Rugby internationalist turned broadcaster. Born in Borneo, the son of the Scottish manager of a rubber plantation there, Beattie received his early education in Malaysia, before returning to Scotland with his family and attending Glasgow Academy and the University of Glasgow, where he read engineering. He went on to earn 25 caps for Scotland and took part in the British Lions tours of South Africa (1980) and New Zealand (1983). Since retiring from rugby, he became a sports commentator for the BBC and hosts a lunchtime news and topical discussion programme for BBC Radio Scotland. He lives in Jordanhill (Glasgow) and was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Glasgow in 2016, in recognition of his achievements in sport and broadcasting.
His son Johnnie Beattie (b.1985) has also been a successful rugby player for Scotland.
