Scotland paid rich tribute to Craig Brown, while Lewis Capaldi was helped by the crowd at Glastonbury and Stormzy got himself into trouble.
He was the last man to lead Scotland’s male footballers to a World Cup, so tributes were in abundant supply, following the death of Craig Brown at the age of 82.
The former Dundee player and Aberdeen manager famously guided the Scots to the global tournament in France in 1998 and was regarded as one of the nicest, brightest and most approachable figures in the sport.
Sir Alex Ferguson was among those to commememorate his friend with the words: “In an industry that questions a man’s capabilities, Craig never wavered in that situation, he always kept his head and his composure. Well done Broon!’
A rocky time on Rockall
He set off on May 26 in a bid to spend 60 days on the uninhabited locale, but called the coastguard for aid after 32 days due to “declining weather conditions”.
The current world record for a 45-day stay on Rockall was achieved by acclaimed adventurer Nick Hancock in 2014.
Capaldi’s concert was show of love
Lewis Capaldi confirmed, in an emotional message, that he is taking a break from touring for the “foreseeable future” after struggling to finish his Glastonbury set.
The Scottish singer, who has Tourette’s syndrome, asked fans to help him by singing along at the festival and they responded with a massive show of affection.
But Capaldi said later: “I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order, so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.”
Stormzy fared less well
Stormzy was called out for referencing “the Shetlands” in his new song Longevity Flow.
The popular artist referred to himself in the hit single with the lyrics “could’ve been an engineer in the Shetlands“. But this stirred up some opposition from locals who insisted that it was incorrect to refer to the islands as “the Shetlands” – and countered it should have been just Shetland or the Shetland Isles or Islands.
Where’s Jimmy Perez when you need him?
A real bushtucker trial for Hancock
Former health secretary Matt Hancock admitted that the UK’s pandemic planning had been “completely wrong” in the build-up to the Covid-19 outbreak.
He told the ongoing inquiry that the focus had been placed on the provision of body bags and how to bury the dead, rather than stopping the virus taking hold.
Hancock said he was “profoundly sorry” for every death across the country, but bereaved families turned their backs on him at the end of his testimony.
Freeman highlighted Scotland’s woes
Scotland’s former health secretary, Jeane Freeman, told the Covid Inquiry that, in her opinion, the country’s health infrastructure was not equipped to handle the crisis and that PPE supplies came close to running out.
But she argued: “I don’t believe there is a plan that would have been possible that would have been able, in and of itself, to cope with Covid-19.”
New Indy film gets mixed reviews
There were mixed reviews for the fifth – and final – appearance of Harrison Ford in the newly-released Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, though the 80-year-old screen idol was praised for his performance as the whip-cracking archaeologist.
One critic said: “The good news is that it isn’t a disaster. It’s a respectable, competent addition to the series.” But another concluded: “The film belongs in a museum and preferably a sub-basement that no one visits.” Ouch.
Graeme is back where he belongs
Aberdeen icon Graeme Shinnie declared he is back where he belongs after the former Don completed his return to Pittodrie.
The 31 year-old has signed a three-year deal with the club after leaving English League One side Wigan Athletic.
And he said: “It’s a club I love. I feel like I am back home again and I am looking forward to the season ahead.
A royal visit to Tillydrone
Prince William visited Aberdeen as part of his campaign to end homelessness in the UK within the next five years.
He was at the Tillydrone Community Campus for his only engagement north of the border, as part of the launch of the Homewards project.
The visit aimed to spotlight how co-located and joined-up community support services can improve early intervention and prevent homelessness, with the Hayton Road facility being one of only six across the UK selected for the five-year scheme.
June was a scorcher in Scotland
The Met Office revealed that Scotland – along with the rest of the UK – is on course for its hottest June on record, although it won’t finalise its findings until next week.
The organisation stated that records going back to 1884 will probably be broken in terms of average daily temperature and average maximum temperature.
The highest temperature recorded in Scotland last month was 30.7C at Threave in Dumfries and Galloway on June 12.