WHAT’S THE STORY?
HERE’S Martin Compston as you’ve never seen him before – as he makes his Still Game debut playing a phone salesman. The Greenock star is set to share the screen with show favourites Isa, Navid, Tam and co in its last-ever series.
Ahead of transmission, the self-confessed super fan has admitted it’s a “surreal” experience to appear on one of Scotland’s most admired shows.
HOW DID THE LINE OF DUTY STAR END UP IN CRAIGLANG?
HAVING started his acting career in 2002 in Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen after a brief stint playing football, Compston took a role in BBC favourite Monarch of the Glen as Ewan Brodie before making a name for himself in dark dramas.
Line of Duty brought a career-defining role for the Scot as he adopted the role of Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott; a far cry from the role he will be playing on Sunday night.
The Still Game creators Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill have the gritty cop drama to thank for enabling Compston the time to make his cameo appearance amid a chaotic filming schedule.
Compston said: “I know the boys as Ford and Greg but when they put on the make-up and start becoming the characters it really is a very surreal moment.
“Luckily, I was filming Line of Duty at the same time, so I was able to pop over from Belfast and shoot my scenes. It was an epic day.”
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THE actor, now based in the US, remains a keen viewer of the sitcom, now in its 17th year.
He said: “It’s something I’ve grown up with.
“It is an institution and one of the best Scottish TV shows of all time. I spend a lot of time on the road and I’m always sticking it on to watch as it reminds me of home. It’s a show you can watch with your mum, dad and whenever I was away on bus trips with the football teams, we’d put it on and watch for hours and everybody would be happy. Anytime I feel a wee bit homesick in Las Vegas, I stick Still Game on.”
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE FINAL SERIES?
THE first episode will be shown on the new BBC Scotland channel, with BBC One airing the six-episode series later in the year.
Kiernan and Hemphill said that it was “bittersweet” that the series was coming to an end, but “fitting” that a show that started in Scotland should end on the country’s new channel.
Compston isn’t the only fan joining the Osprey Heights gang, with musicians Amy Macdonald, Midge Ure and Clare Grogan also adding their star power.
WILL COMPSTON MISS THE SHOW?
THE actor says he is “gutted”, but added: “It’s the same with all good things – it’s better you go out on a high.”
He went on: “I was on a show called Monarch of the Glen and it was great for us to actually have a last episode. It was really emotional, and every character got a proper send off.
“I know the boys are saying it’s done, but the fact that they’re playing old guys, 20, 30, 40 years older than them means that there’s so much scope for them in the future. But that depends on the ending.
“They could literally bring this show back in 30 years’ time – just using less make-up.”
WHEN CAN I SEE THE EPISODE?
VIEWERS can catch Compston’s one-off appearance on Sunday at 9pm.
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