Alan Cumming and Bross Bagels reveal holesome collaboration in time for Edinburgh International Festival

Hollywood star Alan Cumming will see his very own signature vegan bagel take centre stage on the menu at Bross Bagels shops across Edinburgh next month – just in time for the Festival.

The 57-year-old actor, known for roles in Emma and Goldeneye, arrived in the Capital ahead of the launch of his brand-new Edinburgh International Festival show Burn, which runs at The King’s Theatre from August 4-10.

Larah Bross, aka Mama Bross, owner of the Bross Bagels empire, invited Cumming into Bross Deli earlier this summer to try his hand at bagel building.

Now, the duo have teamed up to taste, trial and titillate on the perfect vegan bagel, culminating in The Holesome Cumming bagel.

Alan Cumming will see his very own signature vegan bagel take centre stage on the menu at Bross Bagels shops across Edinburgh next month.

Cumming will play Robert Burns in Burn, and in a nod to the Bard, The Holesome Cumming Bagel includes Macsween’s Vegan Haggis, Beef Tomato, Smoked Applewood Cheese, Latke, Pickled Red Onions and Chilli Mayo – all packed into an Everything Bross Bagel.

The co-creation will become a permanent feature on Bross Bagels menus across the city, and will change seasonally, allowing locals, visitors and festivalgoers alike to sample a taste of some of Cumming’s favourite flavours throughout the year.

A vegan himself, it was fitting that Bross’ Bagels have recently started producing all-vegan bagels, hand-crafting the fresh, authentic Montreal bagels in the brand’s dedicated Portobello Bakery.

Larah ‘Mama’ Bross said: “Embodying Alan in bagel form has been a massive challenge – and we had to get it exactly right.

“I came up with various suggestions for Alan’s bagel – his second name is Cumming for crying out loud – this was meant to be!”

Cumming added: “I have performed for world leaders, I have honorary doctorates, I have been on a stamp, people have even tattooed my likeness onto their bodies. But all that pales in significance now. Being embodied in bagel form really takes the biscuit.”

The Holesome Cumming Bagel will be available on Bross menus from August 4 at Bross Deli at St James Quarter, the Bross shop in Bruntsfield, and the Portobello Bakery.

In March, Cumming appeared on Desert Island Discs, where he revealed that suffering abuse at the hands of his father taught him “good qualities” for becoming an actor.

He recalled how he and his brother endured emotional and physical abuse as young boys.

Cumming was born in Aberfeldy and lived on the Panmure Estate, where his father was head forester.

Reflecting on his first steps into acting at school, he told host Lauren Laverne: “My dad didn’t break my spirit.

“I feel that the qualities you need to deal with someone who is an adult who is abusing you, and you are powerless, are good qualities for being an actor.

“Listening, pretending you are not feeling what you are feeling, not showing fear.

“I always knew that I was going to get out and I was going to live the life I wanted to lead.

“And I was helped by some of the people in this playlist today.”