Johnston McKay grew up as the son of a minister in Hillhead, part of Glasgow's vibrant West End. He was educated first at Glasgow University (History & Politics) and then Cambridge (Divinity). In addition to his calling to the Church of Scotland (first stop St. Gilles, Edinburgh) he somehow picked up a love of cricket and an unusual (for a Glaswegian) interest in the Boat Race.

Subsequent posts at Bellahouston Steven Parish Church in Govan (and the two free season tickets to Ibrox park that this brought) failed miserably to remove a soft spot for Hibernian Football Club (although things might have been different if his son had ever found out about the season tickets!).

The football played near his next church, Paisley Abbey, had more chance of inducing sleep than any change of allegiance and so Hibs remained through his spell there and into his current job with BBC Scotland.
For his sins, he currently lives in Largs with his wife Evelyn and daughter Cally. He has two sons, Kevin and Robert who have long since given him peace and skipped the nest!