Winning Pop Idol, having a No.1 single, travelling the world with my job, singing for and meeting the Pope. in 2010. and performing at the Scottish Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in Glasgow this week are all points of pride on my CV.
As is working with the infamous Gillian McKeith for a year and never once force-feeding her a Mars Bar – despite dreaming of doing it many times!
As I said I'm extremely proud of all of these things and I can now add one more achievement to the list. Today I am shooting the video for the official STV Appeal single 2012, called Take You There.
I co-wrote the song with the hugely talented Manran boys and it has been produced by the legend that is Phil Cunningham.
After the massive success of last year's appeal, which raised more than £1million pounds for Scottish Charities and was backed by the Scottish Government and Sir Tom Hunter, STV have decided to do it all again and have enlisted the help of some A-list stars.
Amy MacDonald crammed five gigs across Scotland into one day, Pixie Lott performed at Ayr Racecourse, Fred MacAulay will walk the entire West Highland Way with the likes of Hue and Cry keeping him company, and I'm hosting a special 12-hour dance-a-thon with Pamela Stephenson and John Michie, plus special guests.
The idea for the charity single came about after a night out I had with my lovely producer from The Hour, Ian Sizeland.
We were enjoying a very sociable drink or 10 and decided we would form some sort of Geldof and Ure double act and get a charity single on the go.
I had just finished working with Manran on the BBC ALBA documentary Is Mise Michelle McManus and thought they would be perfect.
The boys were fantastic and got on board straight away and all that was left to do was find someone to produce the single.
There was only one man on my wish list but as he's on everyone's wish list to work with I knew the chances of getting Phil Cunningham were about as hopeful as getting myself bikini-ready for the summer, if it ever shows up. But, as luck would have it, I met the great man for a coffee and he agreed straight away.
Each one of us involved with the appeal has given up our time and expertise for free and all money raised goes straight to the charity.
After Phil came on board things moved at a rapid pace and I can't tell you how overwhelmed I've been at everyone's generosity.
But, hey, that's just what happens in Scotland, and especially from the people of Glasgow.
From rehearsal space down at Berkeley 2, to the recording days at the Riverside Studios with the wonderfully talented Duncan Cameron, to all the staff at The Busby Hotel, Clarkston, whose hospitality and generosity were superb, and to all those people who really bent over backwards to make this charity single possible, I just want to tell you all how grateful I am and how much your kind actions will impact on so many people through this appeal.
Fingers crossed we sell lots of copies when Take You There is released next month and that we have another cracking STV Appeal Show on Friday, September 7, which I'll be presenting with Lorraine Kelly OBE.
There is one thing playing on my mind though.
Last year STV's anchorman and all-round hottie John MacKay planted quite a smacker on my lips – all in the name of charity – live on telly, which means this year we are going to have to come up with something to top it.
A few things do come to mind and, of course, I'm willing to put myself out there... all in the name of charity, of course ;)
Last year STV's anchorman and all-round hottie John MacKay planted quite a smacker on my lips – all in the name of charity – live on telly, which means this year we are going to have to come up with something to top it
