Comedy icons face technology hole in new sitcom

Greater than 3 many years after alcoholic Glaswegian boulevard thinker Rab C Nesbitt burst onto our TV displays, actor Gregor Fisher is suffering with a well-known bain of contemporary existence. Passwords.

“You’ve were given to have a password and it’s were given to be 12 letters and it’s were given to have an exclamation mark,” complains the 70-year-old.

“It drives you nuts doesn’t it!”

Sitting beside him Greg McHugh – higher recognized to audiences as Gary: Tank Commander – asks him: “What’s your password?”

‘I do not know,” replies Fisher, “And you wish to have such a lot of of them – and then you definitely dream up a password and it tells you, this isn’t just right sufficient.”

It is a acquainted intergenerational alternate – and a theme explored in Handiest Kid, a brand new six-part sitcom that brings in combination two of Scotland’s greatest comedy abilities.

McHugh performs bit-part actor Richard who will pay a long-overdue talk over with to his just lately widowed father Ken (performed by means of Fisher) – however reveals him suffering with existence

He temporarily realises his dad wishes some full-time lend a hand in his Highlands house.

“So I am going again and check out and lend a hand him – however after all my presence triggers some reactions,” explains McHugh, in an interview with BBC Scotland’s David Farrell.

The older actor interrupts: “There you’re – sounds depressing. You pay attention your self say ‘Why on earth within the identify of all creations would I track in for that,’ says Fisher, reputedly nonetheless in persona.

“However it is humorous,” interjects McHugh. “It is truly humorous but in addition touching. It has got the entirety.”

There may be such a lot of Gregor Fisher in getting older technophobe Ken, you may surprise simply how a lot appearing used to be in reality required to play the section.

Fisher describes his personal his personal real-life battles with era – and rails in opposition to his daughter’s it appears ludicrous recommendation that he would possibly watch the Six O’Clock Information on catch-up.

“I do know this guy inside of out,” he pronounces.

McHugh additionally sees hyperlinks between his personal existence and the “suffering actor” persona he performs within the new display.

Gary: Tank Commander – his sitcom in regards to the lives of an Military corporal and his 3 comrades once they go back from deployments in another country – used to be an enormous hit.

However there is a vulnerability in regards to the appearing occupation he nonetheless pertains to.

“We are by no means secure on this sport. You undergo classes whilst you do really feel susceptible.

“I are living down south and I am not extraordinarily widely known down there. I’ve folks prevent me pronouncing such things as ‘you fitted my cabinets, did not you’.”

Fisher recollects a in a similar way humbling second behind a Glasgow taxi just lately.

“The taxi driving force stated ‘I believed you have been deid’.”

The 2 males are pals in genuine existence and there is an glaring chemistry between them.

Within the new display they’re joined on display by means of a wealth of Scottish and Irish appearing ability – Amy Lennox, Stuart Bowman, Forbes Masson to call only some.

McHugh is hopeful it is going to sign up for a rising listing of Scotland-based comedies reminiscent of Two Doorways Down that experience effectively reached throughout borders.

“Scottish humour has been stored in Scotland infrequently the place it must had been proven to the entire of the rustic,” he says.

“Now it is being proven to the entire of the rustic so that is the most enjoyable bit.”

Fisher has a extra pragmatic take at the topic. “I feel it is just right if a sitcom’s at the small screen television and it is humorous – I could not give a stuff about if it comes from north, south, east or west.

“If it makes me snort, if it amuses me, if I care in regards to the characters, it it is well-written then that is superb – the genesis of it’s immaterial to me.”

So is Handiest Kid any just right?

“I have not a clue,” replies Fisher – obviously a person who does not give reward gushingly.

However then come a verdict on scriptwriter Bryce Hart’s paintings which, coming from any person who is spent greater than 45 years in comedy, makes you take a seat up and take understand.

“I feel that is one in all perfect written items of labor I have ever been concerned with.”

Episode one in all Handiest Kid is going out at the BBC Scotland channel on Thursday 21 November and on BBC One on Friday 22 November.

All episodes are to be had at the BBC iPlayer from Thursday.