Amazing Christmas gift courtesy of Cumbernauld’s very own Craig Ferguson

Comic-turned chat-show host Craig Ferguson can add philanthropist to his job description after parting with a six figure sum.

The money will be donated to the ARCHIE Foundation which is the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

The giant cash injection will be used to support the development of the hospital’s High Dependence Unit which will soon be named the Ferguson Critical Care Unit in his honour.

It rounds off a very successful year for the former Cumbernauld High pupil who recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host for his starring role in the ratings smash quiz show Celebrity Name Game.

Prior to that, Craig spent a decade hosting The Late Late Show for US television network CBS.

Craig(53) is widely viewed as a longstanding champion of Scotland in the states and wanted to make the donation as a show of supports for vulnerable youngsters in his homeland.

Craig has stressed that he had been working with the Scottish-American Foundation for a number of years which endeavours to promote business and cultural links between the two countries.

The foundation helped connect Craig with the hospital and discussions were soon underway between California and Aberdeen.

In a press statement Craig stated: “It’s a practical way for us to show our love, gratitude and appreciation for the people of Scotland.

“We hope that this is the first of many such gestures.”

The chief executive of the ARCHIE Foundation David Cunningham said: “Donations like this are transformational and will make a huge difference to the care we can offer and the environment which it is given here at the hospital.”

Craig was last seen in Cumbernauld when he recorded a section for his chat show at Cumbernauld High School.

He was however spied at the gig of Cumbernauld band Dead Man Fall in Glasgow venue Oran Mor on Christmas Eve.

Craig memorably used their song Bang Your Drum in a celebrity medley on the final episode of his chat show.

The proud owner of a castle near Girvan, Los Angeles-based Craig has married three times and has two sons, Milo Hamish and Liam James. He became a US citizen in 2007.