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''Bob Servant Independent'', renamed ''Bob Servant'', is a British television sitcom written and created by
Neil Forsyth Neil Forsyth (born 1978) is a Scottish author, television writer and journalist. Early life Forsyth grew up in Dundee, Scotland where he attended the High School of Dundee and his first writing appeared in a Dundee United fanzine. He gradu ...
. The first series of six episodes was broadcast in 2013 on BBC4 and repeated on BBC2 Scotland, starring Brian Cox in the titular role and
Jonathan Watson Jonathan Watson is a Scottish actor best known for his comedy sketch show ''Only an Excuse?'', which parodied people and events from the world of Scottish football, as well as the BBC comedy ''Bob Servant Independent'' in which he appears with ...
in the role of Frank. The show is set in
Broughty Ferry Broughty Ferry (; Scottish Gaelic: ''Bruach Tatha''; Scots: ''Brochtie'') is a suburb of Dundee, Scotland. It is situated four miles east of the city centre on the north bank of the Firth of Tay. The area was a separate burgh from 1864 until ...
, a suburb of
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
. The second series, renamed ''Bob Servant'', was broadcast in 2014 on BBC1 Scotland and 2015 on BBC4.


Plot

When Broughty Ferry’s MP is decapitated in a car crash, the resulting by-election receives an unlikely candidate. Local cheeseburger tycoon Bob Servant ( Brian Cox) launches an eccentric campaign, managed by hapless right-hand man Frank (
Jonathan Watson Jonathan Watson is a Scottish actor best known for his comedy sketch show ''Only an Excuse?'', which parodied people and events from the world of Scottish football, as well as the BBC comedy ''Bob Servant Independent'' in which he appears with ...
). Over the series, Bob and Frank battle with slick English candidate Nick Edwards ( Rufus Jones) and his wife (
Pollyanna McIntosh Pollyanna McIntosh (born 15 March 1979) is a Scottish-American actress and director known for her roles in films ''Exam'' (2009), '' The Woman'' (2011), ''Let Us Prey'' (2014), the first season of Joe R. Lansdale's ''Hap and Leonard'' (2016), ...
) for the votes of a bewildered Broughty Ferry public. The series also sees appearances by
Derek Riddell Derek Riddell (born 11 January 1967) is a Scottish television and theatre actor. He is best known for the portrayal of Dr. Jamie Patterson in the Channel 4 television series ''No Angels''. He has also guest starred in '' Doctor Who'', ''Ugly B ...
as a local minister,
Greg McHugh Greg McHugh (born 5 January 1980) is a Scottish actor. He is the creator, writer and star of the BBC1 comedy series '' Gary: Tank Commander''. He also played Howard in the Channel 4 comedy '' Fresh Meat''. Early life and education Greg McHugh ...
as a radio DJ,
Shirley Henderson Shirley Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Her accolades include two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award, as well as BAFTA, BIFA, London Critics' Circle, Chlotrudis, Gotham, and Canadian Screen Award ...
as a failed love interest for Bob,
Alex Norton Alexander Hugh Norton (born 27 January 1950) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as DCI Matt Burke in the STV detective drama series '' Taggart'', Eric Baird in BBC Two sitcom '' Two Doors Down'', DCS Wallace in '' Extremely Dangerou ...
as Bob’s childhood nemesis and
Sanjeev Kohli Sanjeev Singh Kohli (born 30 November 1971) is a British actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his role as shopkeeper Navid Harrid in the BBC sitcom '' Still Game'' (2002–2007, 2016–2019), Ramesh Majhu in the radio sitcom '' Fa ...
as a leather jacket salesman. The second series of the show revolves around Bob and Frank’s lives in Broughty Ferry post-election. They restart their historical burger van business only for a wedge to be driven between them when Frank starts a romantic relationship with his swimming instructor Dorothy (Anita Vettesse). Bob faces further struggles with his doomed romantic pursuit of Council official Megan (
Daniela Nardini Daniela Nardini (born 26 April 1968, Largs) is a Scottish actress who played Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series ''This Life''. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA. She won a se ...
) and ongoing issues with nemesis Hendo (
Alex Norton Alexander Hugh Norton (born 27 January 1950) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as DCI Matt Burke in the STV detective drama series '' Taggart'', Eric Baird in BBC Two sitcom '' Two Doors Down'', DCS Wallace in '' Extremely Dangerou ...
).


Main characters

* Brian Cox as Bob Servant *
Jonathan Watson Jonathan Watson is a Scottish actor best known for his comedy sketch show ''Only an Excuse?'', which parodied people and events from the world of Scottish football, as well as the BBC comedy ''Bob Servant Independent'' in which he appears with ...
as Frank * Rufus Jones as Nick Edwards *
Pollyanna McIntosh Pollyanna McIntosh (born 15 March 1979) is a Scottish-American actress and director known for her roles in films ''Exam'' (2009), '' The Woman'' (2011), ''Let Us Prey'' (2014), the first season of Joe R. Lansdale's ''Hap and Leonard'' (2016), ...
as Philippa Edwards * Kevin O'Loughlin as Police inspector


Production

Praise for Forsyth's bestselling series of Bob Servant books along with support from a number of bands including
Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...
and
Belle and Sebastian Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released eleven albums. They are often compared with acts such as The Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" come ...
, created a word of mouth campaign that attracted the attention of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
. Forsyth first adapted Bob Servant for Radio Scotland in The Bob Servant Emails (2012), starring Brian Cox as Bob Servant and Felix Dexter, Laura Solon, Sanjeev Kohli and Lewis Macleod. Forsyth attracted Cox to the project after meeting a friend of the Dundonian actor in a pub in New York. Cox said "We've had Billy Connolly and Lex McLean's Glasgow stories and traditions, but now we've got this Dundee creature". After the success of the BBC Radio series ''The Bob Servant Emails'', Forsyth was asked by the BBC to adapt Bob Servant for television. He decided on the by-election premise as "''a premise that gives Bob's pompous behaviour and endless need for self-promotion some sort of platform, yet I didn't want him to leave Broughty Ferry''" Initially a BBC Scotland project, ''Bob Servant Independent'' became the first BBC Scotland sitcom to go straight to a network transmission for a number of years, an omission which had become a point of contention in the Scottish media. The show was filmed in
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
and Dundee in 2012. The second series was also filmed in Glasgow and Broughty Ferry, in 2014.


Reception

''Bob Servant Independent'' received an overall positive response. In ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' David Chater called it "a total joy from start to finish — original, sharp, superbly acted and gloriously funny" and Andrew Billen said Cox gives a "stupendous performance, so calculatedly over the top, yet so irresistible". The ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' praised the "very funny, bewilderingly silly script" while ''
The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...
'' called the show "likeable and amusing" with Cox's performance "infectious". However, some reviewers felt the character of Bob Servant had been better served in the radio series and books. ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' felt the opening episode had "rough edges" and ''
the Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', while noting there were "good moments", felt that "delusional interior worlds are much easier to create – and a lot funnier – when they are done as a series of soundscapes or monologues". ''The Dundee Courier'' printed a critical review of the opening episode, written by Forsyth in the guise of Bob Servant. The second series of Bob Servant was positively received. The Daily Record, who called it “one of Scotland’s finest comedies” described it as “beautifully written, perfectly acted it was a master class in how to squeeze real laughs out of viewers while still creating character and moving the story along”. The Radio Times praised the way Cox “manages to make Bob sympathetic no matter how deluded and bonkers he becomes” while The Herald noted that Forsyth’s decision to move Servant out of the political arena had made the character “more believable, and more fragile”. The series received large viewing figures and was the most watched BBC Scotland comedy of the year.


Awards and recognition

Bob Servant Independent was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2013 and for a Royal Television Society Scotland Comedy Award in 2014. The second series, Bob Servant, won the Royal Television Society Scotland Comedy Award in 2015. In 2020, it was ranked as the second greatest Scottish television show of all time in a public vote in ''The Scotsman'' newspaper.


DVD release

''Bob Servant Independent'' was released on DVD and download on 4 March 2013. Season 1 is currently available via Amazon Prime in the UK


References


External links


Official site
* * {{British Comedy Guide, tv, bob_servant_independent 2010s British sitcoms 2013 Scottish television series debuts BBC television sitcoms English-language television shows Television shows set in Scotland 2010s Scottish television series Broughty Ferry