Gregor Fisher, the Scottish actor who starred in the hit BBC sitcom Rab C Nesbitt, appeared unrecognisable during a recent press tour at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.
The 72-year-old comedian is currently starring in his one-man Fringe show, An (Early) Evening With Gregor Fisher. During a recent interview, he dressed casually in a blue-and-white shirt and a red vest as he discussed his career.
His appearance was a stark contrast to his most famous character. On Rab C Nesbitt, Fisher was known for wearing a white string vest and a grubby blazer.
Reluctance to play Rab
Fisher played the titular character, an alcoholic Glaswegian who chose unemployment as a lifestyle, from 1988 until 2014. The show frequently broke the fourth wall and tackled subjects including alcoholism, sexually transmitted infections, and neo-Nazis.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, Fisher revealed he was initially hesitant to accept the part that made him famous.
"I did try to resist it," he said. "I didn't want to be just known for doing that wee, fat Scottish thing. I wanted to have more of a breadth to my career."
Despite his initial reluctance, the show became highly successful, attracting five million viewers at its peak and earning the description of Glasgow's greatest ever sitcom.
Escaping the character
The role of the proudly unemployed anti-hero, whose slurred dialect was sometimes difficult for untrained audiences to understand, followed Fisher closely. He told The Guardian that casting directors were sometimes surprised he was not like the foul-mouthed character he portrayed.
"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 said. "These people don't know what acting is."
Fisher said he has no regrets about taking on the role, acknowledging that he was never going to play romantic leads on screen.
"Well, I was never going to play Romeo. Maybe on the wireless," he said. "Your career is your career is your career. We've all got bills to pay."
Varied career
Beyond Rab C Nesbitt, Fisher has built a diverse resume. He earned acclaim with the National Theatre of Scotland in the comedy Yer Granny and received praise for his role in the BBC sitcom Only Child, where he starred opposite Greg McHugh as an ageing father cared for by his son.
His film credits include Love Actually and a film adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.
