‘Leeeewwwwis, I yelled, like a Scottish mad woman’

The red carpet at the BRIT Awards – as wild, weird and wonderful as you’d imagine.

Journalists from TV channels, magazines, news sites and radio stations around the world desperate to chat to the biggest stars.

It’s exciting but also quite the shift, especially coming from Scotland and knowing there was one man we HAD to get… Lewis Capaldi.

Or should that be Sam Capaldi. (I feel for presenter Mo Gilligan on that one, but it was a brilliant moment).

As the famous faces start to flood down in all manner of eye-catching outfits – those trousers of Sam Smith’s could have literally taken your eye out if you got too close – I spotted Lewis in the distance, rocking a burgundy floral jacket and a wee hint of a blowdry.

Usually what happens with the bigger stars is they have their picture taken before being ushered away by their PRs to perform.

Understandable but frustrating when you’ve got a piece to put together, however I couldn’t let Lewis slip through the net.

As he was quickly moved away from the media frenzy, I had one chance: “Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwis!”, I yelled, like a Scottish mad woman, putting any sense of embarrassment to one side to ensure we got our guy.

And, thankfully, it worked! Lewis told his PR that he was chatting to STV and I have never been more relieved or thankful. What a legend he is.

In his usual hilarious manner, he admitted he was stressed about the event and that the whole red-carpet experience was a “palaver” as he was “being pulled in every which way”, to which he was quick to add “that’s the wrong terminology to use!”.

On the man of the night, Harry Styles, Lewis had previously joked that he was looking forward to smelling him, and he told me: “I haven’t sniffed him. But he’s in the vicinity and I’ll sniff him out.”

He certainly did just that as the pair enjoyed a brief congratulatory kiss off-stage, captured brilliantly by Radio 1 DJ Greg James which, of course, quickly went viral.

And on the topic of viral, I had to apologise for the last time I interviewed Lewis and his mum had spotted the unfortunate moment it looked like he had a ‘mangina’ on screen.

Lewis shared the message she had sent him, which read: “Watched u on STV. You look as if you’ve got a mangina.” Lewis replied “Thanks mum x” before sharing the hilarious messages with his social media followers.

I asked “has your mum forgiven me?”, to which he replied: “My mangina? You started a thing now. Don’t worry about her! Have I forgiven you is the question? People keep bringing signs about my mangina, so you’ve started something.”

Well, it’s always nice to be remembered for something…

With that, Lewis was whisked away, but he was certainly a highlight of the night, as were fellow Scots act LF System.

The West Lothian DJs, like Lewis, were nominated for Song of the Year with their dance anthem Afraid to Feel.

They told how it was a ‘pinch me’ moment to be there, as this time last year they were still working their day jobs. Now they DJ all over the world, including at the BRITs after-party.

And on top of that, they travelled to the BRITs in style, arriving by boat!

I asked if they would be doing the same for TRNSMT, which they’ve just been announced as playing, and they joked: “No, this time we want jet skis.”

Others I had the pleasure of chatting to included the Sugababes, who are delighted to have just sold out the Kelvingrove Bandstand this summer, as well as a host of singers, TV stars and Tik Tok favourites.

It was a whirlwind of a night and a BRIT of an eyeopener, but one I will never forget.

What’s On Scotland is on STV and the STV Player at 7pm on Friday, February 17.