STILL GAME stars Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill have revealed the real life inspirations behind old codgers Jack and Victor.
The first new episode of the BBC Scotland sitcom since 2007 will return to screens on October 7, with an episode entitled “Gadgets”.
The Scottish comedy phenomenon focuses on the lives of evergreen pensioners Jack Jarvis and Victor McDade, and their pals on Glasgow’s fictional Craiglang estate.
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The new six-part series will continue from the moment they left off nearly a decade ago, “as if the characters had never been gone”.
Speaking ahead of the characters’ long-awaited return, Kiernan and Hemphill have revealed their inspiration.
Hemphill, 46, said Victor’s character was influenced by his Irish grandfather Sammy, while Kiernan, 54, said the inspiration behind Jack was his Uncle Barney, who was a roofer from Glasgow’s Easterhouse.
Hemphill said: “I used to spend a lot of time with my grandfather Sammy. He was originally from Ireland and he had cold black humour which always made me laugh.
He was very forthright and mischievous.
“Ford’s Uncle Barney was exactly the same, there was a richness to their storytelling and we just wanted to emulate that and honour it.”
Kiernan added: “My Uncle Barney lived in Easterhouse and had been a roofer all his life. Roofers are notorious for having a good sense of humour, very earthy and fun.
Read more: Listen - Robert Burns songs as they were originally intended
“That being said, Jack and Victor are not impersonations of Barney or Sammy – but they are inspirations, in part.”
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Still Game gained sitcom status in 2002.
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