Edinburgh International Book Festival live event with Nicola Sturgeon 'will not be cancelled' and go ahead 'as advertised'

The Edinburgh International Book Festival has confirmed that a live event involving Nicola Sturgeon and author Douglas Stuart on Monday night ‘will not be cancelled’ despite the First Minister previously self-isolating.

An event involving Nicola Sturgeon will go ahead despite the First Minister self-isolating (Photo: Colin Mearns/The Herald/POOL).

The event ‘Douglas Stuart with Nicola Sturgeon: Welcome Home, Shuggie Bain’ as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival will go ahead tonight.

The news comes after Nicola Sturgeon revealed she is self-isolating after coming into contact with a positive Covid case.

However, the First Minister has now announced that a PCR test she took is negative and she no longer needs to self-isolate.

A spokeswoman for the festival said that the event which is to take place at 8.30pm on Monday at The New York Times Theatre in Sculpture Court will go on regardless.

Originally, a spokeswoman for Edinburgh International Book Festival said there may be potential changes to the formatting of the event, however, has now said it will go ahead ‘as advertised.’

A spokeswoman said: “As you will have seen the FM has had a negative PCR test so our event this evening will be proceeding as advertised.”

Taking to Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said: “Relieved to report that my PCR test is negative.

"Coupled with fact I’m double vaccinated - with second dose more than 2 weeks ago - that means I no longer need to isolate.

"I’ll still be doing regular LFD tests as added precaution tho - and encourage everyone else to do likewise.

The live event with an author Q&A is to feature both author Douglas Stuart and interviewer Nicola Sturgeon on stage in the venue.

The event is to focus on Stuart’s Bestselling Booker Prize winning novel ‘Shuggie Bain’ which recounts the challenges of being a Glasgow boy who is working class and gay.

As interviewer, the First Minister is to discuss the novel with Stuart who may drop hints about his future work.

The event details read: “We are delighted to welcome Scotland’s latest Booker winner back to his home country for the first time since winning his award, for what will be his first live, in-person discussion about the book that has won a million readers’ hearts.

"Stuart discusses his bestselling novel with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – and might just drop a few hints about what he's working on.”

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