Ford Kiernan pays tribute to late son on birthday

STILL Game star Ford Kiernan today paid a poignant tribute to his tragic son Sonny on what would have been his 13th birthday.

Ford Kiernan, pictured with Still Game co-stars in October 2013, paid tribute to his late son on Twitter. Picture: Robert Perry

The comic was left devastated in January when the schoolboy was found dead at the family’s Glasgow home.

Ford wrote on Twitter: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONNY! A TEENAGER TODAY!”

Friends and fans quickly posted messages of support to the star, who plays pensioner Jack Jarvis in the hit series.

Karina F posted: “Celebrate in style for him, he wouldn’t want you to mope. Sending heaps of hugs through the ether. XX”

Glaswegian actor Paul Donnelly wrote: “@FordKiernan1 thinking of you today pal.”

Suzie Donald added: “Best wishes.”

Sonny, a Kelvinside Academy pupil, was found dead on January 6 at the family home on Cleveden Road in the West End.

He was found in the house where he lived with his father, mother Lesley, 44, and 14-year-old sister Kaye.

Ford has donated a trophy in his memory called the Sonny Kiernan Cup to his school.

In April the 52-year-old was hit with a further blow when his mother Frances passed away.

In previous interviews, he had spoken of how Frances had raised him and his sister Tracey alone after his father walked out when he was aged three.

The comedian is currently in preparations for his Still Game comeback.

After splitting from his comedy partner Greg Hemphill in 2009, the two funnymen announced a reunion last year.

The pair are working on new material for a run of 21 shows at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow which start in September.

There had been a question mark over whether the shows would go ahead following the death of Sonny.

However, the pair continued working on the script after a one-month delay.

The stage version of the popular BBC television comedy was originally planned to run for just four shows but demand for tickets resulted in 21 performances being booked at the 12,000-seat venue.

Ticket sales have topped £10 million. On the first day of their sale, more than 100,000 were sold, with demand leading to the temporary collapse of the venue’s online box office.