Nicola Sturgeon thanks supporters in comedy debut after being cleared in probe (2025)

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was greeted by rapturous applause as she took to the stage alongside crime author pal Val McDermid.

Nicola Sturgeon was greeted by rapturous applause as she took to the stage last night to make her debut at a comedy festival days after being cleared by a police probe into SNP finances.

The former first minister appeared alongside crime author pal Val McDermid, who wore a red -shirt emblazoned with a cartoon cat holding a bloodied knife emblazoned with the words “You saw nothing” for their Books and Banter show at Glasgow Comedy Festival.

The show came days after the former SNP leader’s estranged husband Peter Murrell appeared in court charged with embezzlement and after Sturgeon, 54, also announced that she had been cleared by police.

After Opening the show at the city’s King’s Theatre, bestselling author McDermid told the crowd it was a special day as Sturgeon was “now free” and she was “delighted to welcome Nicola here tonight to start this new chapter.”

She went on to say she had planned to talk about the “terrible injustices in the world” but her notes had been crossed out by the former FM.

Sturgeon said: “You can take the girl out of politics but you can’t take the politician out the girl so when Val showed me what she was planning to say about certain events this week I had to put my Spin doctor hat on.”

She added: “The last couple of years have been interesting. The last couple of weeks have been interesting.

“I wouldn’t have got through the last few years without some very good pals.

“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.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for the support.”

Opening the show Sturgeon told the crowd: "We have to apologise in advance because this has come about because Val and me, when we have some red wine which we do occasionally, we make each other laugh and we think we're funny.

"Jo, my pal, Val's wife, isn't so sure.

"So tonight is basically just a live experiment."

McDermid also said Sturgeon’s up and coming memoir would have been funnier if she had written it as it lacked ‘jokes” but Sturgeon added: “I am a politician. Boris Johnson is in it.”

The pair were joined on stage by Ashley Storrie the daughter of the late comedian Janey Godley, 63, who died from cancer in November after becoming household name for her voiceovers of Sturgeon’s covid briefings.

To end the first installment, Sturgeon used her late comedian’s catchphrase “bye, Ma. Frank, get the door” before a standing ovation from fans to close the event.

Storrie told Sturgeon: "My mum was Nicola's other voice, which is very weird to look at you sometimes and expect to hear my dead mum's voice come out."

Sturgeon added: "How do you think I feel when I look in the Mirror?"

The audience also heard how the pair met when McDermid invited Sturgeon to her home for dinner ahead of the Edinburgh International Book Festival in which they were both due to take part.

McDermid said: "It was books that brought us together.

"I thought it might be awkward as we had never met before.

"So I decided to invite you round for dinner but then the process began of extensive discussion about what we were going to feed you as I wanted to impress you with my culinary skills.

"I started with a savoury custard in individual pots with wee baby vegetables.

"I actually bought a carrot sharpener.

"I thought 'they will come round, have their tea and then go home after two hours', but they were still there at midnight."

During the show one punter shouted: "You're our Queen Nicola."

The Books and Banter show also featured crime author of Quite Ugly One Morning Christopher Brookmyre.

Among guests were former health secretary Jeane Freeman and former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford who said: “It’s great, it’s wonderful to see Nicola so relaxed.”