Robbie Coltrane, Elspeth Barker, and Doddie Weir added to Oxford's Dictionary of National Biography

Robbie Coltrane, Doddie Weir and Elisabeth Barker are among Scots who have been added to Oxford’s Dictionary of National Biography.

The actor, rugby legend and writer are included in the latest update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, published on Thursday.

The update adds 229 people who died in 2022 and left a significant mark on life in the UK. Those newly included also join Queen Elizabeth II, whose biography appears in the same edition.

Coltrane (1950–2022), best known for his roles in Tutti Frutti, Cracker and the Harry Potter films, was one of Scotland’s most successful and recognisable actors.

Writer and journalist Elspeth Barker (1940–2022) is remembered for her novel O Caledonia, which became a cult classic of Scottish fiction.

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Rugby great Doddie Weir (1970–2022), who won 61 caps for Scotland, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2016 and went on to raise more than £8m for research through the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Also included in the latest edition are campaigner and lawyer Ian Hamilton, one of four students who removed the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey in 1950; former Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti and historian Edward J. Cowan, alongside a wide range of figures from politics, science, culture and public life.

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is the official national record of people who have shaped British history. From April 2026, it contains more than 63,000 biographies, written by over 14,000 contributors.

A full list of new entries is available via the dictionary.