Entertainment

Burnistoun creators back with new sitcom 'The Scotts' touted to rival Still Game


Forget The Broons and the Nesbitt clan – there’s a new comedy family in town who make the Kardashians look like the Brady Bunch.

The Scotts are a hysterical dysfunctional and larger-than-life brood, who love and want to kill each other in equal measure.

Written and starring Burnistoun’s Robert Florence and Iain Connell, the sitcom, which hits our screens tomorrow night, is being touted as the next Still Game – a comparison which scares its creators.

The comedy duo, who have been working together for 30 years, admitted they are ‘bricking it’ and hope the nation will welcome their bunch of well-meaning misfits into their living rooms and their hearts.



Robert Florence as Vincent Scott, Louise McCarthy as Colette Scott and Iain Connell as Henry Scott
Robert Florence as Vincent Scott, Louise McCarthy as Colette Scott and Iain Connell as Henry Scott

Dad-of-four Robert, 44, said: “We have fallen in love with the Scotts and we hope Scotland will too and will recognise exaggerated versions of people they know in the characters.

“This is the scariest time for Iain and I as we wait to see if it gets people laughing. It has to be funny from the get-go so we are bricking it ahead of the series debut tomorrow night.

“There is a gap where Still Game used to be but nobody will ever be able to match what it did. It’s one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, and certainly the best Scottish sitcom ever.

“So it’s too high a bar to clear. But hopefully we can find an audience of our own out there and carve out our own wee slot. It’s going to take time and the worry is there to start with but hopefully the Scotts will find a place in people’s hearts and there will be many more series.”

Using the ever-popular reality TV format, the show shadows feuding brothers Henry and Vincent – played by Iain and Robert – their mad Kylie Jenner wannabe sister Colette – Scots Squad’s Louise McCarthy – and their crazy nearest and dearest.



Louise McCarthy as Colette Scott and Lee Greig aka Jack Jester as Darren
Louise McCarthy as Colette Scott and Lee Greig aka Jack Jester as Darren

Kardashian’s they are not but every single member of the Scott clan is a belter and their one-liners will have you spitting out your cocoa and reaching for a gin.

Spooks actress Shauna Macdonald stars as Vincent’s hard-drinking fashionista wife Vonny and Sharon Young takes on the role of Henry’s straight-laced wife Laura.

Lee Greig – aka wrestler Jack Jester – plays Colette’s gentle giant of a boyfriend with Rab C Nesbitt legend Barbara Rafferty lording it over them all as matriarch Moira.

Iain and Robert said although, the characters share some traits with their own friends and family, they were too scared to make the mad-cap Scotts too similar to folk they knew.



The Scotts creators Robert Florence and Iain Connell pictured at the Theatre Royal Glasgow
The Scotts creators Robert Florence and Iain Connell pictured at the Theatre Royal Glasgow

Iain said: “If we’d based it on our own families we’d have got a doing. But it’s definitely based on elements of stories we’ve heard and seen and experienced.

“We’ve picked out wee bits of their personalities that we thought would be nice to throw into the characters but we didn’t want to go too far as I was afraid of my aunties watching it and disowning me.”

Robert added: “Iain and I are a double act but instead of writing something for just ourselves we decided to make the Scotts an extended family which meant we could bring in lots of characters.

“It’s incredible to watch pros like Shauna, Barbara and Louise doing their thing alongside folk like Lee, who had not done telly before. At times we just stood back and thought we are fans of our own show.

“There’s lots of drama, lots of slagging, lots of ribbing, the odd punch and a few hugs to go with it. It’s a nice blend and reflects the amusing ups and downs of family life.”

While Iain’s character Henry is a family man and scaffolder with a traditional outlook, Robert’s Vincent is a smug, self-made fake tan fanatic who owns his own cosmetic surgery business.

The pair are like a Scottish Gallagher brothers – always bickering and competing to be the best.

Robert and Iain, who have been friends for 30 years are like brothers in real life having known each other since meeting at drama project Toonspeak in Springburn when they were just 15.

They got their breakthrough writing sketches for Chewin’ The Fat and The Karen Dunbar Show before creating their own sketch show Burnistoun with characters like the Quality Polis, Jolly Boy John and “up the road” couple Joe and Barry.

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Iain said: “We are nothing like our characters in the show and we certainly don’t argue as much as they do. Robert and I have a brotherly relationship which comes with having known each other for 30 years. That’s a long time and we are still getting on and having a good time together and having fun.

“Sure we have points in the script where we don’t agree but we find the compromise. There are no typewriters getting thrown through windows and no one storms out. We don’t have those type of personalities.”

Robert added: “We might get wound up for an hour or two and then we both calm down as perspective sets in and we realise it is just a telly programme.

“I can’t wait until we are 60 and playing a game of golf. I don’t think we will ever fall out.”

Although, Robert claims to be nothing like his “tangoed” alter ego, he admitted he is a fan of Vincent’s outrageous wardrobe and wouldn’t say no to a botox touch up.

Robert, who is married to Jen, said: “When we were filming in the cosmetic surgery I had a wee read of some of the leaflets and started thinking I could be doing with a bit of that.

“If we get another series I’m going to say they need a wee bit of extra money in the budget to get botox for me. I might as well try and get a wee perk.

“I also fell in love with Vincent’s wardrobe. The costume team would dig out ridiculous stuff they thought would be really funny on screen and I would love it.

“They were trying to make me look borderline ridiculous and I was looking at myself in the mirror and thinking I look better in this than my normal get up.

“I’ve decided I should just wear a wig, fake tan myself and cut about like that. My wife was having to tan me every couple of nights. I would come home from filming jump in the shower, get stripped off and my wife would come up and slather me in fake tan. It was crazy times.”



Iain Connell and Robert Florence in Burnistoun
Iain Connell and Robert Florence in Burnistoun

The Scotts all have their own unique style with Vincent and his Instagram influencer sister Collette leading the way when it comes to in-your-face fashion.

Iain said: “Our costume designer Denise Coombes always does a great job. We will have a vague idea but Denise and her team complete the circle. Costume and makeup deserve a lot of the comedy credit.

“I think it is 90 per cent costume and makeup and 10 per cent script.”

The pals are keeping everything crossed The Scotts will strike a chord with viewers and the farcical family will be back for a second, third and fourth series.

Robert said: “Being Scottish is like being part of one big mad family – isn’t it? so we are hoping The Scotts will go down well with audiences and we can bring them back for more fun.”





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