Still Game stars back together as new series starts filming

Jane McCarry is flanked by Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan as filming begins. Picture: Contributed

FILMING is up and running on the long-awaited new series of Still Game - nearly nine years after the hit comedy was last seen on the nation's TV screens.

Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Jane McCarry stepped back into their roles as Jack, Victor and Isa at BBC Scotland’s Dumbarton studios for the first day on set.

Locations around Glasgow have also been lined up for the six-week shoot on the programme, which ran for more than five years, with the last instalment to date being show on Hogmanay in 2007.

Kiernan and Hemphill, who launched Jack and Victor in a 1997 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, called off a much-publicised feud and reunited the cast for a sell-out 21-night run at Glasgow’s Hydro venue.

The new six-part series, which will be shown on BBC Scotland later in the year, was announced by Kiernan and Hemphill at a press conference in Glasgow last month.

Kiernan said at the time: “Time has moved on, but Jack and Victor’s age hasn’t. It’s an Oor Wullie or Broons thing.

“We’re hoping the audience will be as comfortable as where we left them, we want it to feel as if they haven’t been away.

“It feels like we’re pulling on an old pair of slippers, or taking a warm bath.”

Hemphill agreed: “We were always concerned about outstaying our welcome and looking back, it does feel a little bit like the show ended prematurely, so we really feel this is an amazing opportunity to bring it back.”