Brian Beacom

Stephen Purdon and Graeme Stevely (AKA Grado) on their Christmas panto at Glasgow's Pavilion.

 What is the reality in Gavin Adams landing the role of Aladdin in Disney’s stage musical, based on the 1992 animated film?   Did it involve a magic genie and a few wishes?

In showbiz terms, Steps sparkler Faye Tozer has achieved minor legend status. Having lasted longer than Rimmel’s waterproof eyeliner the singer/dancer has somehow managed to negotiate the pitfalls and pratfalls that invariably follow massive success.

Kirsty Findlay gets mixed up when asked (for the purposes of a little colour) where she is speaking from. “I’m in Pitlochry,” says the actor, before breaking into a laugh and adding; “No, hang on, I’m in digs in Ipswich.”

A Play, A Pie and A Pint’s new artistic director Brian Logan made a speech recently at a gala dinner to celebrate the Oran Mor theatre’s 20th anniversary. His (very funny) offering referenced Keir Starmer’s pre-election safety-first political strategy, in which the hopeful PM was described as ‘Like a man carrying a priceless Ming vase across a highly polished floor’.

ELAINE C. Smith is sitting on a ship’s stool in front of me, wearing a Popeye hat and nautical costume designed not so much for sailing the seven seas but for cruising along on giant waves of laughter.

Detained tells the story of Bea (Laura Lovemore) and Yemi, (Titana Mithui) two besties who work in the same restaurant. But their friendship is blown apart when we learn that Bea’s boyfriend has been frying his omelettes in two pans at the same time.

Kelly MacDonald is starring in Sky TV’s new vampire film The Radleys

Thank you merciful heavens for sending me Showtrial, (BBC1, Sunday). And thank you writer Ben Richards, whose picture is now pinned up above my bed. Why? Because Richards’ series has arrived at the time when we’re drowning in beach-based TV ‘tec daftness. He’s shown we don’t all have to love old biddy crime solvers, and storylines that are more unlikely than Vera having an affair with Madame Blanc - or endless whodunnits in which plot plays second lead to bright blue locations and Bermuda shorts.

Adapting novels for the stage can be a hugely complicated and emotional process; you may have to kill your babies, change events, time sequences - and even the ending.