‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new…
August 8, 2026 6:11am
Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and...
Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks. But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims?By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling. But here he is, clear-skinned and wholesome in shorts and a T-shirt, drinking tea and– it’s hard to think of anything more off-brand– talking about the health benefits of yoga. The Guardian reported this update on 2026-08-03 with additional details in the linked source coverage.
5-Second Takeaway
Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks.
Why This Matters
But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims?By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling. But here he is, clear-skinned and wholesome in shorts and a T-shirt, drinking tea and– it’s hard to think of anything more off-brand– talking about the health benefits of yoga.
What Changed
- The Guardian published this report on 2026-08-03.
- The headline focus is "‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new novel – and flirting with guns".
- Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks.
- But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims?By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling.
- But here he is, clear-skinned and wholesome in shorts and a T-shirt, drinking tea and– it’s hard to think of anything more off-brand– talking about the health benefits of yoga.
- Given his reputation for having lived in the worlds his books portray, he should or could look a lot worse.
- He guffaws at this, eyes a delighted blue, and repeats the phrase as if he’s found a new personal tagline: “Could look a lot worse!”Over the three decades since his cult debut, Trainspotting, was published in 1993, Welsh’s fiction has explored with humour the darker side of life.
- Drugs, clubs, alcohol, violence … often alongside psychological or social deprivation.
Key Facts
- The Guardian published this report on 2026-08-03.
- The headline focus is "‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new novel – and flirting with guns".
- Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks.
- But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims?By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling.
Key Numbers
- The Guardian published this report on 2026-08-03.
- The headline focus is "‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new novel – and flirting with guns".
- He guffaws at this, eyes a delighted blue, and repeats the phrase as if he’s found a new personal tagline: “Could look a lot worse!”Over the three decades since his cult debut, Trainspotting, was published in 1993, Welsh’s fiction has explored with humour the darker side of life.