Dougie Donnelly: a lifetime in sport & music recalled in new autobiography

One of Scotland’s leading sports presenters, he has also enjoyed a remarkable career in music broadcasting, meeting and interviewing some of the biggest names on rock while being part of the then ground-breaking Radio Clyde - the first commercial station to launch north of the border.

He has met, interviewed and, in many instances, become friends with some of the biggest names - and they are recalled in his new biography ‘My Life In Sport’ which brings Dougie to Watestone’s in Kirkcaldy for a night of chat and book signings on Tuesday, October 1 at 7:00pm. Tickets to the free event from the High Street shop or via https://www.facebook.com/waterstoneskdy

“I am the luckiest guy in the world. I came close to having a proper job once!” he said, referencing the law studies which were meant to lead to a career as a surveyor which got put on hold as he immersed himself in music after stepping in when he stepped in for a sick DJ while at Strathclyde University.

One of his early bookings was Billy Connolly, and that led to a lifelong friendship - they even teamed up for a BBC TV show ‘Connolly And Donnelly - which continues to this day. The Big Yin was one of five big names he reached out to for a foreward for the book. All five responded, Connolly the first to submit his tribute and also phoned to wish him well at the Glasgow launch of his book.

Broadcasting on Clyde saw Dougie hand over his show to Elton John - “EJ the DJ!” - as well as star in roadshows, and sit backstage with Paul McCartney, one of three Beatles he’s met.

But sport was his abiding passion, and he became the frontman for Sportscene and Grandstand, and the go-to presenter for a host of sports and major events.

Over three decades he broadcast from World Cups, Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games and rugby Grand Slams, to name but a few of the highlights of a career that has taken him around the world.

“It was a golden age of Scottish sport and BBC pretty much had it all - it was a wonderful time to be in sport. We had Rangers and Celtic, the New Firm, European finals, five world Cups out of six, two Grand Slams in rugby, Stephen Hendry becoming snooker world champion, Alan Wells winning gold at Olympics, and so many great golfers than we’ve ever had. I got the chance to go to so many different events and sports.” He also became the face of many smaller sports as BBC extended its reach to indoor bowls, curling, ice hockey and much more.

“I was asked to cover indoor bowls. Didn’t know much about it, but did my research and it became huge - we had three to four million tuning in. What did I know about snooker? Not a lot. Curling? Give me a week…” he said. “When we went to the Winter Olympics, the BBC went big on these sports. They told me that not everyone would have the same knowledge so it was my job to explain what was going on.”

That ability to master his brief and explain it in a clear, calm manner meant Dougie became a familiar, trusted face on our screens at so many global events, making his own highlights quite a challenge.

“So hard to pick,” he admitted. “Scotland’s World Cup opener at the Stade De France in 1998 was something special, sitting next to Bill McLaren for two Grand Slams, Paul Lawrie winning at Carnoustie - and interviewing Tiger Woods in 1997 at his first Masters which he won by 12 shots. You knew that golf had just changed forever.”

His book is packed with anecdotes of meeting sporting heroes and legends - not to mention hosting a Q&A with Bill Clinton - and the names are dropped with the humility and charm that became his hallmark on our screens.

Five decades on and he’s still travelling the world covering golf’s Asian Tour.

“I still love it,” he said. “How can you refuse going to work in places like Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore? “I’ve no idea how many producers and heads of sport I have worked with but they all continued to employ me - so I must have done something right.”

> Dougie Donnelly: My Life In Sport. (£22, published by NcNidder & Grace). Dougie will be in conversation with Allan Crow, editor of the Fife Free Press, at Waterstones Kirkcaldy on Tuesday, October 1.