Our Former Pupils
Martin Geissler
News Correspondent
(Class of 1989)
Martin passed on university in favour of a job in the Sky News Scotland bureau, then STV North in Aberdeen.He joined the ITV News team in April 2002 from STV Central’s regional news programme Scotland Today. From 2002 Martin was primarily Scotland Correspondent for ITV News but also covered several foreign assignments including the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina.
He is currently ITV’s European Correspondent following four years as Africa Correspondent for ITV News.
Gavin Hastings OBE
Sportsman
(Class of 1980)
Gavin was the British Lions captain, Scotland captain and 1990 Grand Slam winner. He was considered the best full-back of his generation.He is also a Patron of the George Watson's Family Foundation and opened Phase Two of the George Watson’s College Centre for Sport, a new Sports Hall, on 6 March 2008. Gavin is currently a Director of Positive Leadership Limited.
Sir Chris Hoy MBE
Olympic Cyclist
(Class of 1994)
Chris Hoy raced to three gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the Men’s Team Sprint, the Men’s Sprint and the Men’s Kierin, becoming the first Briton in 100 years to win three golds at the same Olympic Games.
Chris also won gold in the 1km time trial on the opening day of track competition in Athens 2004. Four years previously, he had taken silver in the team sprint with Craig Maclean and Jason Queally in Sydney 2000 at his first Olympic Games.
Gordon Kennedy
Actor
(Class of 1976)
Gordon first rose to prominence in the sketch show Absolutely and presented the ‘original’ National Lottery show, alongside Anthea Turner.
He has appeared in several dramas, including the role of Sergeant Bruce Hornsby in the BBC drama Red Cap. He has also appeared in the BBC Scotland soap River City.
From 2006-2009 he starred as Little John in all three series of the BBC production of Robin Hood.
Alison Kinnaird MBE
Artist and Musician
(Class of 1967)
Alison is one of the world's leading engravers, with work in public, royal and private collections throughout Europe, America and the Far East.
She is also one of the foremost exponents of Scottish harp music. She is much in demand, at home and abroad, as a performer, a lecturer and a teacher in both her fields.
In 1997 she was presented with an MBE for services to art and music.
Sue Lawrence
Cook and Masterchef winner
(Class of 1973)
Sue Lawrence’s cooking career started when she won Masterchef in 1991.
Now working as a food writer, championing the food of her native Scotland, Sue can regularly be seen talking about Scottish food and traditions on British and Australian television.
At the 2008 Taste of Edinburgh event, Visit Scotland teamed up with Sue to promote Scotland as a top “foodie” destination.
Sue writes a regular column for Scotland on Sunday and has written for many magazines including Woman and Home and Country Living.
Sheena McDonald
Journalist and Broadcaster
(Class of 1972)
Sheena began her broadcasting career as presenter and newsreader at STV following a postgraduate certificate in radio, film and television studies.
She moved on to anchor such national radio and television news programmes as The World at One, Channel 4 News, The World This Week, After Dark and International Question Time. In 1995, she received the first-ever Woman in Film and Television Award.
Mylo
Singer, Songwriter, Producer
(Class of 1995)
Myles MacInnes, originally from the Isle of Skye has a trajectory that takes in a childhood on the Isle of Skye, low life in London and Paris and academia in Oxford and Los Angeles.
In 2001, he returned to Scotland with one purpose, to submerge himself in music. Now, with his debut album unleashed on the world and numerous hit singles and sell-out tours under his belt, he has been hailed ‘the saviour of dance music’.
Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind QC MP
(Class of 1963)
He became a member of the Cabinet in 1986 as Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1990 he became Secretary of State for Transport and in 1992 Secretary of State for Defence. From 1995–97 he was Foreign Secretary. In 1997 he was knighted in recognition of his public service. He is currently MP for Kensington and Honorary President of the George Watson’s Family Foundation.
Donald Runnicles
Musical Director and Conductor
(Class of 1972)
Donald Runnicles, General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin since August 2009 and Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since September 2009, has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the San Francisco Opera from 1992 to 2009. He is also Music Director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Liz Smith
MSP
(Class of 1978)
Liz was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in May 2007 as one of three Conservative Regional List Members for Mid Scotland and Fife and was re-elected in the recent Holyrood elections. She is currently Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and lives at Madderty in Strathearn.
She was a teacher of Economics and Modern Studies at George Watson’s College and has been active in politics since her student days at Edinburgh University. She is currently a Governor of George Watson’s College and runs girls’ cricket at the School.
David Wolstencroft
Scriptwriter, Author
(Class of 1987)
David was born in 1969. He grew up in Edinburgh and lived in Los Angeles, before moving back to the UK in Spring 2007.
He wrote Shooting Dogs, a BBC Films theatrical screenplay commission, directed by Michael Caton-Jones, starring John Hurt (2005). He is the creator of Spooks, the BAFTA award-winning spy drama, produced by Kudos for BBC One, and the author of Good News, Bad News and Contact Zero.
Keeping our Former Pupils in Touch
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