Max Marner, 11, in training to become the next STV News anchor

Eleven-year-old Max Marner dreams of becoming a presenter and has interviewed famous Scottish faces, – including Jean Johansson and Radio Clyde’s George Bowie and Cassi Gillespie – in his quest to become a TV star.

It’s an ambition that started during lockdown when Max was watching his heroes Ant and Dec and Stephen Mulhern entertain the nation on a Saturday night.

Keen to follow in their footsteps, Max launched his own YouTube channel – Max Marner Meets – and began interviewing his teachers and hosting quizzes for school friends to keep them smiling during Covid.

The confident youngster, from Kilmacolm in Inverclyde, said: “I just enjoy the feeling, the adrenaline and I just actually love interviewing people and getting to know a bit about them.”

We invited Max into STV’s Glasgow headquarters for a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on and to give him the chance to put his skills to the test – by interviewing meteorologist Sean Batty.

“I am actually nervous,” Sean laughed before the interview got under way.

Max asked Sean how he got into presenting, whether his love of snow is the reason it’s always freezing in Scotland and if he has ever made a mistake with the forecast.

The answer to that last question was a very swift “no”. We can neither confirm nor deny whether this is true, but Sean praised Max’s questions, as well as his weather presenting skills when he had a go at standing in front of that infamous weather map.

Max’s proud dad Sean said: “I have two children and I am equally proud of them both. This is great though, it just gives Max real confidence and I don’t know whether it’s cause he’s so young, but he seems unfazed by it all.”

Sitting in John MacKay’s presenter chair, we asked if Max thinks he could be the next STV anchor.

Without any hesitation, he said “probably” before adding, in a tone not too dissimilar to John’s: “I’m Max Marner, STV News Glasgow, ready to steal John MacKay’s job!”

Beware, MacKay…