Craig Ferguson hints at his starring role in Still Game '˜spin-off'

Craig Ferguson (C) plays stuntman Callum. Picture: BBC

The Cumbernauld-born star is making his debut in the show tonight as the stuntman love interest of Craiglang busybody Isa, played by Jane McCarry.

Ferguson, who was offered a part after telling its creators Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill he was a long-time fan, has revealed he would revive his role “in a heartbeat”.

The 55-year-old, who left Scotland to try to forge a career in America more than 20 years ago, said he had already discussed the idea of a spin-off series with McCarry due to the rapport they struck up making the one-off episode.

The Cumbernauld-born Craig Ferguson is making his debut in the show tonight as the stuntman love interest of Craiglang busybody Isa

Ferguson, who appeared in Still Game without even reading a script, said: “I haven’t loved a job so much in years.”

The final episode of the current series sees Callum return to Craiglang from Los Angeles to see if there is still a “spark” between him and Isa.

Discussing his character, Ferguson said: “Callum is a man from Craiglang who left a long time ago to seek his fortune in America as a stuntman. He’s reached a point in his life where he’s returning home to check up on his old life. He wants to come back and reconnect with old friends – Isa being one of them.

“I thought Jane was fantastic. When I turned up on set and met this rather glamorous actress who wasn’t yet transformed into Isa it was amazing. She’s a spectacular actress and was very kind, helpful and good fun. The way acting is at its best when you turn up on a set and it’s inclusive and helpful and supportive. That’s not as common as you would think.

“I’ve said to Jane we should do a Still Game spin-off of Callum and Isa: The Golden Years. It would be like Frasier, which was the spin-off of Cheers, of course.

“There are people in charge of that kind of thing and it’s their ball and I don’t get to choose, but can you imagine? It would be lovely and I’d think about that.

“The people that work on Still Game are just spectacular, they really are. And it’s not just good feeling about working with Scottish actors, they really are an exceptional bunch of people and I’d happily work with them again.”

McCarry said: “Craig was amazing to work with. He wasn’t at all starry, he just fitted in. You’d never know he’s this huge American star, you actually forgot that within five minutes of meeting him. His stories were out of this world. That episode is one of my all-time favourites.”