Irvine Beat FM had a surprise guest over the weekend, when actor John Barrowman turned up on the station's Ceilidh Show.
The community radio station received a tweet from one of its most famous fans, Scots-American entertainer John Barrowman after Jim Higgins played the entertainer's cover of Loch Lomand.
During Jim Higgins' Ceilidh Show on Sunday, John Barrowman tweeted the station, writing: “Thanks 4[sic] playing my utmost favourite song Loch Lomand we r[sic] greeting in my dressing room. John Barrowman and Janette Krankie.”
Station staffers were then surprised to hear Jim chatting on the air with the man himself.
Speaking from his dressing room in Birmingham, on a Pantomime run with the Krankies, the actor said: “It's John, I've got Janette [Krankie] right next to me we were just listening to that.
“Thanks for playing the song we're both greeting in the dressing room. I have to say of all the songs I have ever recorded on any of my albums that one was the one that meant the most to me.
“My musical director and myself actually sat down and arranged that and wanted to do justice to what I think is one of the most beautiful songs that exists.
“I'm really proud because it was something that meant a great deal, and the fact that people like it and you played it and more people are getting to hear it is just awesome.
Asked by Jim how his pantomime run has been going, the actor joked: “Aw, it's going terrible.”
At the end of the conversation Jim said The Krankie's cover of the song Scottish Soldier is coming up next and John said: “Oh good. Well we won't be greeting at that one.”
Jim Higgins, who has known John for six years after meeting the star through The Krankies in Glasgow, told the Times: "It was great for a wee radio station, great for Irvine Beat FM, he's just like such a nice guy.
"John is a very showbiz man, really lovely, nice, talented, dynamic. When he walks in a room you know he's arrived."
Writing in the Irvine Times, Irvine Beat FM's Ronnie McGhie said: “John Barrowman actually tweeted that he was listening to our wonderful radio station right here in the heart of Irvine how amazing is that.
“All of a sudden I heard him chatting to a guest on air. I turned up the volume and Jim was chatting to international actor John Barrowman.”