AT the turn of the year Dawn Steele was, like millions of others, catching up with some old friends in Scotland.
The New Year get-together was at the house of a pal she'd studied with at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, in Glasgow. The rest of her classmates were there, too, still best friends almost 30 years on.
All but one of them has moved on to other walks of life, but Dawn, who graduated back in 1998, hasn't just remained in the acting profession, she's been at the top of it for decades.
From Monarch Of The Glen to Wild At Heart to River City, she has been one of British TV's most successful and popular actresses.
"Well, thank you very much, I'll take that!" Dawn says with a smile.
"I don't have insecurity, but an actor's life is that you can do something and then not work for months. I'm still auditioning and getting some things and not others.
"Everything always looks very different to people on the outside."
What Dawn did get was yet another leading role, returning as Detective Chief Inspector Cora MacMillan who heads up the detectives in BBC One's hit show Granite Harbour, set in Aberdeen.
Also starring Hannah Donaldson and Romario Simpson, the first series won millions of viewers last year, including those catching up on BBC iPlayer, and was quickly commissioned for a new three-part investigation.
"It was great to come back, and I think this series is even better," Dawn said. "I loved the scripts, we've got a really good story to tell and I've got loads more to do, which is good.
"It knows what it is. It's quite a gentle cop drama, there's no swearing or blood and guts, and it's a good whodunit but not too complicated.
"It's really finding its feet now, and we all knew what we were doing a lot more. It's good to get a second chance at something."
Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Bliss Of A Bothy
After a strenuous walk, a mountain shelter can offer all you need
The Long Way Round
When you can only just see the stepping stones under a river in spate, it's time to re-think the route, as two Highland adventurers found out
The New Oyster Cult
A community is helping to restore the once rich biodiversity of Loch Craignish, one species at a time
A Poet's Sanctuary
Hidden on a hilltop, writer Dominic Cooper is inspired by the wild, stormy winters of the Ardnamurchan peninsula
A Rural Housing Crisis
Across Scotland, locals are being priced out and crowded out - but communities are now working hard to address the issue
A Historic Centre
Glasgow's Mercat Cross may not be as old as it appears but it's still seen many changes, along with an ebb and flow in prosperity
A Bird With A Brain
Jim's encounters with the raven in several northern countries have only increased his respect for its intellect and ingenuity
The Warrior King
On the 750th anniversary of his birth, Robert The Bruce's legacy as cultural keystone and historical enigma continues to fascinate
All Going Swimmingly
From Tutti Frutti to Shetland, Monarch Of The Glen to Granite Harbour, Dawn Steele's heart will always be in Scotland - and the sea
Following The Coos
The latest charity art trail aims to a-moos-e and delight visitors to Perth and Kinross this summer