STV NewsAfter a turbulent week in Scottish politics, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon took to the stage of the King’s Theatre in Glasgow to make her “comedy debut and comedy finale”.
Sturgeon made her Glasgow International Comedy Festival debut alongside best friend and crime author Val McDermid on Saturday night – just two days after her name was cleared in a police investigation into the SNP’s finances.
Kicking off the event, McDermid told Sturgeon: “You’re free”.
While Sturgeon described the last couple of years – and weeks – as “interesting”.
The ex-SNP leader reflected on her resignation from politics, upcoming book and thanked her friends and supporters “from the bottom of her heart”.
“I just wanted to say, the last few years I wouldn’t have got through without some really good pals – Val and (her wife Jo Sharp) certainly chief amongst them, but also others”, she said.
“But also without so many of you, people I’ve never met who come along to things like this and send me messages of support.
“So I just wanted to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your support.”
“You can take the girl out of politics – which hasn’t quite happened yet – but you can’t take the politics out of the girl”, she told the crowd.
“So when Val showed me what she was planning to say tonight about certain events this week, I had to sort of put my spin doctor hat on.”
Touching again on politics, Sturgeon later joked that she “might change her mind” about retirement.
Segueing into a 90-minute conversation about friendship and books, the former first minister sat beside McDermid, looking at ease as she welcomed special guests Ashley Storrie, co-creator and star of Hulu’s series Dinosaur, and Scottish crime writer Christopher Brookmyre to the show throughout.
At points, McDermid appeared to go off script, taking swings at Sturgeon’s political opponents, including Conservative MSP Douglas Ross – asking if Storrie’s high-pitched “I’m a wee man” comment was an imitation of him.
At another point, McDermid suggested Sturgeon should have “hung on to the Queen” when she died and refused to give her back “until you give [Scotland] another referendum”.
“I thought we scored this bit of the script,” Sturgeon said, putting her head in her hands.
McDermid joked that Sturgeon’s upcoming memoir would have been funnier if she had ghostwritten it.
“It would have had more jokes,” McDermid said. Sturgeon replied: “Boris Johnson is in it.”
As well as touching on current events, the duo discussed why reading matters and revealed the books they love and loathe.
STV NewsThe pair talked about literature’s special power to “build bridges” and the foundational impact that libraries had on their childhood and their love of reading.
“We’re here because we love books,” McDermid said.
Although many patrons undoubtedly shared Sturgeon’s love of literature, quite a few likely wanted her to address the news surrounding her career and legacy in recent weeks.
They would have left disappointed as the former first minister just about managed to leave politics at the door.
In the end, Sturgeon declared it was both her comedy debut and finale.
The appearance comes two days after her name was cleared in a police investigation into the SNP’s finances.
On Thursday, the former first minister said she’d been “vindicated” and that there was “never a scrap of evidence” against her.
The news came after prosecutors gave Police Scotland guidance on what further action should be taken in the probe into the SNP’s finances.
Last year, the force handed over its findings to the Crown and asked for direction on the next steps of the probe known as Operation Branchform.
In the midst of the investigation, Sturgeon’s relationship with husband Peter Murrell broke down as police investigated the finances of Scotland’s governing party.
The SNP power couple announced their plans to divorce in January after being estranged for some time.
On Thursday, Murrell appeared in court charged with the embezzlement of party funds.
Murrell made no plea, was committed for further examination and was granted bail.
Sturgeon also recently announced that she would not seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament in 2026.
The crowd seemed full of Sturgeon supporters despite her status as one of Scotland’s most divisive political figures.
Sturgeon has been the longest-serving First Minister and the only woman to hold the post.
After leading the country through the Covid pandemic, she became embroiled in the Operation Branchform investigation and she also endured a bitter battle on gender reforms, which many of her opponents claim have tarnished her legacy.
Some of her critics have likely felt let down over her and the SNP’s failure to achieve Scottish independence. Others have undoubtedly felt annoyed by her continued campaigning for it.
She has previously defended her legacy in office. After her retirement announcement, she said she’s been “very open” about the things she’s proud of as well as the “things she could have done better”.
“I don’t know if it’s possible to be in politics as long as I have without attracting divisive opinions,” she said.
Following the Branchform investigation and her 26-year career in Holyrood, Sturgeon is turning from politics to literature – at least for a bit.
She will debut her first book—a memoir that promises to offer an “open, honest and candid” account of the former first minister’s “achievements” and “heartbreaks”—on August 14.
The personal journey called ‘Frankly’ will recount the “extraordinary events” that she has lived and led through.
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