Forth One's Grant Stott announces break from radio

But now Grant Stott has announced he will be taking a break from the airwaves and touring the country alone with his hit Fringe show, Tales From Behind the Mic.

However, the renowned King’s Theatre panto villain – who is the longest-serving presenter on Forth One – said he wasn’t planning on ditching his headphones for good and hoped to return later in the year.

He will sign off from his hugely popular 10am-2pm radio show on Friday, January 27. Listeners were told of the decision live on air yesterday morning.

Grant said: “Over the years I’ve seen Radio Forth grow and change as the industry has evolved and I am so proud to have been a part of the station for 27 years.

“Being on the radio is all about timing and I think the time is right for me to step aside, take a break and prepare for the next chapter in my career.”

Born and bred in the Capital, the entertainer started his working life as a police officer, but hung up his hat after just four years before landing his dream job on Forth One in 1990.

After impressing while dishing out his daily dose of random musings, broken up by chart music, Grant picked up TV work, on both STV and the BBC.

He also became involved in recording voiceovers and has established himself as a favourite in the annual King’s Theatre pantomime, where he has starred alongside big names such as Christopher Biggins and Elaine C Smith as well as fellow regulars Allan Stewart and Andy Gray.

Just last year, we told how Grant, known to friends as “Stottie”, launched his first solo performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Just months after hosting the Evening News Local Hero awards, he branded the Fringe show as the “scariest” thing he’d ever done as he was unsure how popular it would be.

But after a roof-raising success and all of his shows selling out, the presenter has now decided to take his performance on the road – and will share his amusing tales from behind the microphone with the people of Scotland.

Graham Bryce, managing director of Forth owner Bauer City Network, said he hoped to welcome the presenter back later in the year.

He said: “Grant has made such a fantastic contribution to local radio in Edinburgh in his 27 years at Radio Forth and Forth One. Everybody at the station fully respects his decision to enjoy a break before welcoming him back to the Bauer Radio Scotland family later in the year.”

Grant, who has just finished playing the villain in the King’s Theatre production of Jack and the Beanstalk, will be replaced on the daytime slot by Micky Gavin, for whom the move marks a return to his roots, having presented on Radio Forth from 2000 to 2002, after starting his career at Radio Tay in 1995.