For many across Britain, Gregor Fisher will forever be associated with one character: the string-vest-wearing, perpetually inebriated Glaswegian philosopher Rab C Nesbitt. As the iconic comedy character marks an astonishing 40 years since his television debut, the 71-year-old actor is preparing to step out from behind his most famous creation for his first-ever UK tour as himself.
From Glasgow Streets to National Treasure
Fisher, who grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow before being adopted at age three, first developed his acting skills at Dundee Rep theatre in the late 1970s. The character that would define his career emerged on the 1980s sketch show Naked Video, alongside another of his memorable creations: the combover-sporting Baldy Man from Hamlet cigar advertisements.
Initially, Fisher had reservations about playing Nesbitt, concerned the character might reinforce negative stereotypes about Scottish drinking culture and aggression. "I thought, 'Why does it have to be this? Why are we portraying this nutcase brandishing a rolled-up newspaper?'" he recalls. Yet against his initial concerns, the character developed into something more complex and beloved.
The Marmite Character That Defined a Career
Rab C Nesbitt ran on the BBC between 1988 and 2014, with Fisher wearing the character's distinctive string vest for 30 of those years. Despite the character's strong Glasgow roots, Fisher points out that the majority of viewers actually lived south of the Scottish border.
The series proved innovative in many ways, featuring direct address to camera decades before Fleabag became a television sensation. The show also provided an early platform for a young David Tennant. Yet Nesbitt remained what Fisher describes as "a Marmite character" - audiences either loved him or loathed him.
This divisive nature became apparent when Fisher was invited to switch on Glasgow's Christmas lights, only to have the invitation withdrawn after the council leader decided he wasn't "a suitable person to represent the city." However, critical appreciation came from respected Guardian television critic Nancy Banks-Smith, whose approval Fisher valued deeply.
Breaking Free From Typecasting
The role that made Fisher a household name also created significant professional challenges. Despite later appearing alongside Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice and playing Bill Nighy's manager in Love Actually, casting directors often struggled to see beyond the dishevelled Glaswegian.
"People would say to me, after I'd done an audition, 'Well that's absolutely marvellous, I didn't realise you could speak properly,'" Fisher reveals. "These people don't know what acting is."
When asked if he regrets how Nesbitt pigeonholed him, Fisher responds with characteristic pragmatism: "Well, I was never going to play Romeo. Maybe on the wireless." He describes career progression as often dictated by financial necessity rather than artistic choice, admitting: "I've had some scripts sitting on my shelf for months until the tax bill comes in."
New Directions in a Seventh Decade
Recent years have seen Fisher embrace diverse new opportunities that demonstrate his range extends far beyond his most famous creation. He earned acclaim for his work with the National Theatre of Scotland in the stage comedy Yer Granny and received praise for his performance alongside Greg McHugh in the BBC sitcom Only Child, playing a son caring for his ageing father.
In an unexpected career turn, Fisher has become something of an Instagram cookery guru, thanks to encouragement from his daughter Cissie. "I get people stopping me in the street saying, 'I made yer potato scones,'" he says with evident delight. "It's just nuts!"
Reflecting on his current professional standing at 71, Fisher expresses gratitude: "When you're 71, you think, 'Christ, how lucky am I?'" He acknowledges he now "specialises in dotty old people losing the plot" but approaches this phase of his career with characteristic humour.
An Evening With the Real Gregor Fisher
The upcoming tour, An Evening With Gregor Fisher, developed with his friend and theatre director Nigel West, represents a new frontier for the actor. Having recently returned to Scotland after a decade living in France, Fisher approaches the prospect of appearing as himself with typical understatement.
"There's no lines to learn. We can maybe have a laugh. We might make a couple of quid, and we might not," he says of the project. "But it'll be a painless exercise. There's no crucifixion involved."
Despite this casual presentation, Fisher clearly values the connection with audiences that has sustained his career. He recalls with visible emotion a moment decades ago when a working man approached him during filming to simply say, "Thank you very much, son." Fisher reflects: "It meant a lot. It's nicer to be liked than not."
As for the future, Fisher remains philosophical about when he might eventually step away from acting. "There'll come a time, and I hope I know when it is, that I think, 'Maybe I'll just give it a miss now,'" he says. He expresses disdain for actors who rely on earpieces to feed them lines, stating firmly: "If you can't do it any more, you should just do something else."
For now, audiences have the opportunity to meet the man behind the string vest as Fisher embarks on his UK tour, beginning at the Memorial Hall in Lanark on 13th March before visiting other venues across the country.
