This special edition of 'Scotch & Wry' was my first ever sighting of the comedy legend that was Rikki Fulton. I was just a little nipper at that time so the humour was rather lost on me. For many years, I never bothered with the show until 2005 when I viewed highlights that were being repeated by BBC1. Since then I have been a huge admirer of both Rikki and 'Scotch & Wry'.
On New Year's Eve 1996, the much missed Rikki Fulton was invited by BBC Scotland to celebrate his golden anniversary of working in show-business. To commemorate, both Rikki and the BBC conjured a special edition of 'Scotch & Wry' in which Rikki shares with a celebrity audience his favourite sketches from the show. Each sketch would be prefaced with either an anecdote from Rikki, whether it be about something going wrong during filming, his favourite memories of working with his co-stars or indeed just reminiscing on the sketch in general. Among the famous faces in the audience were Gregor Fisher, Juliet Cadzow, Claire Nielsen and Gordon Menzies ( who produced and directed 'Scotch & Wry' and who also was a close friend of Rikki's ).
The highlights selected as Rikki's favourites included 'The Driving Instructor' in which Rikki plays a nervous instructor whose dotty pupil's driving skills would terrify a boy racer, the hilarious spoof of Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do, I Do It For You' in which Rikki's Robin Hood fires an arrow through Bryan Adams' chest to stop him from singing, 'The Lovely Water' sketch featuring Rikki as 'The Reverend David Goodchild' who after drinking water spiked with gin ends up getting paralytic on air, 'Supercop' attempting to nab DCI Jim Taggart and 'A Bad Match' in which a young Catholic lad attempts to sign up to play for Glasgow Rangers football team. Also included was a never before seen outtake from the 'Big Chief Swifthalf' sketch in which whilst attempting to get seated in all his Red Indian clobber, the casters on Rikki's chair suddenly give way underneath him.
The show concludes with a specially filmed sketch featuring The Reverend I. M. Jolly ( who was arguably Rikki's most popular creation ) in which he recites the famous tale of how Noah came to build the ark during the great flood.
It is enjoyable to watch this again, seeing the looks of pleasure on the audience members' faces as they saw their favourite sketches as well the sound of joy in Rikki's voice as he nostalgically recalls his favourite television moments however it is also heart wrenching to watch in the knowledge that not two years later the man himself would end up diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2004, aged 79.
This edition was later released by Fremantle Home Entertainment on VHS under the title 'The Best Of Rikki Fulton', featuring footage not seen on the original broadcast.
On New Year's Eve 1996, the much missed Rikki Fulton was invited by BBC Scotland to celebrate his golden anniversary of working in show-business. To commemorate, both Rikki and the BBC conjured a special edition of 'Scotch & Wry' in which Rikki shares with a celebrity audience his favourite sketches from the show. Each sketch would be prefaced with either an anecdote from Rikki, whether it be about something going wrong during filming, his favourite memories of working with his co-stars or indeed just reminiscing on the sketch in general. Among the famous faces in the audience were Gregor Fisher, Juliet Cadzow, Claire Nielsen and Gordon Menzies ( who produced and directed 'Scotch & Wry' and who also was a close friend of Rikki's ).
The highlights selected as Rikki's favourites included 'The Driving Instructor' in which Rikki plays a nervous instructor whose dotty pupil's driving skills would terrify a boy racer, the hilarious spoof of Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do, I Do It For You' in which Rikki's Robin Hood fires an arrow through Bryan Adams' chest to stop him from singing, 'The Lovely Water' sketch featuring Rikki as 'The Reverend David Goodchild' who after drinking water spiked with gin ends up getting paralytic on air, 'Supercop' attempting to nab DCI Jim Taggart and 'A Bad Match' in which a young Catholic lad attempts to sign up to play for Glasgow Rangers football team. Also included was a never before seen outtake from the 'Big Chief Swifthalf' sketch in which whilst attempting to get seated in all his Red Indian clobber, the casters on Rikki's chair suddenly give way underneath him.
The show concludes with a specially filmed sketch featuring The Reverend I. M. Jolly ( who was arguably Rikki's most popular creation ) in which he recites the famous tale of how Noah came to build the ark during the great flood.
It is enjoyable to watch this again, seeing the looks of pleasure on the audience members' faces as they saw their favourite sketches as well the sound of joy in Rikki's voice as he nostalgically recalls his favourite television moments however it is also heart wrenching to watch in the knowledge that not two years later the man himself would end up diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2004, aged 79.
This edition was later released by Fremantle Home Entertainment on VHS under the title 'The Best Of Rikki Fulton', featuring footage not seen on the original broadcast.
