has
turned into one of Scotland’s most successful
and chic literary events, bringing the
literati north-east every May for a stellar
line-up of writers, musicians and artists.
Best chat-up line “A boy I’d only met once
invited me out to my favourite Aberdeen
bar – even though he lived in London.”
Worst chat-up line “So, El, how about the
three of us go out tonight? You, me and
romance.”
Favourite book “James Meek’s The People’s
Act of Love just blew me away.”
Nothing is sexier than... “The moment before
the first kiss.”
31 NEW
Heidi Tweedie
Media consultant, 26
Lives Glasgow.
Who is she? Heidi is
currently working in
radio production with
Saga 105.2FM and
Radio Magnetic, and
as a teacher of mental-health awareness
and a media consultant for voluntarysector
projects. She also spends a lot of
time at the gym, up a hill or socialising.
She loves the variety of her lifestyle, but
rarely meets bachelors able to keep up.
Best date “A helicopter ride to a beautiful
snow-capped mountain and a sleigh to the
bottom, followed by an outdoor hot tub,
the northern lights and pink champagne.”
Worst chat-up line “Please don’t move, I have
a perfect view of your cleavage from here.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A candlelit massage.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Snakes; all
creatures should have legs, wings or fins.”
32 NEW
Allison McKenzie
Actress, 26
Lives Glasgow.
Who is she? Allison has
played Joanne Rossi
in River City for three
years. She began her
career at the Dundee
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
Rep, where she performed in front of
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.
Minuses Not a girl for teetotallers. Alcohol
plays “a huge part” in her social life, and
she is usually seen “clutching a bottle of
vitamins in one hand and a bottle of
vodka in the other”.
Best date “On Tower Bridge on Valentine’s
Day, watching fireworks.”
Most romantic gesture “Someone bought me
a star and named it after me.”
Worst chat-up line “A stranger who asked if
he could buy me a drink, and then
proceeded to tell me my name, where I
lived, worked and shopped in Glasgow.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Losing your
inhibitions with someone.”
Where will you be in ten years? “In love, in
work, in a hot place and in funds.”
33 NEW
Sinead Kerr
Ice skater, 26
Lives Livingston.
Who is she? Sinead and
her brother John (14
on our men’s list) are
champion ice-skaters,
with their sights set on
the Olympics. They admit they would love
to be the next Torvill and Dean.
Worst date “I was taken to a games arcade
once and hated everything about it.”
Most romantic gesture “I prefer smaller
gestures – like giving me his coat when it’s
raining or letting me eat half (or all) of his
dessert when I’ve said I won’t have one.”
Nothing’s sexier than... “A guy who can dance.”
Favourite film “LA Confidential, for its mix of
glamour and grit.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Low-carb
chocolate bars. If you’re going to have
one, at least make it a good one.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Still involved
in sport, maybe with Sue Barker’s job!”
34 NEW
Viki Mendelssohn
MD, Big Blue PR, 35
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Founder of
the first ever Scottish
women’s rugby club –
Edinburgh Ladies – in
1992, Viki has lived
and breathed the sport since taking her
first job, with Scottish Rugby Magazine,
more than ten years ago. Her company,
Big Blue PR, specialises in sports and
events sponsorship and she also runs
the popular touch-rugby leagues in
Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Favourite film “The original Star Wars
trilogy. It reminds me of my childhood
and wanting to be Princess Leia.”
Favourite book The Curious Incident of the
Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
Nothing is sexier than... “A man with an Irish
accent and a bottle of Cloudy Bay wine.”
35 NEW
Roz Colthart
Marketing director, 34
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Roz travels
up and down the
country, dreaming up
inspired events to hold
at the Malmaison
chain of hotels. She previously worked on
Richard Branson’s private island, Necker.
Worst date “It started with a transatlantic
flight and ended with ‘But can we still
be friends?’”
Nothing is sexier than... “Somebody who is
ambitious, bright and funny, but doesn’t
take themselves too seriously.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Whoever is
in charge of Edinburgh’s traffic system.”
36 NEW
Anna Kornahrens
Milliner, 28
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? After
studying art history
from St Andrews,
Anna spent time in
New York and London,
where she took a millinery course. Now
back in Edinburgh, she sells her hats –
which she describes as “everyday and
simple: you could wear them to a
wedding, but not look out of place
walking down the street” – at Arkangel
on William Street and via her website.
Favourite film “Classic Hitchcock movies,
for the costumes as well as the stories.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Making my
own hats full-time.”
37 NEW
Danielle Milne
Label manager,
Blacksugar Records, 24
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A music
junkie, community
leader and actress
rolled into one.
Most romantic gesture “When I was eight,
my seven-year-old neighbour picked me
fresh daffodils and gave me a love-heart
pencil case. I was very embarrassed.”
Worst chat-up line “Phone your mum and
tell her you won’t be home for breakfast.”
Favourite film “Leon, Ae Fond Kiss and Hero.”
Favourite book “Anything by Paulo Coelho.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Fearlessness.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Soaps.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Living in a
castle with my prince and our children.”
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November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 27

ELIGIBLE WOMEN
38 NEW
Rebecca Hamilton
Marketing and media
manager for Historic
Scotland, 27
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Rebecca
handles PR for 344
castles, abbeys and
other historic properties in Scotland. She
has travelled all over the world with her
work, dances “like a banshee on sugarenhanced
speed” and plays touch rugby
“like a disabled mountain bear”.
Best date “It involved exceptionally good
chat, good craic and great food.”
Worst chat-up line “‘I’ve seen you here
before.’ Followed by weird, silent staring.”
Favourite film In The Name of the Father.
Nothing is sexier than... “Holding eye contact
with a genuine smile.”
39 NEW
Melissa Piper
Skier, 18
Lives Auchterarder.
Who is she? The British
ski hopeful, who has
been on Salomons
since the age of two,
started racing when
she was just 11. This year she won the
British Schoolgirls Slalom and Under-18s
combined titles. She spent the summer in
Norway doing intensive sessions, and
hopes to make the Olympic team for the
Vancouver Winter Games in 2010.
Pluses She is always chasing her next
adrenaline rush, and recently swapped her
ski helmet for a racing one at Knockhill.
Favourite film “Anything cheesy and girly,
such as Dirty Dancing.”
Best chat-up line “If I could rearrange the
alphabet I would put ‘u’ and ‘i’ together.”
40
32
Donna O’Boyle
Medical Lawyer, 39
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? A former
sister at the specialist
burns unit in Bangour
Hospital, Donna
studied law at night for
five years, following this up an MPhil in
medical law and ethics. Now she’s one of
the top independent consultants on risk
management and consent in the country.
Most romantic gesture “A boyfriend once had
a hot bath, scented candles and a bottle of
rosé waiting for me after a very hard day.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Someone who is
comfortable in their own skin.”
Worst chat-up line “You remind me of
my mother.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Planning an
almighty party for my 50th.”
41
9
Shona Donaldson
Film producer, 36
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? An actress
and presenter before
getting into film
production, Shona has
won numerous awards
for her work.
Pluses Lives life to extremes.
Minuses You might get left behind.
Most romantic gesture “After a four-minute
conversation with No 39 at the Eligibles
bash last year, I was invited for a glorious
meal, then whisked off to Skibo Castle
the following weekend. I was plied with
champagne, entertained royally, put up in
Madonna’s suite and woke up to one of
the most stunning dawns I’ve ever seen.”
Worst chat-up line “Gonnae gie us wan?”
What would you put in Room 101? “Bluebottles
and whinging, cynical people.”
42 NEW
Sera Holland
Managing director, 28
Lives Glasgow.
Who is she? Sera runs
Material Marketing
and Communications
with her business
partner Spence. When
not working at one of their events such
as T in the Park, an Old Firm game or an
MTV party, Sera goes to gigs across the
city or relaxes with friends in Stravaigin.
A self-confessed shopaholic with a secret
desire to be the next Annie Leibowitz,
Sera battles daily with her shoe addiction.
Pluses Your diary will always be full.
Minuses Is there room in hers for you?
Favourite film “The Godfather. Nearly every
life lesson you need is in that film.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Eye contact.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Rodents.”
43 NEW
Wilma Littlejohn
PR and plumber, 39
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Think Sex
and the City crossed
with How Clean Is Your
House?. Wilma is a
textbook example of a
modern woman juggling two careers;
as well as working as a PR for top
accountancy firm Baker Tilly, she recently
trained as a plumber. Wilma still finds
time to enjoy a little glamour, socialising
with friends who warm to her bubbly
personality, penchant for gossip and
sharp sense of humour.
Best date “A surprise trip to London with
front-row tickets to see my favourite band.”
Most memorable chat-up line “Would you like
to share my bottle of champagne?”
Favourite book “Something Leather, by
Alasdair Gray; he’s fantastic.”
Nothing is sexier than... “A cheeky wink and
a knowing smile.”
What would you put in Room 101? “People
who constantly text and talk on their
mobiles when they are out in company.”
44 NEW
Sally Gray
TV Presenter, 37
Lives London.
Who is she? Sally has
presented, written and
reported for a diverse
array of programmes,
and is filming an
original idea of her own, where she
attempts to find a husband in ten weeks.
She has sung a duet with Norman
Wisdom, flown a fighter plane and chased
wild alligators as part of her job, and was
awarded an MBE in 2003 for her work
with the Millennium Volunteers. An
ambassador for several charities, she also
teaches at the London Academy of Film
and TV, helping new talent to break into
the industry.
Pluses Thanks to that MBE, Sally can get
married in St Paul’s Cathedral.
Minuses “I like cooking up trouble!”
Worst date “With a bald IT consultant who
told me he worked at home in his pants.”
Favourite film Gone With the Wind.
Favourite book Sunset Song.
Nothing is sexier than... “A white shirt with a
hint of dark chest hair peeping through.”
Sue Finlay (23)
45 NEW
Karen Barr
Personal development
and business coach, 41
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Karen gave
up a high-flying job in
IT to start a new career
as a personal excellence
coach. Her company, On, runs classes
helping people to focus on what they want
out of life – and how to get it.
Pluses A girlfriend and a guru, all in one.
Minuses You may end up reassessing your
own life – whether you want to or not.
Most romantic gesture “Sweet little things,
28 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY November 20, 2005

like your boyfriend paying your bridge toll
when you’re driving in the car behind him.”
Favourite film “Twelve Angry Men; a great
study of human nature.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Spiders,
and reality TV show contestants.”
46 NEW
Sarah Russell
Head of PR, 29
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Sarah is
head of PR for Ernst
&Young in Scotland.
When she’s not
organising masked
balls, reels or champagne evenings for the
private members’ New Club, she’s at her
family retreat in Aberdeenshire, skiing,
hillwalking or doing a spot of patchwork.
Minuses Being half-Kiwi means divided
loyalties when Scotland play New Zealand.
“It’s tough, but it’s usually the All Blacks.”
Most romantic gesture “Receiving a huge
bouquet of red roses on Valentine’s Day.”
Nothing is sexier than... “Corduroys and selfconfidence
(but not arrogance).”
Where will you be in ten years? “Somewhere
luxurious and hot with someone equally
luxurious and hot!”
47 NEW
Judy Murray
Tennis coach, 44
Lives Dunblane.
Who is she? The mother
and manager of tennis
prodigy Andrew
Murray, No.2 on our
men’s list, Judy is a
champion in her own right. The former
player won no fewer than 64 Scottish
titles and worked as the Scottish national
tennis coach between 1995 and 2004.
Pluses Fit, feisty, funny and full of passion.
Minuses She already has two leading men
in her life – sons Andy and Jamie.
Best date Watching Andy lift the Men’s
Singles trophy at Wimbledon in the future
and (probably) celebrating with a Pimms.
Nothing is sexier than… “A fit body, honesty,
talent and a good sense of humour.”
What would you put in Room 101? She is not a
fan of arrogant people.
PHOTOGRAPH PHIL WILKINSON
48
18
Lulu
Singer, 57
Lives London.
Who is she? Lulu had
her first hit, ‘Shout’,
aged 15, and has
racked up 20 hit
singles since 1965.
The death of her father after a series of
heart attacks prompted her to promote
healthy living, and she is now the face of
Flora margarine.
Pluses She’s looking for love. “I’m open to
suggestions,” she says.
Minuses You could be at the receiving end
of her fiery temper. “I’m Mrs Grumpy
more often than I would like,” she admits.
Best date Take her to a retreat – Lulu
meditates every day.
49 NEW
Kirsten Lord
Physiotherapist, 37
Lives Edinburgh.
Who is she? Originally
from Adelaide, Kirsten
set up the Edinburgh
Physiotherapy Centre
14 years ago, and now
has four clinics. She consulted on the set
of George Clooney’s film The Jacket,
treated the Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy and
has helped the casts of Riverdance and Les
Misérables when they performed at
Edinburgh’s Playhouse.
Minuses Think she’ll cure your bad back?
Unless you’re very special, Kirsten won’t
mix work with pleasure.
Most romantic gesture “I gave a guy a
voucher for one hour of Kirsten love –
I ended up cleaning his flat.”
Favourite book “The Unbearable Lightness of
Being – sensual and sexy.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Negativity.”
Where will you be in ten years? “Living the
life of Reilly, whoever he is!”
50 NEW
Laura Westmacott
TV journalist, 26
Lives London.
Who is she? A former ski
champion, Laura got
into journalism when
she interviewed highranking
German
ministers for her languages degree. She
won the Young Broadcast Journalist of the
Year award and now works on the Good
Morning America newsdesk at ABC TV.
Favourite book Sunset Song.
Nothing is sexier than... “A hot bubble bath.”
What would you put in Room 101? “Men who
respond to a party invite by asking, ‘Who
else is coming?’ before they confirm
whether they can come or not.”
THE PANEL
MANY thanks to our judges, whose
bulging address books and sharp
antennae made this year’s list a great
catch. The panel comprised: the party
planner and socialite Kelly Cooper Barr;
restaurateur James Thomson; Scotland
on Sunday sportswriter Moira Gordon;
Anness Black, marketing manager for
Drambuie, sponsor of the Eligibles list;
Harvey Nichols personal shopper Damien
Lindsay; Mary McGowne, a PR consultant
who organised this year’s Scottish
Style Awards; and businessman Chris
Gorman, of the Entrepreneurial Exchange.
As ever, we have reluctantly had to take
off many of the men and women who
featured in last year’s list. It seems that
it has been a good year for falling in love.
Colin Montgomerie (below) who was
ranked at number four on last year’s list,
scored a birdie with Jo Baldwin, whom
he met on the school run, and whom he
credits for the recent revival of his game.
Another loss
has been Prince
William (last
year’s 21), whose
relationship with
Kate Middleton
has clocked up
so many column
inches that it
seems our future king is, for the time
being, officially off the market.
Scotland rugby player Simon Danielli
(last year’s 33), meanwhile, successfully
tackled the model Danielle Bux, whom
he has been dating after spotting her in
Maxim magazine.
TV commercial producer Katie Cullen
(last year’s 19, below) is seeing a teacher
called Hector, whom she bumped into the
very night the eligibles list was published.
And film director Steven Anderson (last
year’s 16) is now dating a scientist called
Jana, from the
Czech Republic,
whom he met when
she gatecrashed
his housewarming
party at Christmas.
Romance also
blossomed at
2004’s eligibles
party. Film producer Shona Donaldson
(last year’s 9) started dating the motivational
speaker Robin Sieger (last year’s
39), until a trip to India called her away.
Now both single again, they’re back on
the list. And company director Sheila
Dow (last year’s 14) was swept off her feet
by skier Alain Baxter (last year’s 28).
With an even bigger bash this time
around, and 100 eminently fabulous
singles in the room, who knows?
Maybe this time next year there will
be wedding bells.
‘TASTE THE SECRET’
November 20, 2005 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 29