Bare-chested urban athlete Jonathan Doku has described his meeting with folk legend Eddi Reader as 'amazing' after she wrote a song about his life. The 30-year-old runner, whose grandfather was a sprinter from Trinidad and Tobago, has become a familiar sight jogging shirtless through Glasgow's streets.
How Running Saved His Life
Jonathan's story was first reported by the Sunday Mail last year, revealing how running rescued him from a 'hole of depression' in 2019. He took up running as a hobby during the Covid pandemic and fully embraced it in 2023. He participated in last year's Great Scottish Run, raising funds for suicide prevention charity CALM, and has raised more than £5,000 for charity overall.
BBC Radio 2's 21st Century Folk
Jonathan was invited onto BBC Radio 2's 21st Century Folk programme, which pairs people with inspirational stories with renowned artists who write a song about their lives. That is how he met former Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader and her collaborator husband John Douglas. They gave him a private audience for the song they penned, titled 'Jonathan is Running'.
Jonathan said: 'It was an experience I'll never forget. Glasgow is my home and it meant a lot to be collaborating with both a Scottish and Glaswegian legend. It was surreal, to be honest. To have a song written about you is not something everyone can say, and especially when you're just running around without a shirt, raising some money and trying to improve your mental health.'
Credit to the Sunday Mail
Jonathan added: 'The Sunday Mail can take a lot of the credit for it! When the BBC first contacted me, I almost thought it was fake. Someone wanted to arrange a call with me because they'd seen the article that you guys did in the paper. The theme for 21st Century Folk just now is 'Summer of Sport' and they thought my story was interesting and inspiring.'
MoveMento and Future Plans
Jonathan, born in London and moved to Scotland in 2016, is founder of MoveMento, an initiative aiming to improve people's mental health through movement. He runs topless as a way to express himself. Today, he is running in the Men's 10k race in Glasgow.
21st Century Folk, Summer of Sport 2026, can be heard on BBC Sounds.
