Bob Servant creator wants new drama to inspire other writers

SCRIPT: Dundee man hopes latest work will encourage locals to have a go

The creator of cult Dundee character Bob Servant says he hopes his first TV drama series can inspire more people from Tayside and Fife to break into the industry.

Writer Neil Forsyth’s new show Guilt, described as a “pitch-black, contemporary thriller”, sees two brothers seemingly get away with running over and killing an old man in Edinburgh.

Forsyth, who attended Dundee High School, wrote the script for the show, which features a strong vein of black humour, while fellow Dundonian Robbie Mckillop directed.

Forsyth says he hopes two locals playing such a big part in its creation can inspire others.

He said: “I very much hope the show encourages locals looking to break into the industry.

“I wrote for a Dundee United fanzine when I was 13. Robbie bought a camera as a teenager and started making little films in Broughty Ferry.

“If you have a creative passion and are willing to work hard and make sacrifices, then you never know where it can lead.

“It was really good fun having Robbie direct the series, as well as the fact that he did such a good job.”

The four-part series sees the brothers’ repeated attempts to cover up the crime cause both their lives to spiral out-ofcontrol and into a dark world previously alien to them.

It stars Mark Bonnar (Catastrophe, Line Of Duty) and Jamie Sives (Chernobyl, Game Of Thrones).

It will air on Thursday on the BBC Scotland channel before being broadcast Uk-wide on BBC Two on Wednesday October 30.

Forsyth added: “Robbie was in my wee sister Carol’s year at school, we played football together in London for the South London Tangerines – a Dundee United supporters’ team I set up with friends – and my mum told me recently that our grannies were best pals.

“I knew he was building a really good reputation as a director, and when we met him to discuss Guilt he blew us away with his vision of the show. I think he’s more than delivered.”

Forsyth wrote four popular books featuring Bob Servant, a bumbling Broughty Ferry cheeseburger tycoon.

The character was eventually turned into a hit BBC sitcom in 2010 with Dundee actor Brian Cox, now the main character in hugely popular HBO series Succession.

Bob lives on through a dedicated Twitter account featuring typically bizarre but comedic musings.

Brian Cox as Bob Servant, left, with Jonathan Watson as his sidekick, Frank, in the TV series.

Picture: Kim Cessford. Bob Servant author Neil Forsyth.