ROSS King is a man of numerous identities.

Just cast your mind back. Once upon a time, (1977 to be exact) he was a Saturday boy at Radio Clyde. Then he turned up as a West End theatre star, an anchor man on TV's Pebble Mill, and a weatherman on an LA television station.

Fast forward a little and the young man from Knightswood emerged as an award-winning TV entertainment journalist, hanging out with movie star pals such as Gerard Butler.

Now, Ross is back in Glasgow, and this time with a whole new identity to add to his passport. Writer.

At the party to launch his new book, Taking Hollywood, he explains how this latest regeneration came about.

"It all began when writer Shari Low came to talk to me about doing a biography of my life," he says of his writer pal.

"But I didn't feel I was a big enough name, and my life is just a nice wee story - boy from council house in Glasgow ends up in Hollywood.

"I've got a great family, no battles with demons, nothing scandalous. So I felt that sort of story doesn't sell.

"But I suggested to Shari we try a novel together. In this way I could take some of the things I've experienced, the Hollywood stories I've heard and embellish them - or tone them down and create a tale.

"I then outlined the plot to Taking Hollywood, which was sitting in my head for a while."

Ross, now 52, had long had thoughts about writing fiction, encouraged by close friend and star novelist, Jackie Collins.

The result is Taking Hollywood, which melds Glasgow and Tinseltown via the tale of three friends from a rough housing scheme who each make it big in LA.

But we're left to wonder why their relationship became toxic?

In Ross and Shari's story, a young journalist is determined to expose the kind of scandalous drama that usually only happens in the movies.

"I wanted to make Hollywood a bit darker and Glasgow lighter," says Ross of his novel idea.

"It's not what people would expect. I wanted to reveal the Glasgow I grew up in, which wasn't the one of gangs. It was grey rather than black.

"And now, I wanted to reveal that today it's as glam as Hollywood.

"Yet, this is also more of a crime novel than would be imagined."

Ross wasn't keen to copy Jackie Collins' descriptive adventures between the sheets.

"I always felt sex scenes were a bit girly; I wanted guys to be able to read this books as well. And yet make it raunchy at the same time."

Ross had kept notes during his working life in LA, talking to the stars, hearing unrepeatable tales.

"I'm so fortunate to have a great memory," he says.

"And when talking to Shari, she triggered off some thoughts and recall.

"But really, truth is stranger than fiction."

The publishers were so delighted with the finished book that Ross and Shari have been offered a five book deal.

But did the young King ever look like he could become a writer? "Well, my English teacher, Ian McKeever, was a great encourager," he recalls.

"He'd translate Shakespeare for us into Glasgow and flip back to 16th century language - he really made writing come alive for us.

"Then another teacher, Marilyn Copeland, read a short story I came up with. It was set at a party with me lurking in a corner and telling of a dark secret in my life.

"The punchline was 'Who could ever know I was an avid Crossroads watcher.' And she was really enthusiastic about the story."

Now, the likes of Jackie Collins are critiquing his work.

"When Jackie read it, it was like handing in my exercise jotter to my English teacher," he says.

"But she was really encouraging."

Ross, who's signed for Good Morning Britain for the next couple of years, says people who've known him since his early radio days in Glasgow always said he'd be successful. But what's his secret?

"Tenacity," he says.

"I remember when I was working in hospital radio and I heard Radio Clyde was looking for a Saturday boy. I came home and told my dad that I had to get a letter to Clyde straight away.

"It was late on a Saturday night but I just knew I had to get it in. So I had my dad drive me down to the station in Anderston, and I took it up to the security guard, addressed to the boss, Paul Cooney.

"Incredibly, Paul was in Clyde on the Sunday and got the letter, wondering how it had got there so soon."

Ross was in.

He was on his way and the drive to the top didn't stop.

Nowadays, he has a house in Hollywood, he's engaged to actress Brianna Deutsch and he's part of the fabric of Tinseltown.

But part of that success is down to his retaining his endearing Glasgow talent for self-effacement.

"I remember going to acting classes in LA and the students were asked to introduce themselves," he says.

"Most said they were high achievers, or some such phrase. When it came to me I said 'I'm just a daft wee boy from Glasgow'."

Not so daft, after all.

n Taking Hollywood by Shari King, published by Pan Macmillan. £7.99 paperback.