IT is the Labour leader as you have never seen her before.

Johann Lamont is the latest politician to be sent up by Jonathan Watson as he takes his impressions into Holyrood for BBC Scotland's Hogmanay broadcast of Only An Excuse?

It is the first time the comedian has turned his attention to the Labour politician, with some more familiar faces in the shape of Gordon Strachan and Frank McAvennie making their annual return to the small screen. Susan Boyle will appear in a sketch where Scottish celebrities duet with rock and roll legends.

After a year in which Sir Alex Ferguson retired and with a look ahead to the independence referendum and the Commonwealth Games, Watson said there was plenty of material for this year's show which combines football, politics and comedy.

"We've got a great show lined up this year," he said. "We've charted the retiral of Fergie, by looking at the sort of things those in retiral would like to do. You can only imagine the fun we had with this.

"And we look to 2014 at the arrival of the Commonwealth Games and of course the referendum, and its wider issues.

"I don't really want to give the game away as to how we link these subjects with football, but we do look at Alex Salmond and Johann Lamont in Holyrood, and we certainly have some fun with that.

"Plus, we've got the likes of Frank McAvennie back on the show. Macca, in fact, has been on the show so many times that his son, who's now about 18, tells the story of seeing me on TV and thinking I was his dad."

Photographs released ahead of the broadcast show Watson as Strachan on the back of a horse, a reference to the events being held next year to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

"The challenge is to keep the show fresh," said Watson. "You have to keep trying to do things a little differently."

l Only An Excuse? is on BBC One Scotland on Hogmanay at 11.15pm.