Frank McGroarty is a writer who has crossed many media platforms.   But growing up in his home town of Greenock, Scotland, his early aspirations were focused more on performing in front of an audience as opposed to writing.

Born in 1963, he discovered a childhood talent as a ballroom dancer, which led to him joining the Scotland Latin American Formation Team at the age of sixteen. The Team was a regular feature on the BBC Television’s “Come Dancing” programme as well as competing in iconic entertainment venues like Blackpool’s Winter Gardens and London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Two years later, his dancing experience landed him a position as a Redcoat at Butlins Holiday Camp at Ayr in Scotland, where for the next three summer seasons; he developed a passion for performing in front of an audience, as a Compere and Entertainer, which included performing stand-up comedy spots.

After Butlins, Frank became involved with a number of local broadcasting projects, before his writing career started to take shape in 1992 when he began a fifteen year career as a freelance print journalist. Specialising in sport and entertainments he had work published in many of the UK’s major publications, covering subjects such as American Football, Scottish Football, Theatre and Television.

In 1997 he combined print journalism with online reporting, developing a partnership with professional photographer Gordon Newlands, resulting in the successful American Football Website Hot Iron (1997 – 2012) which was named in the 2007 Good UK Web Guide.

 He continued to focus his writing on numerous online projects as well as scripting and producing his own radio shows for Radio Nova FM (Spain) and internet station More Music Radio.   In 2011, he developed his own blog site, where one chapter focussing on his treatment for Thyroid Cancer during 2013 was transformed into the publication of the free e book “The Thyroid Diaries.”

 Back to full health in 2014, Frank entered into a new and exciting chapter in his writing career when he spent the next twelve months working on his debut novel, part one of a Butlins Trilogy, “What Time Does Midnight Cabaret Start,” which he, working alongside Gordon Newlands published in January 2015.

Having focussed on his writing for the past few years, Frank returned to performing in 2016 as a member of the “Dunoon Redcoats,” a group of former Butlins Redcoats and Entertainers, performing in charity shows in the area.  They still put on shows for local residents on request.

Having rediscovered his “performing mojo,” Frank returned to studio recording, completing audiobook versions of “What Time Does Midnight Cabaret Start” and “Don’t Mention Hi De Hi!”.  

The broadcasting projects continue throughout 2021, continuing his weekend show for Spanish radio station, MoreFM and also presenting an producing “The Late Lunchtime Experience,” for Scottish station, IndyLive Radio

And in January 2021, marked the release of the final instalment of the Butlins Ayr Trilogy, “How do they get the Donkeys up the stairs?’ which is out in Paperback and in E Book.  An audiobook version will be produced later on this year.

Future writing projects during the next twelve months will take Frank well away from his Holiday Camp past, with a novel based on American Football as well as a series of short stories.

Not forgetting future performances in his Redcoat Uniform, which at the moment will be virtual, along with the current “Mrs Frankie Boy” of course!