Latest news with #Chewin
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Still Game star breaks silence on potential return for iconic comedy
He also promoted an upcoming event THAT'S PLENTY! Still Game star breaks silence on potential return for iconic comedy Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A STILL Game star has spoken out on rumours about the show's rumoured return. The legendary comedy show - which became a cultural icon - came to an end in 2019. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Still Game became a cultural sensation Credit: BBC 3 Mark Cox as tight-fisted Tam Mullen Credit: BBC Telly fans bid farewell to the nation's favourite pensioners as the Craiglang cohort left our screens for the last time. But there has still been chat of the cast getting back together with fans always eager to see Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan bring back Victor McDade and Jack Jarvis Esq. Although rumours of a reunion were well and truly put to bed by star Mark Cox, who played tight-fisted OAP Tam Mullen in the show. He made it clear fans should be wary of listening to anything that sounds like it came from the show's gossip Isa when hearing about a Still Game return. Cox, 53, rubbished ideas that the cast could return for a Still Game movie. He told The Glasgow Times: "There's been talk of how you would even do a movie. "Do they work, comedy movies like that? "I don't know. I don't even know where that rumour started." The actor, who recently starred as a top cop in Netflix crime drama Dept Q even told how he is still recognised far and wide for his time as the penny-pinching pensioner, even being quizzed about the show while in New York. Still Game earned a permanent place in the hearts of the people of Scotland. Forgotten Still Game character unmasked more than two decades after iconic episode The jokes and one-liners spouted by the characters are repeated by fans young and old across the country. It has become such a sensation the cast even got a mural on the side of a Glasgow building. But Cox reckons fans will appreciate hearing some of his tales when he hosts shows across Scotland later this year. He will be taking to the stage at Bo'ness Town Hall on August 23 and Glasgow's Woodside Halls on October 25. He said: "I was in Chewin' The Fat before Still Game for a long time, and there are lots of stories and different things about growing up in the East End, being an actor and becoming an actor in a place where no one was an actor. "I look forward to speaking to the audiences, that's a thing I quite like doing. "People come, they know who I am, and it feels as if you're in the right place, you're not trying to impress, you come with the stories and other stuff you've got to tell them, and audiences are great. "They eat it up, they love it."
Glasgow Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Landmark £1.5m project project completed at historic Glasgow building
The landmark project, featuring over 1,000 solar panels and worth approximately £1.5 million, was completed by renewable energy firm Vital Energi for Glasgow City Council. Part of the council's climate action strategy, the project will supply 20% of the building's electricity needs and save £182,000 annually. The installation is accompanied by seven smaller solar installations across Glasgow schools and daycare centres, collectively supporting the city's journey toward net zero emissions. Scott Lutton, Director at Vital Energi Scotland, said: "Working on Kelvin Hall's protected Category B listed structure presented unique engineering challenges. READ MORE: Chewin' the Fat star gives surprise musical performance at community event READ MORE: Sex attacker filmed himself raping young girl "Our team developed custom mounting solutions for the distinctive barrel-shaped roof while preserving the building's historic character. This required specialised safety systems for installers working at height and strategic relocation of inverters to optimise system performance. 'We considered more than just the technical aspects of the project—we actively engaged with the community to ensure the voices of those affected by potential disruptions were heard and respected.' The project adds to the 46 renewable energy installation projects that Vital Energi has delivered to date across Scotland, which include recent solar projects for NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Tayside. The company installed the landmark Queens Quay Heat Pump scheme in West Dunbartonshire in 2019 - the largest water-source heat pump system in the UK. It extracts heat from the River Clyde to provide low-carbon heating to over 1,200 homes and businesses. The solar project was 50% funded by Salix Finance, with Glasgow City Council providing the remaining investment.
The Herald Scotland
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
I am on 'the fat jab' and I don't care who knows it, says Karen Dunbar
Portobello Town Hall Gayle Anderson Three stars Portobello seemed a fitting place to catch the current Karen Dunbar tour. It's said that the 99 cone was invented just across the road from this venue. The perfect place then for Chewin' the Fat's ice cream van lady to serve up her patter with extra sauce. The epic 80 date tour began in May and ends in November. It's taking the scenic route through Scotland with dates everywhere from the Isle of Skye to Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Karen shadow boxes her way onto the stage to the Theme from Rocky. Physical humour is still her forte and gets the biggest laughs of the night. Doing the Slosh, drunkenly devouring the entire family Sunday roast, bringing Mrs Munro, Chewin' the Fat's nervous biology teacher, back to life – Karen's face isn't just mobile, it's peripatetic. There's honesty throughout this show. One of her best jokes, she admits, was stolen from Lily Savage aka Paul O'Grady. What you see is what you get. And what you see is a little less. Karen also confesses that she's been taking 'the fat jab.' Her description of which is so funny there's a real temptation to follow her example and just nick it. Read more A few bodily function gags turn full bawdily function before we hear about Roberta, the new woman in Karen's life. That's the name she's given the BAFTA she recently received for best supporting actress in a video game. Comedian, writer, actor and DJ – this former YTS worker is a proper Renaissance woman and she's rightly proud of it. A heckler at this point is hit with one of the funniest put-downs I've heard in a long time. Karen's stories – much like this current tour – often go off on wild rambles. Lots of side roads are taken. You're never quite sure where she's going to end up. At times, she seems genuinely surprised herself. Hogmanay parties, community spirit, methods of shopping – things ain't what they used to be and Karen's mining that nostalgia seam for all she's worth. The final part of the show focuses on her TV work. The love and warmth still felt for the characters Karen portrayed is evident as she leads the audience in a rousing game of polish off the punchline. Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your catchphrase – now that's how to work a room.
The National
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Glasgow Telly Festival flips script with one-minute pilots
As part of the inaugural event, people in Glasgow will be able to see actors from some of the country's most beloved TV shows, like Still Game, in short one-minute pitches in a bid to unearth the country's next big series. The festival, which is the brainchild of Scottish author, producer and screenwriter Claire Duffy, aims to shine a spotlight on Scotland's TV sector and has been backed industry stalwarts like actors Dawn Steele, Blythe Duff, Colin McCredie, Joe McFadden and Shauna Macdonald, along with presenter Carol Smillie and Still Game and Chewin' The Fat Director Michael Hines. Originally from Glasgow, Duffy has worked across film and TV for more than 20 years and across the world, including London, Vancouver, and Stockholm, and has launched the festival after always being 'frustrated' by the industry. READ MORE: Scottish screenwriter pays tribute to Palestinian journalist killed by Israeli strike Duffy said: 'I had come up with this idea to look at sort of different ways of getting projects straight to audiences, which I think is something that the industry badly needs right now.' The one-minute pilots, which there are 57 confirmed to be shown so far, are designed to cut out the middleman of pitching to executives who are 'incredibly risk-averse' and are aimed at seeing what the Scottish public really wants to see on their screens. Duffy envisioned the project as a version of the industry where creatives just came together and 'jammed' like a bunch of friends in a band. And according to her, that's exactly what has happened. 'I keep calling it the playing to manky pubs and student unions,' Duffy (below) said. (Image: Shots by Sherrie) 'It's the level of the industry where new talent, but also new ideas from established talent, can just get out there into the world and start to be developed and start to see if people are interested in it. 'I just think that it's so much more robust than what we do right now.' People will be able to watch the short pilots in around 20 pubs and cafes in Glasgow and will be able to simply say if they like or didn't like what they watched by voting on the festival's dedicated app. According to Duffy, the pilots have been created by Scottish filmmakers from across the industry, ranging from students all the way to veterans of the industry, and cover 'almost every genre'. The guerilla-style campaign is also a response to how Scottish TV reflects the country's society, which Duffy said there is very little that actually authentically represents Scots on the small screen. 'There's really precious little,' she said. 'Even more so with the sort of imminent end of River City. 'There's very little that Scottish people can look at on screen and see actual, authentic representations of all of the wonderful sides that make up Scotland, and that really resonates with us. 'I always say that you switch on the TV to watch something Scottish, and you've either got sexy Jacobites or gloomy crime drama. 'And we're so much more than both of those.' Duffy argued that although there is a place for 'sexy Jacobites or gloomy crime drama,' it is also 'really important' for Scottish people to have TV series that they can relate to. She added that series like Taggart and Still Game are great examples of TV programmes which have gone down well with Scottish audiences due to them being more authentic in their representation, but highlight that they are around a decade old. 'I don't know when I've seen a Glasgow that I really truly recognise on screen, and I think that's a problem,' she said. Duffy believes that by including audiences right at the beginning of projects will help offer invaluable insight into creating shows that Scots will want to watch. 'People out there in the world, the audiences, are just looking for something to entertain them. 'They are so much more open-minded and discerning and sophisticated than the powers that be often give them credit for.' Duffy said that at the end of the festival, she aims to take all the data that is collected from those who vote and develop the 'real standouts' into future projects to be shown on digital platforms. A series of events at the Glasgow Telly Festival will be held across the city, from May 29 to June 1, putting Scotland's talented writers, producers, directors, and actors centre stage. Other planned events include rehearsed readings - where audiences can watch live performances of TV pilots - with the opening event co-hosted by Scottish Producers Circle's Maureen Hascoet. There will also be the TV equivalent of an open-mic night, where actors, writers, and directors will perform short pilots of new drama series in front of an audience who will get to decide which ones they'd want to see more of. You can click here for tickets and more information for events.
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Scottish comedy legend Karen Dunbar bringing new show to Dumfries and Galloway
Scotish comedy legend Karen Dunbar is bringing her new show to Dumfries and Galloway . The comedian , DJ and Chewin' The Fat Star will be sharing stories from her life and talking about her career – with a heap of humour and jokes – on her 80-date tour. And that includes visits to Newton Stewart Cinema and Stranraer's Millennium Cinema on Friday, May 16. She'll also be appearing in Dumfries later in the year, with fans able to enjoy An Evening with Karen Dunbar at the Easterbrook Hall on Thursday, November 13. This is a brand new show for 2025 and is Karen's fourth tour with promoters Breakneck Comedy since 2023. Breakneck Comedy founder, Naz Hussain, said: 'This is the biggest tour we've ever organised, and I'm delighted that we're working with Karen for it. 'This is a big year for Breakneck Comedy – it's our 15th anniversary and to be able to deliver such a huge tour for such a well-loved Scottish act is the icing on the cake. 'Anyone who's been to one of Karen's shows before will know that it's a great night of laughs, jokes, stories, and anecdotes from her career, covering everything from her time on Chewin' The Fat, right through to her latest adventures as a DJ. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. 'This is a brand-new show for 2025, and the fact that Karen has so many fresh new stories to share is testament to her talent as a comedian, and her amazing career. 'I love bringing big names to towns that some promoters might overlook. 'It's really exciting to be able to put on shows all over Scotland and make it easier for people to be able to enjoy a great night of comedy and entertainment without them having to worry about catching a train home from the city.' To buy tickets, click here.
