Depardieu misses premiere after pub visit

French film supremo Gerard Depardieu – in Scotland to promote his new film – was mysteriously unable to attend its UK premiere in Edinburgh after a day spent sampling the wares of an Isle of Skye pub.

Cheers, mon ami (Facebook, Sleat Perfectly Skye)

Locals at the Am Oraban Bar on the Sleat peninsula of the Scottish island welcomed the unexpected arrival of the controversial actor, happily posing for photographs and making sure that he wasn’t without a pint or a dram.

However, not everyone was toasting to his good health, as at the very same time in Edinburgh preparations were well underway for the red-carpet screening of his new film Welcome to New York, at which he was due to appear the next evening.

Bon appétit (Twitter, @SiobhanSynnot)

Event organisers at the Edinburgh film festival were forced to announce on the afternoon of the premiere on Sunday (30 June) that the star of the show had failed to materialise, with a spokesman saying: “He has let the festival down very badly.”

Pictures on social media show Depardieu sampling beer, whisky, haggis and taking in the bagpipe. He was followed in-toe by a french film crew recording a programme on Scottish culture starring the actor, who recently exiled himself from his native country in protest at its tax arrangements, chosing to set-up in Russia.

Vive la Skye (Twitter, @@SiobhanSynnot)

A post on the Sleat, Perfectly Skye Facebook page said Depardieu “clearly enjoyed tasting the range of Gaelic whiskies” and tried “haggis, washed down with a dram and a pint of Skye Gold from the Isle of Skye Brewery.”

The posting added: “The arrival of a ten-strong photography and support team was a surprise to visitors and locals enjoying an early evening drink and many of those had their photographs taken with the iconic actor.”