From paper to pen: Jack Webster’s autobiography

Mr Webster, who lives in Netherhill Avenue, Netherlee, spent 20 years as a feature writer with the Scottish Daily Express and was later a columnist with the Herald, gaining the award of Bank of Scotland columnist of the year in 1996.

His latest book, just launched at Waterstones in Argyle Street, tells of a fascinating career in which he interviewed major figures of the 20th century, ranging from Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren to the world’s richest man, Paul Getty, and Christine Keeler (of the Profumo scandal) with whom he was once in a bedroom, alone!

As a ghost-writer, he spent a week with Muhammad Ali when the iconic figure boxed at Paisley Ice Rink in 1965 — as well as books for the great Jimmy Johnstone of Celtic and Gordon Strachan, the Scottish manager.

Jack Webster also wrote the biography of Alistair MacLean, former teacher in Rutherglen, who went on to become the biggest-selling novelist in the world, with books and films such as The Guns of Navarone.

After receiving an honorary Doctor of Letters from Robert Gordon University, he received a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours for services to journalism.