Black spots burrow deep into surfaces and can be a nightmare to remove

Those stubborn black spots on your patio are a particularly troublesome form of lichen that burrows deep into surfaces, proving a real headache for homeowners. Even more resilient than slippery moss and persistent algae, these tenacious marks can withstand even the most powerful pressure washing, leaving countless households baffled about how to tackle them.

However, there’s no need to despair, as Daniel Scholfield, owner of The Expert Gate Company, has revealed a straightforward removal technique requiring no specialist products whatsoever – just a stiff brush, water and white vinegar.

Daniel explained that whilst pressure washing affected areas may eliminate the visible black spots in your garden, “it won’t kill the organisms that are still present” within the surface, and could potentially cause damage to your paving or patio in the process.

The key is to “kill off the black lichen completely”, for which you’ll need the “right product”. He explained, “Household cleaning products won’t do a thing for black lichen, save for one exception — distilled white vinegar is the only household cleaner that works.”

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However, before tackling the affected area, proper preparation is essential. Begin by using a brush or your hands to clear away any plant debris and surplus dirt that could interfere with the cleaning solution’s effectiveness, then give the patio a swift rinse with fresh water.

You’ll need a clean, unobstructed surface for what comes next. Highlighting vinegar’s effectiveness, Daniel noted: “This miracle cleaner can be mixed with water at a 50 to 50 ratio, and then poured over the affected area.”

He pointed out that you may want to do a test on a small patch of the patio first to make sure it won’t damage or discolour your slabs.

Allow it to sit for up to one hour, scrub vigorously with a stiff brush to eliminate all residue and debris, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water.

Should you notice any lingering traces of the dark marks, repeat the cleaning process to ensure they’re “gone for good”.

For particularly persistent stains, try leaving the mixture on for an extended period or marginally increasing the vinegar concentration in your solution.

Nevertheless, he cautioned, “Don’t overdo it as too much may begin to damage the patio surface.”

To stop these dark marks from reappearing, routinely apply a vinegar and water mixture to maintain your paving’s cleanliness.

Made in Chelsea stars Sophie and husband Jamie Laing are set to share their journey as first-time parents in a new reality TV show

Sophie Habboo has admitted she ‘wasn’t herself’ as she shared the reality of being pregnant whilst filming for her new reality TV show. Former Made in Chelsea stars Sophie, 31, and Jamie Laing, 37, welcomed their first child Ziggy in December last year.

The couple met whilst filming the Channel 4 show Made in Chelsea in 2017, and after initially being friends, a romance eventually blossomed. The pair officially tied the knot at a registry office in Chelsea in April 2023 before holding a larger wedding ceremony in Marbella in May.

Sophie and Jamie are now set to share the highs and lows of becoming first-time parents in their new reality series, Raising Chelsea, with three episodes which will air on Disney+ on April 2.

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During a new Instagram Q&A with fans, Sophie has revealed the harsh reality of being pregnant whilst filming for the show.

One fan asked: “How did you find filming the series? And letting cameras into your personal life,” to which Sophie responded candidly: “I won’t lie I found it challenging at times! It was my 1st pregnancy and I was very anxious about everything and so to have cameras following you was full on at times.

“I was also not myself, my hormones were everywhere, I found pregnancy hard at times Ngl. And even harder to admit that because everyone talks about how magical it is but the reality was for me I was sooo up and down my pregnancy one minute I was floating on cloud 9 next I was savage b***h lol.”

Sophie continued: “I was also so uncomfortable I had horrific pain in my pubic bone and I was so anxious something was going wrong the whole time and I was EXHAUSTED 24/7. So it’s quite scary to have a camera documenting you probably not at your best but it’s what we signed up for, we always promised we would keep it real and my God we really did!

“Obvs that was not all the time and we captured amazing moments and I loved the whole process and watching it back it’s insane to have that time of my life documented!!!.”

The reality TV star then added: “I also had the best team @dorothystpictures @aliceob and we just made so many memories it’s crazy to think we filmed for over a year and it’s going to air in just 3 days!!! wtf!!!

“Also I will add, it was one camera. Very fly on the wall and docu style which is why it was possible to capture it all I think if it was a huge production every day whilst pregnant maybe it would have been more intimidating! but that’s how we managed to keep it SO real and capture those intimate moments! xxx.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has upended long‑standing norms by repeatedly invoking his religious faith, blurring the line between church and state in a way that has become particularly pronounced amid the Iran war, according to a new report.

Hegseth — who has a large Jerusalem cross tattooed across his chest — has long worn his Evangelical faith on his sleeve in a manner that has unsettled some military officials.

The former Fox News host has said that the U.S. was “founded as a Christian nation” and that it “remains a Christian nation in our DNA, if we keep it.” He’s also hosted Pentagon worship services that legal experts have branded “unprecedented,” The Washington Post reports. One faith leader invited to preach to servicemembers has said women shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

Hegseth’s proselytizing has drawn heightened scrutiny in connection with the U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, which has now stretched into its second month and shows no signs of abating, according to the Post.

During a press briefing on March 19, he encouraged viewers to pray for the success of U.S. troops in the Middle East. “To the American people, please pray for them every day on bended knee with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ,” he said.

On Wednesday, while speaking at a Pentagon prayer service, he called for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy,” asking that “wicked souls” be “delivered to the eternal damnation” in the fight against Iran, a Muslim-majority nation.

Some senior military commanders seem to have followed his lead. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog organization, said it had received more than 200 complaints from service members that military commanders had told troops it was all part of God’s plan that they be deployed to Iran.

During a mass on Sunday, Pope Leo appeared to deliver a thinly-veiled rebuke to this line of messaging. “This is our God: Jesus, king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he told worshippers at the Vatican. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”

An unnamed senior Army civilian described the current situation as “terrifying.”

If U.S. troops are trained to believe that “God is on our side,” the person told the Post, “what precludes us from doing anything we want to win? The strength of our military is our people, and their sense of belonging to their unit and their service.”

A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

A group of former high‑ranking military officials, chaplain corps leaders, and current Pentagon officers told the Post that they are troubled by both Hegseth’s overt religious rhetoric and the policy changes he has pursued.

Hegseth has eliminated dozens of military codes for various faith groups and axed the Army’s Spiritual Fitness guide, which he claimed focused on self‑care rather than “truth.” On Wednesday, the Pentagon also announced that U.S. military chaplains will now wear religious insignia on their uniforms, rather than their rank.

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner said he has spoken with “dozens and dozens” of military chaplains who said those among them who do not identify with Hegseth “are being marginalized.”

The defense chief’s changes have undone longstanding efforts to foster religious inclusion in the armed forces, Rachel Laser, the president of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, told the Post.

“It feels like decades worth of progress has been undone in 12 months,” an unnamed Air Force general added. “It’s heartbreaking and it’s heartbreaking to watch our chaplains try to navigate this.”

“The point was, it didn’t matter, and it shouldn’t have mattered, who you worship, or whether you worship at all. What mattered was doing the job and being mindful that you represent all Americans, no matter what they believe,” a person who served on the leadership team of a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs said. “I don’t approve of cramming your religious faith down people’s throats, and when the top of the chain couches these operations in this hyper-Christian tone, it flies in the face of the freedom of religion that the Constitution enshrines.”

Earlier this week, Americans United sued the Pentagon for failing to answer public records requests about Hegseth’s prayer services.

“Even if these prayer services are presented as voluntary, there is pressure on federal employees to attend in order to appease their bosses,” the organization wrote in a press release.

In response to a request for comment from the Post, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said their office is “proud” to play host to religious services.

“Prayer services at the Pentagon are 100 percent voluntary and are not mandated whatsoever. It is not against the law to worship Christ voluntarily anywhere in the United States,” Wilson added. “The Secretary’s prayer services undoubtedly improve morale for those who choose to attend and are constitutionally protected. No special treatment or punishment is given as a result of one’s choice to attend these prayer services.”

Authorities in Los Angeles deployed tear gas near a federal detention center and made dozens of arrests following one of thousands of “No Kings” rallies held this weekend across the United States and in Europe to protest President Donald Trump’s actions and the war in Iran.

Los Angeles police said Sunday that 74 people were arrested for failing to heed a dispersal order that was given after Saturday’s rally ended. One other person was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing a weapon that police described as a dagger.

The arrests stood out from what otherwise were mostly peaceful protests. Organizers said there were more than 3,100 events registered in all 50 U.S. states.

As hundreds of protesters surrounded a federal complex in downtown Los Angeles, some threw rocks, bottles and broken concrete blocks at officers, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement late Saturday night.

Two officers who were struck by concrete blocks sustained undetermined injuries and received medical attention, DHS said.

Andre Andrews Jr., a Navy veteran and independent journalist, had walked the entire route of the Los Angeles rally and captured video of the event. He said after authorities gave the dispersal order, they deployed tear-gas canisters when protesters didn’t comply. Some protesters wearing shields and gas masks on the other side of a fence at the federal complex picked up the canisters and tossed them back at police. Andrews said some people also smashed concrete barriers into smaller pieces and threw them at authorities.

“Does it make L.A. look bad? No. They’re bad actors causing problems, for sure,” Andrews said. “The peaceful protest was good for the cause. You have the right to do that. But the other people, they were definitely causing problems.”

Police said those arrested included eight juveniles. Also detained was a woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty, smiling as she chatted with an officer who led her away.

In Denver, the police department said on the social platform X that it declared an unlawful assembly and deployed smoke canisters after a small group of protesters blocked a road and did not leave as asked. At least eight people were arrested, as was a ninth person later who police said was throwing objects.

Nationwide, people rallied from New York City, with almost 8.5 million residents in a solidly blue state, to Driggs, a town of fewer than 2,000 people in eastern Idaho, a state Trump carried with 66% of the vote in 2024. In Minnesota, a flagship event on the Capitol lawn in St. Paul drew Bruce Springsteen as its headliner to celebrate resistance to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement.

Demonstrations also were held in more than a dozen other countries, according to co-executive director Ezra Levin of Indivisible, which spearheaded the events.

U.S. organizers have estimated that the first two rounds of No Kings rallies drew more than 5 million people in June and 7 million in October. Levin estimated at least 8 million participants showed up Saturday.

“It was powerful. It was historic. It was joyful. It was boisterous,” Levin said Sunday. “I’d say it went pretty well.”

This year Easter is on 5 April. The date is determined by the timing of key astronomical events, external. It always falls on the first Sunday after the first full Moon that follows the spring equinox.

Over the centuries different parts of the Christian church used different calendars – the Gregorian and the Julian – which meant that the Easter would not always be on the same date around the world.

Attempts to bring everyone together meant that while many eastern European countries now use the Gregorian calendar for civil events, they use the Julian one to mark Orthodox festivals.

The date of the astronomical equinox also tends to naturally fluctuate between 20 and 21 March. In 2026 it happens on 20 March.

However, the Christian church decided to ‘set a fixed’ date for it to help regularise its own calculations and always uses 21 March, external.

As the first full Moon after 21 March is the Pink Moon on April 2, it means Easter is the following Sunday – 5 April.

In a year when the full Moon itself rises on a Sunday, Easter will be set for the following one.

The new Moon marks the start of each lunar month of the Jewish calendar, with the full Moon always falling mid-way through.

Passover begins halfway through Nisan, external, the first month of that calendar, which is with the arrival of the April full Moon, external.

All that talent at Arizona and Michigan. All that momentum and good vibes at UConn. And somebody has to be play the part of the unheralded “little guy.” At the Final Four next weekend, that role belongs, improbably, to Illinois.

In a sign of the times, the Illinii — a Big Ten team with more wins in the conference over the last seven seasons than any other program — will pass for something resembling Cinderella when college basketball’s biggest party kicks off in Indianapolis on Saturday.

The first challenge for coach Brad Underwood’s team will be stopping a hard-charging UConn juggernaut that came from 19 points down and got a game-winner from the logo with 0.4 seconds left from an Indy native — Braylon Mullins — to make its third Final Four in the last four years.

The last two times the Huskies reached this point, they won the championship.

“It’s a UConn culture, a UConn heart,” coach Dan Hurley said. “We believe we’re supposed to win this time of year.”

The Wildcats opened as slight favorites — at plus-165 to win the championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. That was a shade ahead of the Wolverines, who are plus-180 after their 95-62 romp over Tennessee on Sunday.

But, in one of a few strange twists on the odds chart, the Wildcats are 1 1/2-point underdogs to Michigan in Saturday night’s second semifinal.

Illinois is a 2 1/2-point favorite over UConn and, in reality, it’s the Huskies, at plus-550, who are the biggest long shot in Indy.

Even so, the fact that Illinois — the flagship university in the nation’s sixth most populous state and a school with an enrollment of nearly 60,000 — feels most like this year’s out-of-nowhere underdog speaks more about the current state of college hoops than the Illini themselves.

They are a No. 3 seed — the highest number at the Final Four in two years. (UConn is a 2. Last season, all four No. 1s made it.)

This year’s meeting of 1 vs. 1 — Michigan vs. Arizona — is a heavyweight matchup of power teams from power conferences meeting with everything at stake.

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It’s a far cry from a mere three years ago, when mid-majors Florida Atlantic (coached by Dusty May, who now leads the Wolverines) and San Diego State crashed college basketball’s biggest party.

Since then, NIL and the transfer portal have redefined the contours of player movement, another spasm of realignment has made the big conferences bigger (Arizona, now in the Big 12, was in the Pac-12 in 2023), and the high-achieving underdogs that used to make March Madness what it is have gone into a slump.

Double-digit seeds won a total of five games in this tournament (not counting the play-in round). Two years ago, they won 11 and sent one team (N.C. State) to the Final Four.

Not surprisingly, Underwood — the coach who landed on the Illinois radar a decade ago by coaching double-digit seed Stephen F. Austin to a pair of upset wins in the tournament — views his program’s trip to the Final Four more as destiny than a once-in-a-lifetime story.

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It is, however, the first trip for Illinois since 2005, when it lost to North Carolina in the title game.

“I don’t want to sound arrogant,” said Underwood, whose teams have won 96 Big Ten games since 2019-20, two more than Purdue. “I’ve never doubted us getting to a Final Four would happen. I have thought we have had other teams capable. But I also know how doggone hard it is to do it.”

The Big Ten knows all about this. Both Illinois and Michigan have a chance to deliver a title for the conference for the first time since Michigan State won it all in 2000.

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Illinois vs. UConn

The Illini, led by the so-called “Balkan Bloc” — a cohort of players with roots in Eastern Europe — have a potential NBA lottery pick of their own in guard Keaton Wagler.

Even so, the best-known name on the Illini roster might be Andrej Stojakovic, whose father, Peja, was a three-time NBA All-Star. Illinois is the third school in three years for the younger Stojakovic, who spent one season at Stanford and another at Cal before joining Underwood’s crew.

The task for Illinois: Figuring out who to key on across a roster that has five players who average double figures, led by Tarris Reed Jr.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

The countdown is on until NASA’s first moon mission in more than half a century, and the quarantined astronauts who’ll be travelling into space have taken part in a Q&A.

Artemis II will take four astronauts – NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, plus Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency – on a 10-day flight around the moon.

The launch date has been set for Wednesday (1 April) and since Friday, the crew has been living in quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Revealing what life is like at the historic facility, Mr Wiseman described the crew quarters as “an amazing place to be”.

“The folks who are cooking for us, their shirts are just covered in patches from other missions,” he said in a Q&A via video link on Sunday.

“When you walk down the halls, you see names in foreign languages, you can think about the places they were born, the lives they have lived and the legacy that we’re a part of.

“It’s a very, very special place. This is where humanity began reaching for the stars.”

The Artemis II mission will mark a number of firsts, with pilot Mr Glover becoming the first black astronaut on a lunar mission, while Ms Koch will be the first woman and Mr Hansen the first Canadian.

Mr Glover shared conflicting feelings as he addressed this at the Q&A.

He explained: “I live in this dichotomy between happiness that a woman can look at Christina and physicalise her passion or her interest. And that young brown boys and girls can look at me and go, ‘he’s doing what?’.

“But I also hope we’re pushing in that other direction that one day, we don’t have to talk about these firsts.”

Ms Koch said: “Something to add, is that although it is something to celebrate, a bunch of firsts, that doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. It’s not about any one individual.”

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Artemis I launched in November 2022, and saw an uncrewed Orion capsule sent to circle the moon.

Read more:
Everything to know about Artemis II
Can this moon mission bring the world together?

NASA was previously aiming for Artemis II to launch on 8 February, but a liquid hydrogen leak during a practice launch forced a delay.

Artemis ‘80% go’ for Wednesday, says NASA

It is now aiming for lift-off on Wednesday 1 April – although the agency has warned that the weather could impact this plan.

Chris Cianciola, deputy manager of NASA’s space launch system, said on Sunday evening: “We got our latest forecast and the thing we’re watching is cumulus clouds, and also winds. Right now, we’re forecast to be 80% go on Wednesday afternoon.”

This third stage is currently aimed to launch in mid-2027.

It’s also got a ‘hidden’ storage compartment for board games

It can be a difficult task when it comes to redesigning your living room, especially when choosing a new coffee table. Depending on your unique needs and family dynamic, you will likely need a coffee table that serves various purposes and can act as a great ‘all-rounder’ for the whole family.

Fortunately, whether you need extra storage or a table that can accommodate your family game nights, there may be one perfect choice for you. The Harmon Games Coffee Table, which is currently being offered on Dunelm for £379, has been specially designed to play various board games while maintaining a sleek rustic aesthetic.

While it’s not in Dunelm’s huge 50% off spring sale, the Games Coffee Table is built with mango wood to help provide sturdiness as well as a light colour that goes perfectly with more subtly designed and neutrally coloured living rooms. It also comes with a unique chequered design featuring both light and dark brown colours.

READ MORE: Homeware shoppers snap up reduced coffee table that looks like it’s from a high-end boutique

READ MORE: Dunelm knocks 50% off coffee table that resembles £1,900 designer version

Aside from giving the table a chic look, this also allows it to serve as a built-in playing board for games such as chess and draughts. It also comes with a removable top that allows for the hollow interior of the table to be used for extra storage, especially useful if you want a convenient and easy-to-reach spot for all your board games and game pieces.

The table itself is also not too large with a 38cm x 80cm x 80cm dimension, allowing to fit comfortably in even the smallest living rooms. However, if you want something a little different to deck out your living room this spring and summer, yoy could instead opt for this Glass Round Nesting Coffee table set from Dusk.

With a reduced price from £129 to £103, this circular coffee table set has a glass centre with gold trimmings. Otherwise, you can opt for this Evie Round Nesting Coffee at Dusk, which has been reduced from £149 to £119.

This small taupe coffee table features a slightly exposed interior, allowing it to be used as extra open storage for a wide variety of items. Currently, the Harmon Games Coffee Table hasn’t received any reviews on Dunelm.

Despite this, the retailer has garnered an average of 3.5 stars on Trustpilot. One customer who previously purchased from them said: “Great service from start to finish lovely products and a nice array of colours would definitely recommend this to anyone.”

While another added: “We ordered a new sofa and rug, both were great and as we expected. Delivery’s both went according to plan and with no hiccups. Will be shopping again soon for blinds. Great service all round.”

However, not all shoppers were pleased with the retailer, with one other cusotmer writing: “I bought this automatic soap dispenser and it works fine most of the time but the sensor can be inconsistent.”

While another said: “Not please with Forma duvet cover. Even in small wash comes out of the dryer crumpled and needs ironing.”

The former First Minister said her interview on The Assembly “sparked more raw emotion than [she] has ever shown on TV before”.

The second series of The Assembly is set to hit our screens next month and it will see Nicola Sturgeon give one of her most “unique” interviews. The former First Minister has admitted “didn’t think the tears would stop” as she opened up about her miscarriage.

The interview show, which returns to STV in April, strips away the usual protections public figures reply on. There are no pre-agreed questions, no rehearsed answers and no clear sense of where conversations might lead.

Instead, each guest is questioned by a panel made up entirely of autistic, neurodivergent and/or learning disabled interviewers – creating a space driven by honesty and curiosity rather than media training or political strategy.

Widely praised as “the most groundbreaking TV show of the year” in 2025 and “a breath of fresh air,” the series has built a reputation for producing moments that feel both raw and deeply human.

And that is something the former SNP leader has told viewers to expect from her interview. For the politican – who spent years navigating press conferences, opposition scrutiny and tightly controlled interviews – this experience proved unlike anything she had ever faced in her career.

This interview was different to anything I’ve done before – a totally unique experience,” she said. “It sparked more raw emotion in me than I have ever shown on TV before, even in the most candid of the political interviews I’ve done over the years. There was no spin; just raw vulnerability on both sides.”

A new trailer for the second series of The Assembly has offered a glimpse into some of its most emotional and unpredictable moments. In it, Sturgeon is asked about her arrest and whether she received “special treatment”. The clip also shows Sir Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry being grilled.

Sturgeon’s appearance, which will air across the first two episodes of the new series, shows a side of the former First Minister rarely witnessed in public life.

Reflecting on the experience, Sturgeon admitted the emotional toll was significant. “I felt exhausted and really drained, but in a good way,” she said. “It was a genuine rollercoaster of emotions – one minute I’d be laughing and the next, crying.”

One moment in particular proved difficult for Sturgeon, as she explained: “There were a couple of points when I felt quite overwhelmed. For example, when I started talking about the baby I lost to a miscarriage, the tears just started to flow and I didn’t think I was going to be able to stop.”

Back in 2016, the politician revealed she had suffered a miscarriage when she was 40 years old. The story was shared in the book, Scottish National Party Leaders, as Sturgeon spoke about the loss of the baby which happened shortly before the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election campaign period.

She explained to the author that instead of dealing with her grief at home, she attended the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster on January 3, 2011. Despite the miscarriage chat catching her off guard, she described the experience as ultimately positive.

She said: “What I took from it was how cathartic it is to open up emotionally to a group of people with no agenda other than hearing honest answers – and to give my answers totally instinctively, without first putting them through the filter of how they might translate into hostile headlines.”

Sturgeon saw her time on The Assembly as an opportunity to present a more personal side of herself, beyond the constraints of political life. She explained: “I really valued getting to open up and show a different side of myself.

“I am someone who naturally wants to wear my heart on my sleeve, but for a long time, my job and the kind of interviews I did meant that I had to be serious and guarded and keep my emotions in check. In this interview, I hope the viewer will see the human being much more than the politician.”

She also praised the panel, adding: “The Assembly members were brilliant. It’s not easy for anyone to put themselves in the TV spotlight – especially in today’s world – but the guts and the passion shown by them was incredible.”

Looking ahead, Sturgeon stated more politicians should take part in the STV series. She suggested that Keir Starmer gives the show a chance for season three, stating: “I think The Assembly is in many ways the ultimate test for a politician. Can you relate on a deeply human level or not? And if you can’t, you should probably find a new job.”

The Assembly returns on Wednesday, April 8, at 10.05pm and Friday, April 10, at 10pm on STV and STV Player, as well as ITV1 and ITVX.

Amanda Dwyer is this year’s winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award and received a personalised video message from the Big Yin himself.

Billy Connolly has sent a video message to the winner of the Glasgow comedy award set up in his name. Amanda Dwyer is this year’s winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow Comedy Festival Gala.

The 36-year-old said she was “over the moon” to collect her award on stage at the King’s Theatre on Sunday, following a personalised video message from Sir Billy Connolly himself.

She becomes the fourth winner of the award – which recognises the individual who most personifies the “Spirit of Glasgow” – joining previous recipients Rosco McClelland (2025), Susie McCabe (2024) and Janey Godley (2023).

Giving his video address Sir Billy said: “Hello everybody, I hope you’re enjoying the Gala. Comedy’s come a long way when they give you Galas. Galas were for Bearsden people.”

He went on to reference one of Dwyer’s jokes as he addressed her directly, saying: “I’d like to congratulate the winner, Amanda Dwyer, who is superb and knows more about bumholes than I do. Have a ball – enjoy yourself.”

Dwyer was visibly emotional when she was handed the glass trophy – which is engraved with Sir Billy’s self portrait – by host Susie McCabe.

Speaking to the Press Association after the ceremony, Dwyer said it was “amazing” to be named this year’s winner. She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, and I’m in shock, complete shock, I can’t believe it.”

She also described receiving a personal message from Sir Billy himself as “the most surreal moment in my life,” adding: “I can’t believe he’s saying my name.

“He’s up on the screen in the King’s Theatre congratulating me on winning an award that’s in his name. It was just crazy. I nearly fainted I think. Just to think that he’s even seen me try and be funny, is unbelievable.”

Dwyer took the prize ahead of a shortlist including five female comics – the most women ever nominated for the award – as well as the first ever non-comic. She said this showed “the strength of the female comics on the scene”.

Dwyer’s breakthrough autobiographical shows delved into the “raw, and often traumatic, realities of being a woman”. She said her comedy can “sometimes be side” because the topics she discusses are “very personal”.

She explained: “My last show was about miscarriage. I think if you were to just go and listen to a seminar or something on miscarriage, it would be quite upsetting and quite jarring.

“But I think with comedy, when you’re able to laugh and relax and enjoy the conversation, then it makes it more accessible to people, and encourages people to be more open about these things.”

She also founded Material, Girl, a monthly comedy show and now hit podcast with all female and non-binary line-ups at The Stand comedy club, to platform other female comics and create a space for women in comedy.

GCF director Krista MacDonald said: “Amanda Dwyer is a comic who personifies the city she comes from in every way. Something Glaswegians are renowned for is finding humour even in dark times, and that is something Amanda does so thoughtfully in her comedy as she tackles the raw, and often traumatic, realities of being a woman.

“Amanda’s deadpan delivery and wicked sense of humour have been making waves in the Scottish comedy scene for the past five years, and her commitment to making comedy more welcoming for new female voices is just another way in which Amanda embodies the Spirit of Glasgow.”

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