Q & A: Craig McMurdo, presenter, Smooth Radio

Published on Thursday 27 September 2007 01:03

WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Singapore 1964 around 4pm. The 4pm is important, as it is likely it would have been raining at that time of day and, as 64 was a year of the dragon, this is apparently auspicious.

WHERE WERE YOU EDUCATED?

With a name like Craig McLeod McMurdo, people wonder why I have an English accent. The reason is that I went to prep school in Chichester, Sussex. My dad was in the navy at that time working in Portsmouth, which also accounts for my being born in Singapore. Aged 12 I came back to Scotland and went to Dollar Academy then on to study architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art/Dundee University. Since then, the school of hard knocks.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB IN THE MEDIA?

My shameless self-promotion on the music and comedy scene in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the late 1980s led to the BBC asking me to present a programme called Fringe Binge in 1990.

WHAT WERE YOUR IMPORTANT CAREER MOVES?

Leaving J&F Johnston and partners firm of architects in 1986 and setting up my production company was the first, since then its been less a case of "moves" and more hanging on to the roller-coaster for dear life.

WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR CAREER?

Elvis (picture far right)

WHAT ARE YOUR OUTSIDE INTERESTS?

Taoism, Tai Chi & girls

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SPEND ON A BOTTLE OF WINE?

Don't get me started on how much we have to pay for things in this country compared with elsewhere - as a result I'm willing to pay 10 plus for a bottle of wine that would cost me 1 in Chile.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE SO FAR?

Being in love.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST EXPERIENCE SO FAR?

Being in love.

IF YOU COULD BE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES, WHOSE WOULD THEY BE AND WHY?

The old gag is " walk a mile in someone else's shoes and you'll be a mile away wearing someone else's shoes..." and that's all I have to say about that (please read that last bit in your best Forrest Gump accent).

WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS ?

I have a good friend called Tommy Sampson, he's a musical genius and a sly old fox. He'll be 90 next year and he still leads his 18-piece big band on gigs, writes amazing orchestrations in his head and commands the greatest affection and respect from all his peers. When I grow up I'd like to be like him.

WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION FOR SCOTLAND?

I'm extremely proud to be Scottish, what a nation of great thinkers, innovators, inventors, adventurers, leaders and philanthropists we have been. We seem to be a nation of individuals who have left their mark throughout the world.

It would be nice to think that, in the future, the world will recognise us for our achievements as a people and not only know us as the country with the worst drug problems and highest murder rate in Europe.