Erasure, Pixie Lott celebrate Radio Forth’s 40th

Grant Stott, right, Arlene Stewart and Andy Bell of Erasure. Picture: Ian Georgeson

They took to the stage of Edinburgh’s Usher Hall for Radio Forth’s annual awards ceremony, ahead of its official anniversary in January.

Erasure, who thrilled the 1800-strong audience opening the show with classic hit “A Little Respect”, were also joined on the bill by rising singing star George Ezra, indie outfit Scouting For Girls, pop princess Lott and comedian Andrew Maxwell.

The recently-reformed Edinburgh rock band Pilot, who were the very first band to be played on Radio Forth, also took to the stage to perform that same opening song, “January”, as well as their early 1970s classic, “Magic.”

Speaking before taking to the stage of the Forth Awards, Lott revealed the secret behind her energetic Strictly performances - Scottish shortbread brought along to the TV studios by Judy Murray.

The 23-year-old, who performed her Christmas single, a cover of “Caravan of Love, said: “I feel lucky that I’m still in Strictly.

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“I’ve never been once to feel pressure, I always just go with the flow and take each week as it comes. Each dance is so different and I get to play a different character each week.

“I was so sad when Judy went last week. She was so much fun to be around, so friendly, but also really funny. Her mum’s shortbread that she would bring in would cheer everyone up. I don’t actually know what we’ll do without it.

“We have really long days on Fridays and Saturday. We have this room that we all hang out in and that shortbread would be the magic that kept us going.”

“I’m not getting too excited too early about winning Strictly, as we have four more weeks left. I just wanted to do it to have loads of fun and do something new as a performer. Having had a bit of a taste of that whole ballroom dancing world, I didn’t realise it is so much fun.”

Meanwhile Erasure singer Andy Bell, who collected the band’s “icon award” from the station, said he was already planning a return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after making his debut there this summer - a prospect he described as “daunting.”

Bell, who starred in a “one-man theatrical song cycle” at the George Square Theatre, said: “It was a great experience in Edinburgh this summer.

“I had only done one stage show before, a show about Judy Garland, which ran for a week in London about 25 years ago.

“I did find it a bit daunting during the Fringe, just because of the sheer number of things going on. It felt like the city was at its capacity. It was a very good, levelling, learning experience, even after all these years.

“I’d definitely come back and do the Fringe again. The writer who wrote the play is already writing a second part, so I’m sure I’ll be back here. I would definitely recommend the Fringe to other performers, as it takes you right out of your comfort zone.”

Erasure had been due to headline Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations 11 years ago when the festivities fell victim to bad weather for the first time.

Asked about the prospect of playing the flagship festive gig in future, he said: “It would be great to do that, but I’m sure if they would ask us again - once bitten and all that.

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