Alan Cumming reveals 'master plan' as director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Alan Cumming wants Pitlochry to become an “international theatre destination” as the new artistic director of the festival.

The Aberfeldy native is back from his home in New York to take up his position, and announced his inaugural season coincides with the festival’s 75th anniversary.

With the appointment, the Scot has said there are “radical” changes to come, including “a revolution in how design is featured”.

Cumming said culture in Scotland is in a “pretty healthy place”, but he believes there is a better way to fund the art, with “too much form-filling and too many bureaucrats”.

He suggested “we could save some money and give that to artists”, saying the issue has got worse in the last 40 years.

It is a year of firsts for the Scot, but also a year of returns as he becomes a superhero once again in Avengers: Doomsday.

His last outing as a superhero was in Son Of The Mask in 2005 as Loki, also a character in the Avengers.

He told STV News: “My master plan is that we see this campus as this sort of international theatre destination. And I want people to be proud and to be. In a funny way, it’s how I think about Scotland in general.

“I think we should be more proud or more confident about what we have and what we have to offer and what our values are.

“And I think that’s what I’m trying to do with the work here.”

The Scot, who also hosts The Traitors US, said he had “no idea” it would be such a hit as he described the success of the programme as “bonkers”.

Now in its third season, and renewed until at least a fifth, it marked the Emmy award-winner’s debut into reality TV hosting, following years of success in theatre, TV and film.