SOME interviews soared like Santa - while others were trickier to negotiate than an icy pavement in January.

In February, Elaine C.Smith was, as always, forthright. And as always, we had a playful debate. Or fight, as they’re sometimes known. It came about because she was asked how it felt to present a scrubbed-face look to the world in hit BBC comedy Two Doors Down.

“Would you ask a guy that question?” she retorted. Yes, Elaine.

Smith does the best chat around.

Springtime brought about a lovely reunion with Bobby Carlyle. The Trainspotting star was back in Glasgow by way of a fundraiser to raise cash - and subsequently a statue - of boxing legend Benny Lynch.

The interview took place in front of 200 people under the glass roof of the rebuilt Clutha Vaults, a nervous chance not only to remember those sadly lost to the city, but to take strength from the collective spirit.

Great talent seldom arrives unaccompanied by great ego. But that wasn’t the case with Newton Faulkner, starring in An American Idiot.

May offered the opportunity to meet an old friend, to take Stanley Baxter out for a 90th birthday dinner (his, not mine).

Stanley struggles to get around these days due to back problems but he managed to entertain all night and tell the sort of tales that have to be kept for the book.

The summer months offered a chance to meet ladies who’d once interested for reasons other than journalistic curiosity. Maureen Nolan is now past the lycra trousers years and Kim Cattrall doesn’t play the sexual conquistadora anymore but both were delightful.

At times during interview you hope for a little traction and Ken Dodd certainly provided that in June. Doddy often likes to take the feature writer to task (and deny the opportunity to ask him searching questions). “Are you a posh boy?” he quizzed. No, Ken. “Did you have two nice parents? “No, Ken. One. But one was enough.” Well, if your mother’s great, look after her. She’s the only one who’ll forgive you murder.”

I tell him I’ll keep that in mind if I murder a comedian who tries to set his own agenda.

Derren Brown didn’t play mind games. He told it as it is, revealing during his time at uni how he began hypnotising fellow students. But had no idea of his own power until subjects began passing out.

Angus Deyton was a little more guarded, prior to coming the Fringe Festival, fed up with questions about his sacking from Have I Got News For You. But that’s understandable.

There is a rarely an interview takes place however without a surprise moment. In July, Dr Feelgood’s July Wilko Johnson offered that up when he revealed despite a death sentence being lifted (an inoperable tumour could in fact be removed) his old depression immediately returned and he became unhappy go-lucky once again.

Karen Dunbar’s marriage however caused an internal stooshie. The funny lady took part in a very in-depth interview, talking about everything under the sun, except the fact she was to be married in a few days time. Egg on the face was narrowly avoided before going to print. Just.

Thankfully, in late summer, Alan Cumming offered a line that travelled the world in the time it takes to read this sentence. ‘Stupid English People’ he declared of the Brexiteers. Brilliant.

So too was the legend that is Joan Collins, speaking on the phone from her home in St Tropez.

Sir Roger Moore was even more candid when we met in London to talk about his Afternoo With . . . show. For some reason the chat wandered onto the shop doorway that is sexual discovery and chose to spend quite some time there. Virginity, marriage, alimony . . . it was all up for review.

It was as much fun however to meet Muriel Gray, who had written an Oran Mor play, for the first time.

There were other great chats. Jason Manford was playing the single dad in Chitty and he wound up speaking of being an absent single dad from his own kids, with his first wife.

Marti Pellow initialled proved worrying when he wouldn’t be interviewed without his SECC Aladdin producer holding his hand. Thankfully, common sense and a bit of nudging prevailed and the Wets singer went on to speak of his deep insecurities.

Lorraine Kelly didn’t speak in any depth about anything in December, while promoting her new fitness DVD. But my God, the lady can blether.

Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, were, as always, a joy, meeting to talk up their new Hydro show.

But the writing year had its sad moments. How could we not feature the loss of little Jamie Stuart; the one-time actor, writer, champion athlete, vacuum cleaner salesman, and creator of the Glasgow Gospel.

The man from Carntyne was an amazingly upbeat character, who would have lived way beyond the age of 95 had his incredible life not halted by a series of strokes.

Jamie was a lesson to us all; live every day as if it’s the last.