Jonathan Watson has revealed he was waiting for his own Yes-No referendum verdict from Johann Lamont.
The ex-Labour leader was one of those lampooned during last year’s Only An Excuse?
“They say impersonation is the highest form of flattery, but you never know how people will react,” confides Jonathan at the BBC’s Glasgow HQ.
“I was performing Tam O’Shanter at the Lord Provost’s Burns Supper in Glasgow in January. It’s one of the biggest in the world with about 800 people there.
“It had gone well and I was making a quick exit when I saw Johann Lamont coming towards me. I thought, ‘Oh-oh!’ but she said ‘I loved your Hogmanay show’ which was a relief.”
The annual special started off as purely a football feast but it’s broadened out in recent years with politicians and other public figures featured.
And it’s the more general appeal that Jonathan reckons has saved the show.
“I think it’s keeping it fresh that’s kept it alive,” admitted Jonathan.
“If we’d kept it the way it was 20 years ago it would have died.
“Each year we look at it as a new one and that it could be the last. We try and make it the best we can by looking at what the stories have been over the years and who the characters were.
“And we discard ones that don’t have a place anymore.”
Those that have bitten the dust this year include Chic Young, Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law, though Jonathan says it’s not necessarily the end of the line.
“You never know. Martin O’Neill, who hasn’t been in it for years is back because Scotland played the Republic of Ireland recently.”
With the referendum, Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and MTV Awards all making global news this year, there was no shortage of topics and targets. And one of those who Jonathan has rung the changes with is Ed Sheeran.
“When we were doing the first read through I thought, ‘What the hell is Ed Sheeran doing in the script’,” laughs Jonathan.
“But one of the producers said they thought I’d like to try it and it read well, so we did it.
“I saw him on the MTV Awards but it’s not the kind of music I’d listen to I’m more The Rolling Stones and The Who.”
Jonathan’s hopeful for more episodes of Bob Servant, with Brian Cox, which goes out on the network in January.
And he’s gearing up to do a play for the National Theatre of Scotland.
Adapted from an Argentinian work, the Scots version is simply called Yer Granny.
Only An Excuse? BBC1, 11pm, Hogmanay.
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