Gregor Fisher

The Tommy Cooper thing, Not Like That, Like This, winningly scripted by Simon Nye, told the tale of guess who? A grand piece of ever-rewatchable television, for whom most plaudits will so rightly go to David Threlfall, who simply channelled Cooper: he made you practically smell Chiswick in the 60s, and the BBC lino, and twitch along with every bursting blood-vessel in first his nose and later heart. But very honourable mentions go to Amanda Redman and the ever-splendid Gregor Fisher, playing so against type as to surely require near-physical contortions. And to Paul Ritter, who played Eric Sykes, and got the wisest line of the night, after Cooper drunkenly explained the difference between his two loves, comedy and magic. Sykes saw a different version of two loves, Cooper being at that stage torn between wife Dove and mistress Mary. "So Dove is your comedy, and Mary is your magic." A difficult, heartbreaking man, and ditto piece of television.

Rab C. Nesbitt: political and laugh-out loud funny

The charms of Rab C. Nesbitt (BBC Two) have been hit and miss over the years but special episode Rab In Hoodie found Gregor Fisher at the top of his potty-mouthed game, his string-vested alter ego Rab reinvented as a modern-day twist on folk hero Robin Hood.

The production values of this Gregor Fisher-starring comedy remain trapped in the 1980s, but its concerns are bang up to date with the Big Society. Rab's spare room is under investigation. Mary is rooting through bins for food, and there's no money to send Peaches on the school trip. Rab's solution? Take up arms against capitalism, with only Andra and the repulsive Jamesie to help him. Living in the woods, though, is tough for these Scottish Robin Hoods. "It'll be July soon," says Jamesie. "We'll freeze."

Desperate times call for desperate measures, so when he's strapped for cash and granddaughter Peaches is yearning to go on the school cruise to Sweden, the resourceful Rab hits on a cunning plan: rob the rich to help the poor! Gregor Fisher mines a broad seam of humour from his variation on the Robin Hood theme, with barbs aimed at George Osborne hitting the target bang on. If the Scots vote for independence, they should make Rab the chancellor.

A profile of the Glaswegian entertainer and talented mimic who performed most of his sketches in the guise of celebrities of the day. Famously, Baxter would use clever editing to portray all the characters in a scene and was the first person to play the current Queen on TV. We hear how he started his career in Scottish variety theatre and the Army entertainment corps, before going on to draw huge audiences during the Seventies and Eighties for his TV specials - until the cost of his epic productions priced him off our screens. Fans and friends including Michael Grade, Barry Cryer, Bill Oddie and Gregor Fisher pay tribute.

The 10th series of the brilliantly boorish sitcom concludes. Govan welcomes a new minister (Felicity Montagu) who has two obvious drawbacks. She's English and female. She's got her work cut out with Rab (Gregor Fisher) whose Christianity has been severely tested - he's been coveting his best pal's special bottle of wine. Later tonight on BBC Two Rab faces another test. Jowly journalist John Sergeant travels to Govan to interview the veteran skiver. The pair discuss Rab's tally of triumphs and disasters backed by clips of his greatest moments.

Last week's visit from the government minister "for work" has set a political tone for the latest series of the decades-old Scots sitcom. "You can tell there's a recession on when the poor start getting naked," observes a shirtless Rab (Gregor Fisher) in this episode, in which Rab and Jamesie (Tony Roper) try to set themselves up as sexy male cleaners. And when Rab's wife Mary (Elaine C Smith) is made redundant, she decides to put her singing talents to good use by forming a girl band, but her performance in the local pub ends in disaster. Susan Boyle guest stars as a talent show judge.

The point of Rab C Nesbitt, as played by Gregor Fisher, is that he doesn't get what his little heart craves; there's nothing down for him, ever. But in a radical departure, the Govan guttersnipe demanded the polis fetch him a double-cuffed silk shirt a la Jason King in Department S and not only did the garment arrive, but it was delivered by the closest and most bouffant approximation of Peter Wyngarde that BBC Scotland could find, having already spent most of the guest-appearance budget on Richard E Grant and John Sessions. Still, Rab wins - hurray!

An icon but more than that, a heid-the-ba' too, Nesbitt was last seen in series form 12 long years ago in the history of our pawky land. A Christmas special in 2008 hinted at a proper return but the time wasn't quite right. Rab is back now because the Tories are back. Once again, creator Ian Pattison has sharpened his pen for jokes about public service cuts and Mary Doll having to pawn her engagement ring, this time with a gloopy topping of "broken Britain" platitudes - and most of them are pretty funny.

In the opener, Grant played the Minister for Work, a posho called Chingford Steel kidnapped by the Nesbitts. This wasn't their intention, but they quickly got the hang of hostage-taking and "Jihad patter". "Is the minister chained to a radiator?" loud-hailered the polis. No, said Mary, and anyway they were white-meter. In return for Steel, could they get a "fanatical new boiler and a fanatical heated towel-rail as well?" Rab proposed an improved No 34 bus service between Govan and Castlemilk as the present one was "gantin'". What a hero, always thinking of others, while dressed in an outrageous blouse in what you'd almost have to call Thatcher Blue, although tragically we didn't actually see him slip it over his string vest.

Rab C Nesbitt was back for a tenth series tonight and he'd brought with him scatological humour, foul language and Richard E Grant in his finest acting role since he played Clifford in Spice World: The Movie.

While the 10pm broadcast of this first episode - entitled 'Broke' - may have seemed slightly odd at first, the reasons for the late slot soon became clear: In the opening few minutes we were treated to a scene in which Rab urinated into a plastic tub from his bed and another where the inside of his anus was thoroughly 'groped' by a doctor.
Both incidents were accompanied by noises so graphic that the episode's post-dinnertime slot was immediately justified.

And the sound effects weren't the only element of Nesbitt's return that lacked subtlety; the dialogue and its delivery by Gregor Fisher and co. was as broad and indiscreet as ever.

There wasn't much about this week's plot that was subtle, either. Grant's character, MP Chingford Steel, found himself held hostage by Rab and Mary as they demanded central heating from the authorities in a less-credible-than-usual storyline.

But there's still plenty to recommend the new series. The kidnap plot line proved that its writers' imaginations haven't run dry and the series' refusal to bow to canned laughter or received pronunciation is as refreshing as it ever was.

Gregor Fisher interview

Rab C Nesbitt returned to BBC Two for its tenth series last night, as unapologetically grimy - and as popular - as ever. Jay Richardson met the man behind the string vest, Gregor Fisher, to discuss the show's political potency, 'orchestral' scripts, and clashes with the BBC's 'mustn't offend' culture...