Scot Squad

Scot Squad set to become a live show

Scot Squad set to follow hit shows like Still Game and Burnistoun by taking to the stage.

Writing Scot Squad

In the third of our series of blogs celebrating Scottish productions to mark the launch of BBC Writersroom in Scotland we turn to Comedy and the spoof Police documentary series Scot Squad, created, written and narrated by Joe Hullait.

Here are the Scottish police "punching in for another shift of sticking the head on crime". They encounter a young man who claims to have bought his house with cash and so doesn't think he should have to pay his gas bill. Didn't gas come with the house? But how could he afford to pay cash for a house, the police ask? He invented a Tinder app for dogs. The polis are puzzled: "Surely the benefit of being a dug is ye can shag anything?"

And there's mockery of The Scottish Resistance who once marched into Rutherglen police station to demand the arrest of David Cameron - and who're a furious embarrassment to the Yes movement. We see a bunch of oddballs who call themselves the Commissariat of the Vigour of Alba and they're reporting crimes against Scottish culture by Gerard Butler's accent. And whilst they're at it, they also demand the extradition of Russ Abbott.

Karen Bartke and Darren Connell interview

Karen Bartke and Darren Connell share their stories on what working with the Squad is really like.

This is a Christmas special in advance of the new series which begins in the new year. You'll be glad to hear they haven't tampered with anything. All the old characters are still here - even the ones who are not funny in the slightest, such as the annoying and bland Maggie Le Beau.

Usually big Cameron Miekelson (Jack Docherty) gets the majority of the screen time but tonight, and quite rightly so, the star is the nervous wee volunteer officer, Ken Beattie. He tries to help a rather large and intoxicated lady up from the pavement and it turns out badly for the good Samaritan: the big, loud woman is always either screeching at him or trying to seduce him. He ends up being dragged back to her house for, er, mince pies. Poor Ken!

Strangely, the best character of all, Bobby, only gets a tiny appearance tonight, which is a shame. Maybe he and the weary Officer Karen are keeping their powder dry for the new series.

Jack Docherty to appear as cop character at comedy fest

Scot Squad favourite Jack Docherty will appear as his cop character at next year's Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Chief Commissioner Cameron Miekelson, played by ex-Absolutely star Docherty is "the self-proclaimed face and voice of modern policing in Scotland" in the BBC Scotland parody of a police documentary series. Docherty said: "This is my first live performance in 23 years."

Scot Squad is one of the BBC's best kept secrets

Scot Squad joins Limmy's Show in being one of the best comedies Scotland has produced in recent years but which the BBC won't deign to show across Britain.

It's time for the Bamnesty. This is Chief Inspector Meikelson's latest headline-grabbing strategy: an amnesty where "bams can come in with all their bam paraphernalia" which will allow the Scot Squad to "help the people bams are being bams to."

If you're the touchy type who objects to a certain type of criminal being called a "bam" then you won't like this episode, which is laden with "bams", but then you clearly have no sense of humour so wouldn't be watching anyway.

Meikelson also hires a PR company to help with the police's image and lots of time is spent choosing colours for their media campaign. They eventually settle on "bluey blue". This is "real policing", Meikelson assures the cameras.

And there's a disturbance at a local supermarket where a dwarf in a hoody has taken offence at the other customers' attitudes towards him. He protests to the police he only wanted to buy "scones to put on ma granny's grave."

Away from the trouble, gentle Community Support Officer Ken Beattie is out helping the prostitutes, bringing them sandwiches and "a change of socks". I wonder what he thinks prostitutes actually do?