In Search of Sir Walter Scott

Walter Scott is 250 this year. Now is the moment to reconsider the man in the monument, to recontextualise him, his world and his extensive works. It’s time to go In Search of Sir Walter Scott.

Scott looms large over Edinburgh and Scottish literature. A polymath and pioneer he was celebrated, envied and parodied in his day. He made a fortune from writing, lost it all and made it back before dying. He was friends with Byron, envied by Jane Austen and his writing inspired some of the greatest works of art from Ave Maria to Lucia di Lammermoor.

Scott has the second biggest monument to a writer in the world and visitors to Edinburgh may arrive at Waverley station—named for his ground-breaking debut novel. He innovated historical fiction. Scott’s face is on every Bank of Scotland note - if we’re lucky we’ve carried him in our pockets. And yet he is far from fashionable now. Why? Who was Scott? And is he worth reading today?

I made this film with Factory Films all over Scotland during lockdown. We did it safely, so thank you to the crew and all our genius contributors on and off screen. And thank you for watching: 10th August, 10pm, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.