Two Doors Down's Elaine C. Smith opens up on comedy, politics and online hate

Elaine C Smith, who is promoting her BBC comedy tv show, Two Doors Down (Andrew Cawley/Sunday Post)

ELAINE C. SMITH says sitcom Two Doors Down has saved her love of telly comedy.

Elaine spent years as “Mary Doll” alongside Gregor Fisher in Rab C Nesbitt, one of Scotland’s most successful series. And it’s taken something special to get her back in front of sitcom cameras.

“Nesbitt was such a huge part of my life,” says Elaine, 58.

“I knew the first time we did it that it was really funny. But I never thought it would run for 10 series and become as big as it did.

“When I finished that I didn’t really didn’t want to go into another sitcom. I thought Two Doors Down was one of the funniest things I’d read in a long time, though.

“It got me back into comedy. I’ve been offered other comedy series but none of them made me go, ‘I want to do that’.”

Two Doors Down started as a one-off, shown on Hogmanay 2013. After a couple of years’ absence it was brought back as a full series.

It went down so well right across the UK that BBC bosses put a rush order in for a second series, which was made at the Beeb’s Dumbarton studios the moment Still Game finished.

Editors have been hard at work in the past few weeks getting it ready for an early transmission.

It once again stars Alex Norton, Jonathan Watson, Arabella Weir and Doon Mackichan as the residents of Latimer Crescent. Elaine plays the mum of Sharon Rooney’s Sophie.

“The best thing after the first series was the Head Of Comedy got a message from Peter Kay to tell me that one of the lines I’d said was genius,” beams Elaine.

“He’s one of my heroes. When I was doing the Susan Boyle show he came to see it in Manchester with his mam.

Susan Boyle (left) and actress Elaine C Smith, who is to portray the Scottish singer (Photo credit should read: Mark Borkowski/PA Wire) — Susan Boyle (left) and actress Elaine C Smith, who portrayed the Scottish singer (Photo credit should read: Mark Borkowski/PA Wire)

“We first met at the Edinburgh Festival but he said he was a bit tongue-tied because he was such a fan of Nesbitt.

“When you’re in comedy, getting compliments from other comedians doesn’t happen often. That was fantastic.”

That first meeting was when Peter was picking up his first comedy award and the mention of awards turns the conversation to Elaine’s first such triumph. It was just a few months ago at a star-studded Royal Television Society Awards bash.

And it wasn’t for her acting or performance skills, but for presenting STV’s Burdz Eye View.

Two Doors Down: (L-R) Cathy (DOON MACKICHAN), Jaz (HARKI BHAMBRA), Christine (ELAINE C SMITH) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Alan Peebles — Two Doors Down: (L-R) Cathy (DOON MACKICHAN), Jaz (HARKI BHAMBRA), Christine (ELAINE C SMITH) – (C) BBC – Photographer: Alan Peebles

Although her bright and breezy demeanour barely dims, there’s no doubt the lack of recognition jars.

“It’s the only award I’ve ever won in my life. I was nominated for a Bafta Scotland once and they put me in the same category as Gregor.

“It was terrible in that there wasn’t even a men and women’s category. I knew Gregor was going to win it – which he did.

“I felt a bit insulted that after 23 years of playing a part they decided…

“Look, there’s a terrible cringe in Scotland: ‘Oh, it’s very working class, those characters’.

“They would much rather give awards to obscure films that nobody has ever gone to see.”

Elaine is known for her politics as well as her acting and presenting and she’s chair of the recently re-launched Scottish Independence Convention.

Politics is something that’s burned with a passion since her student and teaching days.

“Not party politics, though,” she insists. “I’m not a member of any party. I disagree with them all on principle and agree with some on others.

“I get quite insulted when people go on about celebrities getting involved – I was much more political before I came into the business.”

In these social media mad days, she says she’s been targeted with some “awful” abuse.

“There’s a nastiness that’s crept in, with a level of misogyny now that’s horrible.

“It was quite shocking. People say I should stand for the parliament but I tell them I couldn’t take the pay-cut plus I’d get out of line and get thrown out the chamber!”

Elaine, who’s about to get her panto gear on again for her annual run at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen, knows that Two Doors Down’s fortunes depends on good viewing figures again. The omens, though, are good judging by the feedback she’s had already.

“It’s almost like the Royle Family, which people loved, with everyone in the living room,” adds Elaine.

“There are Scots who talk to me more about Burdz Eye View than Two Doors Down. But nationally people who loved it really loved it.

“People have been texting my lines and I realised it had something different and fresh. I was really pleased.”

Two Doors Down, BBC Two, Monday, November 21, 10pm.

Elaine C Smith loves doing panto in Aberdeen – even if she has to put on an accent!