One of the creators of the Scottish comedy Still Game has said he is “chuffed to bits” the show has been awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Television award at Scottish Baftas.
The long-running show concluded this year with a run of live shows at Glasgow’s Hydro after more than two decades since curmudgeonly pensioner pals Jack and Victor – played by creators Kiernan and Greg Hemphill – first came into being.
Kiernan told the PA news agency: “Twenty-one years it’s been, it’s been ages – it just means a lot to finally get that sort of recognition at the end.
“We’ve had a couple of Baftas before – oh yes – but we’re chuffed to bits to be picking this up tonight. It’s obviously the work of a whole lot of people.”
If you need advice on waistcoat etiquette, don't ask Line of Duty's @martin_compston…. 😂#BAFTAScot19 pic.twitter.com/FePHJB5Exm
— BAFTA Scotland (@BAFTAScotland) November 3, 2019
Among guest stars who have appeared on the show over the years are Line Of Duty actor Martin Compston, who was also at the ceremony in Glasgow and Kiernan said he was looking forward to being reunited with.
Compston praised Still Game as “the best Scottish TV show ever made” when handing over the award.
He added: “Make something that is true to a place, true to the people, to the culture and the language and people will respond to it no matter where they are from.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also paid tribute.
Gavin Mitchell, who played Boaby the Barman in the comedy, said: “We’re very chuffed – it’s the icing on our cake after filming the final series and after the Hydro, 51 shows all in all.
“This is really lovely it feels like the perfect conclusion.
“If anybody deserves it the boys have earned it. It’s a fantastic achievement, I’m really proud of them and humbled just to be a small cog in the wheel.”
He poured cold water on any idea of a miracle resurrection for the show, saying deciding to bow out was “brave”.
He added: “I think its nice to be in the position that they decided to walk away and if they hadn’t done that we wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye the way we did.
“It gave us the chance to say goodbye and thank our fans properly rather than it go downhill or be taken away from us.”