One of life’s major milestones comes when we have to start looking after our elderly parents, which can be a challenging experience on both sides, with the same old annoyances and embarrassments to contend with, plus a few new ones added!
That tension is at the heart of new sitcom Only Child, starring Rab C Nesbitt’s Gregor Fisher and Fresh Meat’s Greg McHugh as technophobic Scottish father Ken and his actor son Richard, who unexpectedly find themselves living together again.
Here's everything we know about this heart-warming comedy...
Only Child release date
Only Child debuts on the BBC Scotland channel on Thursday, November 21 and BBC One on Friday, November 22. All six episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from Thursday 21 November.
Only Child premise
Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star as father and son, Ken and Richard Pritchard, in new comedy series, Only Child. Featuring domestic and inter-generational differences and neighbourly squabbles, Only Child is told through the lens of Richard and Ken’s comedic relationship.
In the first episode, bit-part actor Richard returns from London to his home in Forres in the Scottish Highlands for a long overdue visit to the recently-widowed Ken. However, he soon realises his dad might be in need of a bit more full-time help. Not that Ken would agree, of course, but that statement is pretty much true about anything.
An eccentric, strong-willed technophobe, Ken is set in his ways, leaving Richard worrying about his dad growing old.
Only Child cast
As well as Fisher and McHugh, Only Child showcases a wealth of Scottish and Irish talent including Amy Lennox as Emily, Stuart Bowman as Rod, Clare Barrett as Jan, Robin Laing as Ian and Paul Rattray as Digsy.
Only Child trailer
Only Child cast interviews
We caught up with Gregor, 70, and Greg, 44, for a family meeting …
What drew you to this project?
Greg: "I thought it was a very good script that really resonated, with the comedy as well as the heart and the feeling."
Gregor: "And I haven't worked for some time, so the bank manager said it would be a good idea for me to sign up for this!"
Can you describe the domestic set-up at Ken’s house?
Gregor: "There is no domestic setup, and that's the problem! There is no system and no rhyme or reason to anything. It's totally random. The wheels are coming off, and luckily Ken has a son who’s nice enough to come and tighten the nuts every now and again. If you’ve got elderly parents, you’ll understand!"
Greg: "Yes, the wheels have come off, and Ken’s put some square ones on! But the one thing he does not want is anyone meddling in his madness!"
What’s the dynamic between father and son?
Gregor: "Ken can go off on a tangent at any time and start doing something completely different. And he’s not really up for learning anything new!
Greg: "And Richard is deluded in his own way, in that he still thinks he’s going to land a big acting job. But you never want to admit that you’re following in your father’s footsteps!"
Did the generation gap theme resonate with you?
Greg: "My dad recently broke his ankle caring for my mum, who had a stroke. So there are so many issues being brought up for me. And I’m sure the audience will relate to the way that, sometimes with your parents, you're trying to have a very clear conversation, and they have a completely different logic!"
Gregor: "And I’m completely useless with technology! But luckily I have a niece living nearby who I can call on…"
Did you enjoy working together?
Greg: "I know Gregor hates hearing this, but Mr Fisher is incredibly funny! So it was an absolute joy.
Gregor: "And besides the money, my secondary motivation for doing this was that Mr Greg McHugh was involved, whom I knew slightly and had admired from afar!"
One of Ken’s eccentricities is watching TV with his beloved ventriloquist’s dummy, Percy, and taking him out for a spin on his motorbike. What did you make of the wee man?
Gregor: "If you saw Percy in real life, you would think: ‘He’s a bit moth-eaten!’ Percy's been around the block once or twice. But apparently, Percy is a very, very rare item, and worth a couple of quid! So the production team were very sensitive about him."
Greg: "That’s right, we had to treat Percy with more respect than anyone else in the show! And him getting the biggest trailer was a bit of a shock…
