Lorraine Kelly: From A-Listers to cute penguins, it’s been an amazing 2015

Now is the time when we look ahead to the New Year but also reflect on the 12 months that have just gone by.

I’m struck by how quickly this year has flown in. I don’t know if that’s just because I’m growing older, but it really has zoomed past at a seemingly supersonic rate.

I’ve been lucky to meet some remarkable people during 2015 and covered some desperately sad as well as inspirational stories.

There has been the usual glittering A-listers with Hugh Jackman and Lionel Ritchie at the top of my list and a grumpy Kevin Spacey at the bottom.

Some of my personal highlights in no particular order included my daughter Rosie turning 21 in the summer. It seems like a few minutes ago she was a little baby and now she is a gorgeous young woman.

I did something I thought I would never ever have the courage to do in my mid-50s, and danced on live TV in my bikini. It was all part of the “Bikini Promise” campaign to encourage women to feel fit, healthy and confident enough to strip off to their two piece and celebrate their curves no matter their age or size.

I was honoured to win the Scottish LGBTi Journalist Of The Year award in Glasgow in September.

Later in the year I was chuffed to bits to be voted 2015’s “honorary gay” by the readers of Attitude magazine.

I met my namesake at London Zoo as I have a Humboldt penguin named after me. She’s really cute and very friendly.

In September, alongside my friend and fitness instructor Maxine Jones, I took part in a 24-hour ceilidh in aid of the STV appeal to help children living in poverty in Scotland.

It was both exhausting and exhilarating.

A massive thank you to all of the people who turned up to help raise funds.

I’ve continued my fitness classes with Maxine at least twice a week and feeling in pretty good shape despite the excesses of Christmas. We’ve brought out our Living To The Max DVD that’s available now.

I was pleasantly shocked to be mentioned in a track by cool artist Example.

His single Whisky Story features the following recurring lyrics: “She lies there on the sofa every morning like Lorraine”, which I loved!

On the TV front Poldark returned in triumph, even though I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the 1975 original.

Thanks to blistering performance by Aiden Turner this production took off like a rocket. I’ve had my eye on young Mr Turner since he appeared as a vampire in Being Human, and he hasn’t disappointed.

I’m looking forward to to the new series next year.

I also loved Nordic Noir crime thriller The Bridge, Homeland and Peter Kay’s Car Share.

One of the perks of my job is to see movies before they are released at special screenings and I have seen some cracking films this year, including Spectre, Carol and Everest.

But the one that has a special place in my affections for sheer stillness and entertainment value was The Minions.

I also encountered some remarkable women this year, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who I spoke to the morning after the SNP’s overwhelming general election victory, which she admitted took even her by surprise.

Nicola must have been shattered but showed endless patience taking selfies and talking to everyone.

She really does have charisma and star quality, as well as that personal touch that eludes far too many politicians.

I also spoke to nurse Pauline Cafferkey who contracted Ebola while helping sufferers in Sierra Leone. Shortly after our interview she was rushed back into hospital with complications brought on by this hideous disease, but Pauline is a real fighter and, despite it being touch and go for a while, she is continuing to make a good recovery.

One of my most unexpectedly enjoyable interviews was with the new(ish) leader of the Labour Party.

Jeremy Corbyn was honest, didn’t speak in sound bites, and revealed that he loves to collect photos of manhole covers from the UK and all over the world.

I’m not sure he will still be in charge this time next year, but he certainly is a man who paddles his own canoe and has one of the oddest hobbies of any senior politician!