new works at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow and the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. In September 2008 she began touring the UK in a stage version of the hit British film Calendar Girls, along with Lynda Bellingham, Patricia Hodge, Siân Phillips, Gaynor Faye and Brigit Forsyth. The show opened in London's West End at the Noël Coward Theatre in April 2009. The original cast left the show at the end of July 2009, but Smith returned in a different role as part of a national tour in 2010. From 2009 to 2016, Smith starred in Christmas pantomimes at His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen. In 2017 she returned to pantomimes at the King's Theatre, Glasgow. In 2012, she played Scottish singer Susan Boyle in the touring musical I Dreamed a Dream (which she co-wrote with Alan McHugh), based on Boyle's life and rise to fame. There were plans to tour the show in Australia in 2013 but these were cancelled. In 2016, Smith toured Scotland as Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie. In 2017, she toured Scotland in a musical version of Kay Mellor's Fat Friends. Honours She was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by the University of Glasgow in 2008. Personal life Smith lives in Glasgow. In August 2007, she was appointed to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission established by the Scottish Government. Until 2009, Smith wrote a weekly column in the Sunday Mail newspaper. In late 2009, her autobiography, Nothing Like a Dame (), was published. Activism In May 2007, Smith declared her support for Scottish independence by aligning herself with the Scottish National Party. She had previously been a member of the Labour Party but left due to its failure to publicly back the 1984–85 miners' strike. She is a supporter of numerous charities, including Zero Tolerance and Relationships Scotland. She is also the patron of the Women and Girl's Programme at Celtic FC. In 2021 she became patron of The Tall Ship Glenlee on their 125th Birthday. The ships’ figurehead had been named Mary Doll after Smith’s famous character as Mary Doll Nesbitt. Filmography Television Film Publications References External links 1958 births Living people Actresses from Glasgow Alumni of Queen Margaret University Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland People educated at Braidhurst High School People from Baillieston Scottish autobiographers Scottish columnists Scottish film actresses Scottish musical theatre actresses Scottish nationalists Scottish stage actresses Scottish stand-up comedians