
Succession star Brian Cox takes scathing swipe at Glasgow over ‘sectarianism & Orange walks'
The Scots actor looks back on an award-winning sitcom
BRIAN Cox has claimed his fellow Dundonians have a more positive mindset than Glaswegians because they are unaffected by sectarianism.
The award-winning actor was brought up in a Catholic family in Dundee but said he never experienced any prejudice over his religion in the city.
Advertisement
2
The succession star branded Orange Walks in Glasgow as 'odd'
Credit: Tom Farmer
He said being free from bigotry gave people on the east coast a can-do attitude and a bright, optimistic sense of humour.
By contrast, the Succession star said he felt many people from the west of Scotland have a "poor me" mentality which stems from the "burden" of sectarianism.
Cox, 78, said the positive mindset fed into his portrayal of Dundee burger van owner and would-be politician Bob Servant in the BBC comedy series.
He said: "What I loved about the script was it was very, very much our humour as opposed to west of Scotland humour.
Advertisement
"A lot of TV things in Scotland are all very Glasgow and west coast, you've Rab C Nesbitt and Still Game and all that.
"I'm an east coaster and my humour is east coast. It's kind of wacky and off the wall.
"It's not 'poor me' like Glasgow. Dundee is very bright and very up and very high and Bob is an endless optimist.
"He's a complete whack job but he's unique in that sense, I don't think there are many other characters like him.
Advertisement
"Bob's recovery is incredible, he doesn't get daunted, he always finds another path. He goes 'That didn't work, I'm going to do this'.
"I think that's very east coast, that we always find another way of doing something.
Tense scenes in Glasgow as Celtic fans in stand off with Orange walk followers
"We haven't got the burden of sectarianism at all, we don't have any of that.
"I always found it so odd that there were these Orange marches in Glasgow.
Advertisement
"It would have meant nothing in my hometown because we all got on."
Bob Servant, which is set in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, ran for two series on the BBC before ending in 2015.
2
Brian Cox has taken a swipe at Glasgow over 'sectarianism' and Orange walks
Credit: Getty
Cox looked back on the show in a new BBC 4 programme called 'Brian Cox Remembers Bob Servant'.
Advertisement
Writer Neil Forsyth published a Bob Servant book - a series of hilarious back-and-forths between the Dundonian and an array of spam emailers - which was named by author Irvine Welsh as the funniest book he'd read.
Welsh's boost was enough to get it republished, at which point BBC Scotland bought the rights to it.
Cox was cast in the role after the actor's son discovered the book in the bathroom at his New York home and persuaded his dad to take the part.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Edinburgh Live
30 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Live
Strictly Come Dancing 'signs former footballer' for 2025 series
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info As Strictly Come Dancing's 2025 season is just around the corner, rumours swirl about more celebrities joining the line-up - with a Premier League legend the most recent to be linked with the much-loved BBC programme. The latest speculation suggests that ex-Leeds United ace Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink might trade football boots for dancing shoes as a contestant on the celebrated dance show. At 53 years of age, the Dutch former footballer is poised to join the roster of sports stars who have hit the Strictly dance floor, hoping to clinch the coveted Glitterball Trophy. Previous footballers who have graced the dance floor include Robbie Savage, Alex Scott, and Tony Adams. (Image: Getty Images) Hasselbaink took up a coaching role within the England national football team setup in 2023 but stepped back in August following Gareth Southgate's resignation. Now seemingly with time to spare, the rumour mill suggests that he could be slipping into something sparkly for this year's Strictly. A source quoted by The Sun said: "Jimmy has a huge fanbase from his years playing in the Premier League and is a very likeable character. Show producers are always keen to book a retired footballer as it gets footie fans tuning into the series and becoming unlikely fans of the show. Jimmy has a competitive edge and is going to get his head in the game." Requests for response from Jimmy's representatives and the BBC were reportedly made by The Mirror. Other celebrities rumoured to be stepping out on this year's dance floor include Olympic hero Sir Mo Farah, Gladiators' Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – famed as Nitro – and former Big Brother housemate Yinrun Huang. Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke are all confirmed to make a comeback for the 2025 season - marking its 23rd run. Yet, after tumultuous times, show insiders are reportedly anxious over the possibility of new controversies. Strictly has faced challenges with its reputation recently, dealing with allegations of professional dancers being physically aggressive towards their celebrity partners. Celebrity contestants themselves have faced accusations of improper conduct, reports the Mirror. (Image: BBC) Reports earlier this year indicated that BBC executives are haunted by a "terrible, terrible fear" of additional scandals tarnishing the series further, prompting measures to improve the show's image, potentially influencing future casting decisions. To ensure a scandal-free 2025 series, the BBC is rumoured to be considering options that are seen as safe bets. Blue Peter presenters Joel Mawhinney and Shini Muthukrishnan are among those in the running, alongside Tom Parker Bowles, son of Queen Camilla. Names like Georgia Toffolo and Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts, are said to be in discussions for participation. Also being eyed is Dani Dyer, known for her stint on Love Island and recent nuptials, and ex-Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan is believed to be a top pick for show executives. "There is a terrible, terrible fear among those high up that these awful things are going to keep happening and the show will be brought into disrepute again and again," one well-placed BBC insider has told MailOnline. "With that in mind, they are taking no chances." (Image: BBC) The insider continued: "There will be stringent checks, and asking around, and digging into potential stars' backgrounds to make sure that they're not choosing anyone who might damage the show. For years, there was the whole Strictly "curse" where the contestants and professionals kept having affairs. But that stopped. "Changes were made to the partnerships and it worked. There have been other issues in the past couple of years, though. What's been even more embarrassing for the BBC is that Wynne and Jamie have been from their own stable of stars. Going forward, those at the top want a wholesome image to shine through. No more scandal – just joy." The report came after 2024 contestant Jamie Borthwick, who is known for playing Jay Brown in the BBC soap EastEnders, was forced to issue a grovelling apology after footage was reportedly uncovered showing him making derogatory comments about the people of Blackpool. Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.


Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
EastEnders star banned from knowing role and given codename before joining soap
Actress shares the lengths show bosses went to keep her arrival a secret Joining the Fowler family has been a dream come true for EastEnders actress Alice Haig. When she stepped on to Albert Square as the new Vicki – the love child of teen mum Michelle Fowler and Dirty Den Watts – she knew she was instantly becoming part of a huge soap legacy. Her big arrival in Walford was such a huge event, totally shrouded in secrecy, that her character was given a code name, she tells. Even Alice herself was told only two days before filming who she would be playing. Lifting the lid on the lengths the soap went to to keep her entrance under wraps, Alice says, 'I knew I was in it. I knew what the scripts were, I knew who the character was for me. But I didn't know my name. 'It was a code name. It was Sammy. I didn't know until about two or three days before I started filming. And then they tell you at a certain point, and then they give you loads of information about it at that point, when you know you're in and you're in proper. And then it happened. When I found out, I was like, 'This is amazing.' It couldn't have been better. I have the best parents, the legacy. It's so good.' It was announced that Alice had joined the show back in February and she first appeared on screen in April, when she arrived in Walford for the funeral of her uncle Martin (played by James Bye). She is now the fourth actress to play Vicki – the daughter of Michelle (Susan Tully) and Den (Leslie Grantham) – who was at the centre of a controversial storyline about teen pregnancy, with viewers initially kept in the dark about who her dad was. A fan of the BBC soap since she was a child, Alice reveals that the part felt like it was meant to be. 'I've always watched it and I was born in February 1985, so I'm the same age as EastEnders,' she has previously said. Vicki is back on the Square after 20 years, bringing her new boyfriend Ross (Alex Walkinshaw) and his son Joel (Max Murray) with her. Before that she'd been running a bar in Australia with her long-term love Spencer Moon. When she arrives in Walford with a new man on her arm, it comes as quite a shock to her sister Sharon (Letitia Dean) and Spencer's brother Alfie (Shane Richie) – who had no idea the couple had split. Alice says she still can't believe she gets to work with her soap idols every day. 'I pinch myself all the time on set,' she admits. 'Being around Adam (Woodyatt), and Tish (Letitia Dean). My first scene was with them. Tish is amazing, Adam's amazing, Steve (McFadden) is amazing. When they're in the scene we just aired this week, I had to pinch myself when Phil Mitchell was stopping me from going somewhere. I was like, 'What the... This is amazing!' 'My family, they're really proud. They're watching it for the first time in ages. We used to watch it as a family and now they're watching it again. Honestly, it's the nicest place to work.' Alice comes from an acting family – her mum Julia Gray acts under the stage name Jane Galloway and her dad is David Haig, 69, an actor and playwright known for his role as Bernard in Four Weddings And A Funeral. He was awarded an MBE for his services to drama. Alongside penning plenty of successful plays, David also starred in Doc Martin, The Thick Of It and Downton Abbey. Most recently he was in Killing Eve, in which he played Sandra Oh's spy colleague Bill, who was killed off by Jodie Comer 's character Villanelle. After graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, south London-born Alice, 40, went on to appear in various television and stage productions. She played journalist Sophie in the comedy Rain Dogs and a nurse in This Is Going To Hurt. She also secured a role on Disney+ series Andor – a Star Wars spin-off – before announcing her Walford debut. Alice says her part in EastEnders is her biggest role to date – and she's loving being part of such a huge show. 'It's been totally lovely,' she said at the British Soap Awards. 'Anybody who's come up to me in the street has been really nice. It's all new for me. I did a lot of theatre and television before, but TV was just one episode of a drama or something like that, so it's very different to this, which is on in everybody's living rooms every night.'


Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
The area that London star Sir David Jason grew up in
Sir David is best known for his role as Del Boy in the BBC sitcom, along with shows, A Touch of Frost, Open All Hours, and The Darling Buds of May. But before becoming a household name and a British national treasure, Sir David spent his time in the London suburb of North Finchley. The area of London where Sir David Jason grew up Born David White, the actor grew up in post-war London as the son of a fishmonger and a cleaning lady. In 2013, Sir David opened up about his childhood with The Scotsman, describing memories of playing on bombsites and learning to play the fool to not get bullied. Sharing with the publication: "I was very shy and had low self-esteem, the only way to stop yourself getting beaten up was to turn your hand to being an idiot." Sir David was inspired to become an actor after his older brother Arthur had won a scholarship to a drama school, and the local amateur dramatic group were short on boys, seeing him sign up. Recommended Reading He attended Northfield Secondary Modern after failing his 11-plus in 1951. Leaving school at 15, he had few aspirations and at 20 worked as an electrician before trying to give professional acting a go. After several years of auditions, in 1965 Sir David made his TV debut in the BBC pantomime as a funny policeman and soon began his decades-long career.