Fife College plans scholarship in memory of lecturer & broadcaster Colin Somerville

A new scholarship is to be created in memory of a Fife College lecturer who was a champion of the Scottish music scene.

Colin Somerville died last week.

He was a broadcaster, journalist, presenter and producer whose passion for music was passed on to many radio students on the college’s creative industries courses.

Colin’s career also included time as music controller and presenter on Radio Forth, six years presenting with the BBC, entertainment editor of the Edinburgh Evening News, sister paper to the Fife Free Press.

He was a highly respected freelance music writer for the company’s titles for almost 14 years.

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Dougi McMillan, director of the Faculty of Creative Industries at Fife College, said he left behind a huge legacy.

“Colin was and is very well respected, knowledgeable and connected throughout broadcasting, publishing and had a very healthy collective of celebrity interviews and friendships,” he said.

“The radio students and his colleagues alike adored him, all his life stories, anecdotes and laughter,” he said. “A hell of a great guy - the light will always shine.”

Dougi brought Colin to the college after meeting him in the 1980s.

“We met during a radio interview at Radio Forth for the band I played in at that time. He made the occasion very relaxed and it was very apparent he had passion not only for broadcasting, but also as a supporter for music and new Scottish talent.

“We struck up a friendship and he continued to champion and support my bands and music thought-out the eighties on Forth and Radio Scotland. Colin was and is very well respected, knowledgeable and connected throughout broadcasting, publishing and had a very healthy collective of celebrity interviews and friendships.

“Incisive, witty, downright sarcastic and a glorious human being, Colin touched and collaborated with so many people throughout his glorious career. In later years, I had the pleasure of securing Colin a position as a Lecturer at work at Fife College.”

And he said plans were in hand to honour him with a new scholarship.

“A fitting tribute to Colin and the work he carried out in the college would be to support new talent as he did throughout his career.

“ To this end, the faculty will look to establish an annual Colin Somerville scholarship for new and emerging radio talent across the student cohort of the Creative Industries at Fife College.”

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