When Bryce Hart was putting together his pitch for a new Scottish sitcom he had no doubt about the dream team he wanted to front it. The Glasgow-based writer wrote down the names of Scottish comedy favourites Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh as the ideal double act for his crucial father-son relationship. Not only did the BBC snap up his show, but it also united the stars of Rab C Nesbitt and Gary: Tank Commander on screen for the first time.
The writer drew on his relationship with both of his parents and his love of classic BBC sitcoms like Steptoe and Son as the inspiration for Only Child, which will premiere on the BBC Scotland channel on 21 November. Only Child opens with bit-part actor Richard returning home to the north-east town of Forres to visit his father Ken for the first time since his wife Jean passed away 12 months previously. He quickly realises that Ken, who is described by Hart as an "eccentric, strong-willed technophobe," may need more help at home than his father will admit to.
Hart said: "The original idea for Only Child came during lockdown. "I was doing Zoom calls with my mum and dad's foreheads, as everyone else was. "They would tell me how they had definitely been staying in, but had also been in B&Q.
You couldn't quite pin them down. There was an admirable belligerence, which was quite funny, but also stressful. "Things have sped up remarkably in terms of technology over the last 20 years.
I sympathise 100 per cent with them on that. But my dad still ca.