THE creator of Rab C Nesbitt, Ian Pattison, and Colin Gilbert, the
long-serving head of the Comedy Unit at Queen Margaret Drive, are
leaving BBC Scotland, it was confirmed yesterday.
They intend to set up their own Glasgow-based independent production
company. The move, which has been the subject of speculation for some
time, is completely amicable and will not affect BBC Scotland's
programmes.
Filming of a new series of Rab C Nesbitt, starring Gregor Fisher, was
completed within the last few weeks and it will be broadcast across the
network early next year. If a further series is commissioned, it will
almost certainly be made by the new independent for BBC Scotland.
It is understood that Mr Gilbert, who has been responsible for all of
BBC Scotland's comedy output over recent years, has secured a deal to
make a new series of The Baldy Man, again starring Fisher, for the ITV
network. This is part of the reason he has decided to sever his ties
with BBC Scotland. To remain would have caused a conflict of interests.
Meanwhile, a new network comedy series created and written by Mr
Pattison for BBC Scotland, The Bad Boys, is currently filming in the
West of Scotland. It will not be affected by the move. Nor will plans to
make a series of the writer's most recent one-off sitcom, Atletico
Partick.
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